Alpha Lake Dog Park expansion coming this summer

The dog off-leash area is expected to be under construction until the summer of 2014. During the construction process a portion of the space will remain available to users, although it will be smaller than it was. Users are encouraged to explore other dog off-leash areas including the new Bayly Park facility located in Cheakamus Crossing across from the High Performance Centre.

The RMOW constructed a dog off-leash area within Alpha Lake Park in 2005 as a result of high demand from the community when the municipality acquired an addition to Alpha Lake Park. The area is commonly known as “Arfa Park” and includes a dock for dogs.

With demand for the park continuing to grow, and increasing conflicts between dog owners and non-dog owners, the RMOW has determined that an expansion to the off-leash area is required. The current project was proposed to expand the area and separate the dog off-leash area from the Valley Trail.

The project will include resurfacing of the off-leash area with gravel to allow for easier maintenance, as well as to create a sand pit for digging. The expanded dog leash area will be enclosed with a fence and double gates, and the Valley Trail will be realigned to keep it separate from the off-leash dog area.

As part of the park improvement project, a human-only swim dock will also be constructed on the other side of Jordan Creek for those accessing the beach area.

In addition to Alpha Lake Park, the following parks in Whistler have marked and signed off-leash areas:

Rainbow Park
Lost Lake Park
Bayly Park
Dogs are not permitted on public swimming beaches for public health reasons, playgrounds and waterparks for the safety reasons.

Whistler is a pet-friendly community and asks dog owners to follow rules for responsible pet ownership. Off-leash dogs must be in the owner’s control and remain in off-leash areas. Owners must also have a leash visible, and leash dogs, when entering and exiting off-leash areas. Dog owners should note that any dog roaming at large in the municipality is liable to seizure and impoundment.

For more information on dogs in Whistler, visit www.whistler.ca/dogs.