A DEDICATED off-leash dog area is set to open at Telopea Reserve, Frankston North.
Frankston councillors voted at their last ordinary meeting to commit $70,000 in ratepayer money towards a 3750 square metre dedicated off-leash area for dogs with “signage, a multi use drinking tap, a dog bag dispenser, a solar light, a park bench, and table.”
Cr Kris Bolam, who moved the motion, said that the decision to create a new off-leash space reflected safety concerns from people who had been walking their dogs at Pat Rollo Reserve in Frankston North.
“It is the view from a number of people that people can’t walk dogs in that area,” he said.
The mayor Michael O’Reilly supported the move “for the sake of separating two groups and seeing how it goes.”
“If this is successful it could be rolled out in the rest of the city,” he said.
Crs Brian Cunial and Quinn McCormack opposed the move.
Cr Cunial said that he did not believe that the construction of a new off-leash space was “going to make the area any safer”.
Cr McCormack said she did not think it is “incumbent of council to provide off-leash areas.” She said “there are 33 off-leash areas [in the municipality], I don’t want to see $70,000 put towards one.”
Councillors directed the CEO to find funding for the new area in the present budget.