Shire of Harvey to ask for community feedback on options for enclosed dog park in Australind and Harvey areas

Harvey dog lovers are one step closer to having a dedicated park for the shire’s four-legged friends after councillors voted to allocate $50,000 towards an enclosed park in the shire’s draft 2023-24 budget. In May, the council voted to investigate the feasibility of a dog park in the shire following a strong community push for the parks, along with feedback from the Australind/Leschenault Place Advisory Group and the shire’s community scorecard. In a report to the council, shire director of infrastructure services Rick Lotznicker recommended seeking community consultation on a number of proposed locations for the park before a final site was decided. A total of seven proposed locations have been shortlisted for the park and the council is now seeking public comment from residents. Fees Field and Settlers Hall in Leschenault were highlighted as possibiilties, as well as a reserve at the corner of Braidwood Drive and Waterford Way in Kingston. Originally the council planned to exclude Harvey townsite locations from the shortlist, however Cr Robyn Coleman suggested an amendment which would add locations at the corners of Roy and Wright streets, Lee and Hester streets, Hinge Road and Willmott Cresent, and part of Anne Gurshow Park to the shortlist. “There has been a huge, prolonged campaign for a dog park in Harvey, so I think having community feedback on both (Harvey and Australind) is equitable across the Shire,” Cr Coleman said. The council has allocated $50,000 towards fencing and gate costs for an enclosed dog park in next year’s draft budget, which will be used when the final location is selected. A report to the council found Meriden Park in Harvey, the Brunswick Recreation Ground and two locations in Australind were not suitable for an enclosed dog park, however, the door was left open to enclosing parts of dog exercise areas at Binningup Oval, the Yarloop Recreation Ground and parts of the Roelands railway reserve. Another report is set to be presented to the council reviewing the Cookernup and Myalup dog exercise areas at a later date.