Fido’s in for some fun in the sun this summer.
With over 170 parks across town, the District of Saanich is bringing pop-up dog parks back to select parks starting next month until early September.
The district says pop-up parks provide a safe space for furry friends to play off-leash—amid concerns from non-dog owners about the impacts dogs have on wildlife, natural areas and other park users.
According to district officials, pop-up parks will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily starting June 1st to 27th at Beckwith, Gorge, and Vantreight parks.
Then from July 1st to 26th, dogs can roam Blair, Copley East, and Rudd parks before the pop-ups head to Fowler Horner and Hyacinth parks from July 30th to September 6th.
Maps for each location can be found online here.
When visiting, dog owners are encouraged to keep a collar on their pup, be respectful of other dogs and their owners and clean up after their dog, ensuring its vaccinations are up to date.
Last summer, Saanich’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee launched their ‘Paws in Parks’ pilot project to test various locations for future off-leash dog parks.
The district says the concept was successful and saw positive feedback after park users shared their thoughts via an online survey, prompting pop-up parks to return in 2022.
