The future off-leash dog park is not planned to receive a car park after the council’s November ordinary meeting.
In October’s meeting, councillor Juliana McArthur raised a motion for council to investigate the cost of a car park on site at the off-leash dog park which is proposed opposite McAndrew Park on Wandobah Road.
She had concerns about the safety of parking alongside the busy road with an animal.
An investigation revealed preliminary costs for the proposed 20 space car park within the reserve was estimated to be up to about $200,000.
Council was presented with four options in the director infrastructure services’ report.
The first three suggestions advised council to allocate $40,000 from the General Fund Unrestricted Cash for a comprehensive survey and design or survey design.
Option A was a 20-vehicle car park built on the reserve, adjacent to the dog park, with a report including detailed costs, to be tabled for a later meeting.
Option B was for a 10-vehicle car park (rear to fence) along the tree line parallel with Wandobah Road and a report including detailed costs, to be tabled for a later meeting.
Option C was to widen Wandobah Road for a 90 degree, nose in car park with wheel stops for up to 10 vehicles.
The three options would cost up to $200,000, $160,000 and $100,000 respectively.
The report made note that a car park or driveway would need to be sealed to comply with the Development Control Plan requirements and the Australia Standards for insurance requirements.
Costing would need to be considered for the removal of up to about 20 trees which would need replacing due to the Black Jack Creek Mitigation Rehabilitation agreement.
The officer’s recommendation was option D, which was for council to allow users to park informally along the roadside.
Some reasons given for the recommendation included there have been no recorded vehicle crashes in the last five years on Wandobah Road between Bando Street and High Street according to the NSW government
Centre for Road Safety crash data; people already use the spaces between the trees alongside the road as parking. Due to the unrestricted cash position, it was suggested that the council monitor the dog park and consider its next step after construction and its usage.
The recommendation, which has no financial implications, also noted dogs should remain leashed until inside the off-leash dog park.
It was unanimously supported and councillor Ann Luke moved the motion with councillor Colleen Fuller seconding it.
“The off-leash dog park has been many, many years in coming and there are a lot of costs associated with doing anything other than allowing the patron or the visitors to the dog park to park informally along the roadside,” Cr Luke said,
“That sort of funds is actually what stopped … for seven years, the off-leash dog park,” she said.
Karla Ward with her dog Theo on the footpath near the proposed off-leash dog area on Wandobah Road.
“I would like to commend the motion or the recommendation and know that should we need to change things in the future, we can look at it then,” Cr Luke said.
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