Is dog urine stinking up a local park?

Dennis Hanagan –

A resident in the Sherbourne and Wellesley neighbourhood says Wellesley-Magill Park has an odour problem, possibly stemming from dog urine.

“This summer it seemed to be worse than last,” says Kevin Gilchrist. He raised the issue at the October meeting of the Upper Jarvis Neighbourthood Association (UJNA).

The park is used by dog owners, but it’s likely not dog feces causing the odor but their urine, says Gilchrist. “The park is highly used by dogs (and) there’re a lot of responsible dog owners” who pick up after their pets, he says.

Gilchrist says residents on the lower floors at 500 Sherbourne tend to notice the smell. “We have heard some feedback from a number of residents in our building.”

According to Gilchrist not a lot of non-dog owners use the park. “That’s indicative that it’s not a pleasant environment for people who aren’t there to walk their puppies.”

UJNA President Brian Bagley said in an interview after the meeting if there’s an odour problem “we’ll help support action to be taken by the city. If their board has taken it to the councillor it has to have some backing to it.”

Bagley told UJNA members about other matters of community interest.

The city has put a $250,000 plan in place over 10 years to make Wellesley-Magill Park more pedestrian friendly including replacing unhealthy trees, adding park benches, providing better lighting, improving damaged granite, hiring staff to groom the gravel and monitor the park.

“The trees are happening in 2013. Everything else is in 2014,” says Bagley.

There’s also good news for swimming enthusiasts. The city is putting aside funds in its 2014 budget to finalize a design for a pool at the Wellesley Community Centre. Change rooms and plumbing are already in place.

“It’s moving forward,” says Bagley.