Facebook for Dogs - Proof of the Movement

All canine insurgency and dog park community groups should examine the organization power of Facebook DogBook.

As you know the insurgency had a partial victory last fall over the urgent need of a fenced yard at Allen Gardens (downtown Toronto, Canada). A fenced yard was created late fall, and has been used heavily by the local pack even in its unfinished shape. I say partial victory because it remains to be seen the health impacts of the 60% granite sand design, and the repercussions in terms of leash enforcement in the rest of the park which would likely be counter to the insurgency's dog park policy position.

And why was it needed? Dogbook stats currently puts the number of dogs withing a 2.5 k distance of the park at over 2700.

Insurgency Position Policy: Dog Parks

With battles over public space raging across North America, the Canine Insurgency would like to take a moment to clarify its position on dog park reform. Look forward to more detail dog park ideas in future postings.

Dog Park Position:

• Dogs have a right to responsible freedom in parks and on city streets. That the right to that freedom is no different than those held by the pigeons, the squirrels, and every other animal including human beings.
• A portion of every public park, unless the park was specifically designed for children, must have a dog designated area, where dogs can run and play off-leash.
• All dog designated areas require at the very least, a fenced pen for the training and nurturing of puppies and restricted animals. Pen sizes will of course vary depending on the park.
• With in every neighbourhood there must be a long run area for larger breed dogs, and a long run fenced pen for the training of young and restricted animals.
• Dog designated areas, where ever possible, should have a designated potty area, with posted information on; training a dog to use the potty area, proper waste disposal and park responsibility.
• Potty areas must be properly serviced by the city including garbage pick-up and routine sanitization, as well as provide access to drinking water for human and canine.

If the city’s policy isn’t talking about these measures as part of a long term management strategy, then the policy lacks any robust nature and will be destined to failure.

Toronto Dog Park List

Allan Gardens (west end) - Ward 27
160 Gerrard Street East, Gerrard & Jarvis Street

Bickford Park - Ward 19
400 Grace Street at Harbord Street

Burk Ravine (beside Sunnybrook Park ) - Ward 25
Below the Sunnybrook Hospital, on the west side of the West Don River .

Cassels Avenue Playground - Ward 32
69 Cassels Avenues at Brookside Avenue

Cawthra Square - Ward 27
519 Church Street at Wellesley Street East

Cedarvale Ravine - Ward 21
1611 Bathurst Street at Lonsdale Road

Clarke Beach Park (at the foot of Cherry Street ) - Ward 30

David Crombie Park - Ward 28
131 to 171 The Esplanade at Lower Sherbourne Street

Don Russell Memorial Park - Ward 6
Birmingham Street at Faustina Drive

Don Valley Brickworks - Ward 27 or 29?
550 Bayview Avenue

Eastern Beaches (Winter – South of Snow Fencing) - Ward 32
RC Harris plant west to Lakeshore Blvd. and Coxwell Avenue
– avoid BLUE FLAG SIGNAGE AREAS

Greenwood Park - Ward 30
150 Greenwood Avenue at Dundas Street East

Hideaway Park - Ward 30
23 Audley Avenue

High Park (designated area) - Ward 13
1873 Bloor Street West at Parkside Drive

Hillcrest Park - Ward 21
950 Davenport Road at Christie

Jean Sibelius Park - Ward 20
50 Kendal Avenue (Bloor & Bathurst area)
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday: 7-9am and 6-10:30pm
Weekends: 8:30am to 10:30am and 6pm to 10:30pm

Kew Gardens - Ward 32
2075 Queen Street East at Lee Avenue
At the foot of Lee Avenue, on the beach delineated by fencing.

Monarch Park - Ward 30
115 Hanson Street at CNR tracks

Nordheimer Ravine - Ward 21
326 Spadina Road at St. Clair Avenue

Norwood Park - Ward 32
16 Norwood Road, Woodbine & Gerrard Street

Oakcrest Park - Ward 32
30 Oakcrest Avenue at Woodbine Avenue

Park Drive Reservation Lands - Ward 27
200 Park Drive at Mt. Pleasant Road

Ramsden Park - Ward 27
215 Avenue Road (Dufferin & Eglinton area)

Rennie Park - Ward 13
140 Ellis Avenue

Riverdale Park West - Ward 28
375 Sumach Street at Carlton Street
Lower playing fields, southeast of Riverdale Farm

Sherwood Park - Ward 25
1200 Mt. Pleasant Road at Sherwood Avenue

South Stanley Park - Ward 19
845 King Street West at Adelaide

Trinity Bellwoods Park - Ward 19
790 Queen Street West at Shaw Street

Vermont Square - Ward 20
819 Palmerston Avenue (Bathurst & Dupont area)

Wildwood Crescent Playground - Ward 32
110 Wildwood Crescent (Gerrard & Woodbine area)

Withrow Park - Ward 30
725 Logan Avenue at Danforth Avenue

Woburn Park - Ward 16
East of Bathurst off of Cranbrooke Drive .
Northwest section of the park. This area is fenced off.

Participate in the Canine Insurgency!

Park Battles and Heavens

Allen Gardens

Is a good park with a large off-leash area, but with the usual lack of foresight the city neglected to build a fence of any kind along the Jarvis Street which is almost a highway with its 6 lanes. dogs are dying every season. It also has a lot of vagrant activity, that makes dog owners uncomfortable. There was even a story of a dog being hospitalized after finding a piece of crack and eating it. The park needs redevelopment.





Riverdale Park

This is doggie paradise. No roads, no leash, no hassle. Only fun and play. On a Saturday you might see 20+ dogs at a time all day long and there are lots of big dogs. The off-leash rules are:

• shared space (as you can see there are a number of baseball diamonds)
• off-leash in the spring, summer, and fall as shown on the picture, and the part of the park on top of the hill is "on-leash" during that time (its a water play area for kids); then in the winter when the kids are on the toboggan hill, the top part is off-leash.
  

Jarvis Schoolyard

This is the disputed area. Its a poorly kept school yard field and track used regularly by up to 50 dogs. The yard is big and well fenced, perfect for young small and large dogs that need to run in a safe area. It is the only yard of this nature in a radius of a 20 minute walk.








Monpegue Parkette

This park is a bit of a local affair, but all dogs and dog owners are welcome. Its small and has a fence along the road, backs onto a set of houses and is flanked by 2 buildings. One of the buildings has the charge of maintaining the park because its parking garage is build below it. The park could use some work, and the people generally pick up although you might not think so. There are just so many dogs using this park that you're bound to have some midnight misses. The park is free of undesirable activity common in the neighbourhood because there is almost always someone there with a dog.


Watch the whole video series from the beginning!


More parks will be added soon. To learn more about dog parks, check out this list.