Adelaide City Council introduces new leash-free dog zones across the city, including Victoria Park
Dogs will have to be kept on leashes in large areas of the Parklands under new Adelaide City Council rules – see where here. What’s your verdict? Vote in our poll.
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Dogs will have to be kept on leashes in large areas of the Adelaide Parklands, including about a third of Victoria Park, under new City Council rules.
Until now, dogs largely could be kept off-leash during certain hours if they were under “effective control”, though they had to be leashed near playgrounds or organised sport.
The new rules follow community consultation last year on a council proposal to use bylaws to introduce specific controls within each of the 26 parks.
Under the changes, most of the Torrens riverbank and many of the parks directly adjacent North Adelaide will be leash-only.
Following vigorous public debate, the on-leash area in Victoria Park will be confined to the northeast third of the park.
This includes the criterium track now used as the state’s biggest Covid testing site.
The original proposal would have made a much larger area on-leash, right up to East Tce and covering about two-thirds of the park.
All of the city squares and Wellington Square in North Adelaide will be on-leash.
The vast majority of the parks wrapping around the eastern, southern and western sides of the CBD will be leash-free.
As these are prime areas for organised sport, leashes will still be required when games are on, as well as near playgrounds.
Bonython Park will be leash-free.
Unlike many metropolitan beaches, there will be no limitation on how long dogs can remain off leash in permitted zones.
Signage for the new zones will be erected in coming weeks, with the changes likely to take effect from April 1.
“This will allow an education-marketing campaign to be developed to ensure that dog owners are aware of any changes as to where and when they may exercise their dogs in the Adelaide parklands,” a council staff report said.
In a written submission to the council, South-West City Community Association chairwoman Susan Collins said the group was concerned about the dangers of unrestrained dogs “in light of recent attacks on individuals, especially the infirm, elderly, children and other dogs”.
“Either a dog is in an area fenced off for safety reasons, where leashes can be removed, or if in the general parklands, dogs should be on a leash at all times,” she wrote.
Dog owner Ena Winter, 18, said the new Victoria Park zones were a good compromise.
“You have an area where there are cyclists, children and cars so dogs should be kept on a leash and I am happy to do that,” she said.
“But it is good that we will now have a bigger area (than originally proposed) where we can take them off leashes and let them run around.”
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