Toowoomba Regional Council scraps dog off-leash area in $1.8m masterplan of Carly Hibberd Park after community backlash

A dog off-leash area, which had been slated for the masterplan of a new Toowoomba park, appears to have been scrapped following backlash from residents.

PLANNED: Upgrades are coming to Carly Hibberd Park, after the Toowoomba Regional Council endorsed a master plan worth $1.8m.

The future of a $90,000 dog off-leash area within an upcoming masterplanned park in Toowoomba’s southern suburbs is in doubt after the council voted to defer its delivery after a backlash from some residents.

The council had approved a plan for Carly Hibberd Park off Velodrome Drive in Kearneys Spring in July last year, which included a fenced off-leash area for dogs (DOLA) as part of its vision.

This had come following an initial round of consultation with residents located within 1km of the park, the majority of whom had supported the plan.

But according to council’s senior landscape architects Alison Banks and Ingrid Steinhardt, compulsory follow-up consultation with residents located within 200m of the park expressed opposition to including a DOLA in Carly Hibberd, with just 37 per cent of 64 residents supported it.

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) invited residents to have their say on future improvements to Carly Hibberd Park in Kearneys Spring.

“Based on community feedback it is recommended that provision of a fenced DOLA area be considered for removal from the scope of works for Carly Hibberd Park and the funding for the DOLA be reallocated to other parkland improvements in Carly Hibberd Park such as the provision of pathways, tree planting, landscaping and/or shelters,” the report said.

Councillors voted at Wednesday’s committee meeting to defer delivery of the DOLA “until such time as community support can be verified”.

Councillor Tim McMahon had attempted to include a second part of the motion that would include fencing off the nearby Murray Clewett park for dogs as part of subsequent consultation, but it was rejected in favour of the officer’s original recommendation.

Councillors Kerry Shine and Nancy Sommerfield voted against the motion.