Central coroner David O’Connell speaks against Slade Point dog park

A local council has deferred building a new dog park after a coroner added his voice to residents opposing the plan

Plans to build a new dog park in the Mackay region have been put on hold after a Queensland coroner added his voice to residents opposing the pooch project.

After receiving a petition from Slade Point residents in October 2023 asking for a new dog park, the council was ready to approve a location near Wren St Oval Park.

Central Coroner David O'Connell, a dog owner and Slade Point resident, objected to council's recommended location for a dog park. Photo: Fergus Gregg

However, during Wednesday’s meeting, Central Coroner David O’Connell spoke in objection to this development and said the council was “putting the cart before the horse”.

“There are two broad proposals one is off leash completely … the other is a fenced area,” Mr O’Connell said.

“These are very different amounts of money and costs to the council.”

A new fenced dog park proposed near Wren St Oval Park has been put on hold.

The recommendation of council officers was a fenced area be constructed at a cost of $150,000 and funds be made available for this development in the 2025/2026 budget.

“You don’t know what the people want,” Mr O’Connell said speaking in his capacity as a local resident.

“I would suggest you need to consult and then administration comes back and says, ‘here’s what the people say’.”

Mr O’Connell also pointed out the proposed dog park was located close to a council storage facility housing sand, gravel and metal.

“You run trucks in there,” he said.

“You’re going to have a little old lady in a Corolla with a small white dog negotiating past something with a front-end loader.”

Mr O’Connell said dust issues created by construction could also negatively affect the community.

“If you wish to create complaints to the council you’ve done that successfully,” he said.

Mackay mayor Greg Williamson said council was committed to bringing a dog park to Slade Point, but indicated more community consultation would be done.

Deputy mayor Karen May introduced a procedural motion to table the dog park’s approval until more information had been gathered.

Mayor Greg Williamson said “there will be a dog park in Slade Point” eventually.

“We need to go out there and talk more extensively to the public,” Mr Williamson said.

“We will put together all the information we can then it will come back to council and we’ll have a resolution.”

Originally published as Central coroner David O’Connell speaks against Slade Point dog park