Sportsgrounds were assessed against three key criteria:

• Are identified dog off-leash areas,
• Has no scheduled sporting activity at the selected times, and
• Has available sportsground lighting.

The three sportsgrounds selected met the above criteria and were identified as suitable locations for the program.

During the program, the southern, Ludstone Street end of RJ Sillitoe Reserve will be fenced to help repair the wear and tear on the ground (with the exception of soccer competition). Access to the remainder of the off-leash dog area will remain open from Lawson Street and the northern end of the reserve will be lit between 5-8pm on Mondays during the program.

We’re gathering community feedback about the winter lighting program to understand community experiences and determine if this program should be continued, amended, or expanded. The sportsgrounds included in the program were selected based on central location and geographic spread, current use by dog walkers, and evening availability based on allocated use for organised sport.

Locations for the program were assessed against three key criteria:

1. Are identified Dog Off Leash areas,
2. Has no scheduled sporting activity at the selected times and
3. Has available sportsground lighting.

The three sportsgrounds selected met the above criteria and were identified as suitable locations for the program.

If you would like to suggest other off-leash sportsgrounds to be included in a future program, should it be supported by Council, please provide this information via the online survey.

You can also check out the seasonal schedule of sportsground allocation times to help plan your visits to other off-leash sportsgrounds, which are not included in the program, around training and game times.

We want to understand community experiences of the program to help us determine if it should be continued, amended, or expanded - see evaluation methods below.

To share your views of the program, please complete the survey on this webpage before 2 September 2023.

Evaluation of the program will include local community feedback from dog owners, sports clubs, and neighbouring residents to understand their experiences through an online survey, written submissions, online Q&A forum and special request meetings.

Local Laws Officers will regularly inspect sites and collect feedback from participants during program hours and observe compliance to pet owner responsibilities.

Regular ground inspections will also be undertaken to monitor sportsground integrity, in particular uncollected poo and holes dug by dogs which require urgent maintenance to prevent sports injury.

It is important to note sportsground condition naturally deteriorates over the winter season because of weather and increased recreational sports use. While regular monitoring and evaluation is part of this program, this will be balanced against the respective winter sport loading and associated weather conditions that also contribute to ground conditions.

Council reserves the right to discontinue the delivery of the project without notice and for any reason, however particular notice will be placed on the condition of sportsgrounds and behaviour of pet owners in regard to responsible pet ownership.

Dogs must always be supervised and under effective voice and hand control to prevent unwanted or unsafe interactions in public spaces. This includes unwanted interactions with other dogs. Dogs need space for many reasons, including: shyness, fear, injury or illness, in training, reactivity, and aggression.

• Please ensure your dog doesn’t dig and damage sportsground turf. Holes can and do cause significant injury to players
• Always pick up after your dog efficiently and dispose of it responsibly. Dog poo contaminates playing surfaces and is a health risk to players
• Always maintain effective control
• Never let your dog run towards or jump on others
• Ask permission before approaching people or dogs
• Dogs must be on leash within 20 metres of an area being used for organised sport, including training, playgrounds, barbeques, picnic areas and on-leash signed lakes and ponds.

These rules are to protect everyone’s safety when exercising, including our pets.

Effective control keeps everyone safe - including your dog

• Keep sight of your dog at all times
• Monitor behaviour for unwelcome approaches
• Instant recall with voice or hand commands
• Put back on leash if you need to.

Please select the blue +Subscribe button at the top of this page if you would like to receive updates about this project at key milestones.