Keheewin and Bearspaw Off-Leash Area

***This engagement has concluded and a What We Heard Report is now available.*****

The City of Edmonton invites you to share your feedback to ADVISE on changes to the Keheewin and Bearspaw Off-Leash Area. Currently the project is funded through the design phase, and construction would be dependent on securing additional funding.

This project includes the concept and development design of an existing off-leash area, Keheewin and Bearspaw, to ensure that it meets the standards recommended within the Dogs in Open Spaces Strategy. Public engagement and consultation with City of Edmonton staff and other stakeholders played a prominent role in shaping the direction of the Strategy. The results and recommendations included in the Dogs in Open Spaces Strategy were used to inform and prioritize the recommended actions in the Dogs In Open Spaces 10 Year Implementation Plan. Further public engagement is required in order to carry out changes in each off-leash area.

The current online engagement will ADVISE the design for the Keheewin and Bearspaw Off-Leash Area.

Standard off-leash area amenities as defined within the Dogs in Open Spaces Strategy include:

• Physical barriers in areas with high potential for conflict with other park users or safety issues for both dogs and humans

• Changes to off-leash area boundaries to better integrate off-leash areas with other park uses such as shared use paths

• Identification of future signage locations

• Identification of dog waste bag dispensers and waste receptacle locations

• Design of physical boundaries (hard or soft) including double gate systems at all entry points to completely enclosed areas

• Relocation of existing benches or picnic tables within off-leash areas (if necessary)

• Landscaping to resolve water pooling issues.

The project area is within the parcel of parkland currently designated as off-leash within Keheewin and Bearspaw:

There are two distinct areas of this project.

The Keheewin Off-Leash Area will not be enhanced with additional fencing, access points, or other amenities. This off-leash area is located along a pipeline corridor which limits the amenities available to be provided. Landscaping will be added in the storm water pond area as a barrier to reduce movement into this area and improve safety for dogs and people.

The Bearspaw Off-Leash Area (Big Bear Park south) is being enhanced with fences and access points to help manage pathways and safety for off-leash dogs and other park users. Within the Bearspaw off-leash area, five access locations will include a double gate system, garbage cans, dog waste dispensers and signage with park information. One access point will be a 4 meter swing gate for operational use.

Please review the information on this page and share your thoughts in the survey below before the end of the day on May 11, 2022. Your feedback from the survey results will help ADVISE the project team’s concept design.