Katherine residents will soon have a dedicated dog park to exercise their furry best friends.
While there are a few off-leash dog parks in town already, Katherine Town Council has responded to community wishes to construct a fenced-off area.
Council will put $18,000 from general expenditure from the 2018/19 budget towards the park.
The new space is expected to be ready for pet owners by the middle of next year.
“Council has two front runner areas, Lockheed Park and Casuarina Park. They are already identified as off-leash areas,” KTC executive manager of Corporate and Community Development, Rosemary Jennings, said.
“Those two areas are large spaces with a lot of flexibility for expansion,” she said.
However, the location of the dog park is in residents’ hands with council holding community consultations to get a better idea of what is wanted.
While council will be seeking input from the community, the area needs to be on council property and be easily accessible to many dog owners.
“It is about weighing up access as well as if there are water points and shade. These are things we have to take into consideration,” Ms Jennings said.
“Once we have consulted with the community, and decided on a location we will identify what else we need to bring in,” she said.
According to the KTC 2018/19 Municipal Plan the Dog Park Project—Stage One, “will serve to encourage responsible dog ownership and allow a safe and welcoming environment for dog owners.
“Stage One will consist of identifying a suitable location and initial formalisation works. Council will continue working closely with the community to ensure the facility is fit for purpose and allows for continued development into the future.”
Community consultations are expected to start early next year.
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