The City of St. Albert has increased bylaw officer presence in Willoughby Park following the decision to maintain the park's off-leash designation.
In June of 2021, Neil M. Ross and Keenooshayo Public Elementary schools — both neighbours to the park — submitted an official request with the City to remove the park’s off-leash designation. Both schools sited concerns about student safety in the face of free-roaming dogs on school grounds, and sanitary issues related to dog poop in play areas.
In considering the application, the City held a well-attended virtual workshop in January to gather feedback from residents, as well as opened a survey in February that saw 147 participants.
On April 28, the City announced that Willoughby Park will keep its off-leash designation. Some areas, such as the boarded rink and baseball diamond, will remain on-leash areas when organized sporting activities are taking place.
Chris Albrecht said she noticed the steep spike in enforcement, and wonders why other methods the City has said it will look to increase in a document accompanying the decision — including public education and signage — were not a first resort.
Albrecht’s husband — who has used the park nearly every morning for the past 18 months — came home with a $130 ticket last week. He had his dog off leash and was exiting the park against the fence through school property, with no one around.
Since that day, Albrecht has spent nearly every morning speaking to peace officers at the park. While she recognizes her husband was not in the appropriate area, Albrecht said she thinks the influx of enforcement feels like a “backwards” approach without first pursuing education and additional signage.
“There were a lot of people who were not aware,” Albrecht said. “OK, spend the money, send the peace officers, and have them talk to people and tell them where the boundaries are and hand out maps.”
Danielle Gare, another park user, said she was also approached by municipal enforcement after the City made its announcement, but got off with a warning thanks to her neighbour’s advocacy.
Gare echoed Albrecht in a message to The Gazette.
“It would be nice to see clear signage and boundaries for the off-leash park area,” Gare said in the message.
City spokesperson Alex Cunningham said in an email that the City issued seven tickets and five warnings in the area “over the last couple of weeks.”
“All violations observed were for dogs not on a leash (when required), apart from one violation for having a dog in a playground area,” Cunningham said the email.
Cunningham said the City’s engagement with neighbouring schools and review of the request to remove the designation made the City feel a swift increase in officer presence, and enforcement was necessary “to help address safety concerns and reported animal bylaw violations.”
“This quick, short-term response is within the capability of the City,” Cunningham said, noting other long-term measures, such as temporary and permanent signage, “can take many weeks to implement.”
City decision disappointing
Shanlyn Cunningham, manager of communications for St. Albert Greater Catholic Schools, said the school division is disappointed in the decision to keep off-leash areas, "and expected more collaboration with City officials."
"Our top priority is student safety," Cunningham relayed in an email. "While we acknowledge the need for the City to support the community in creating and sustaining public spaces, we were hopeful that a compromise would have been considered."
Paula Power, a spokesperson for St. Albert Public Schools, said that despite the decision, Keenooshayo is “appreciative of the City working through the process” with them. Power highlighted the inclusion of the additional measures — enforcement, signage, and education — as particularly essential for finding a mid-way point as the park remains off-leash.
“We’re hoping … everybody can work together to address some of the issues and the concerns that we had with the area to work together to make it a more usable and safe space for everybody,” Power said.
