New Mississauga leash-free dog park is actually two dog parks in one

A new leash-free dog park opening this spring next to a large community centre in west Mississauga is actually two dog parks in one.

The space for dogs is located next to Churchill Meadows Community Centre and Sports Park, which officially opened last year on Ninth Line just north of Erin Centre Blvd.

The new dog park includes about 5,000 square metres (1.2 acres) of fenced-in running space for larger dogs, a section informally called “Whiskey’s Walk,” and another 1,800 square metres of space for smaller pets, known as “Freddie’s Fairway.”

“The plans include two separately fenced-off areas, one for big dogs and one for smaller dogs. The site for the leash-free area is the strip of land immediately north of the woodlot and adjacent to the community centre parking lot,” Ward 10 Councillor Sue McFadden said in a recent newsletter to residents.

“This will be a welcome and much-needed amenity in Ward 10, as we (had) no leash-free zones. The closest one, at Union Park in Ward 9, is temporarily closed and relocated to accommodate the new fire station at the corner of Tenth Line and Aquitaine Rd., making this new leash-free zone all the more needed.”

Earlier this year, one City of Mississauga councillor spoke about the need for more leash-free dog parks in the city.

Ward 2 Councillor Alvin Tedjo tabled the matter briefly at a meeting of general committee in February, asking City staff to bring back a report and recommendation “on how we can facilitate the expansion of these areas” across Mississauga.

The City of Mississauga oversees seven leash-free zones across the city, but there appears to be a pressing need for additional areas in which the dogs can be let free to run and play.

Mississauga officials said earlier this year that there are an estimated 60,000 dogs in the city, with only 23,000 or so licensed by their owners.

In addition to the new Churchill Meadows Community Centre dog park, Mississauga operates the following leash-free zones:

• Etobicoke Valley (south of Dundas St. E., near the West Mall)
• Garnetwood (Burnhamthorpe Rd. E./Ponytrail Dr.)
• Jack Darling (south of Lakeshore Rd., near Lorne Park Rd.)
• Lakeside (Lakeshore Rd. W., between Southdown Rd. and Winston Churchill Blvd.)
• Quennippenon Meadows (Erin Mills Pkwy., north of Erin Centre Blvd.)
• Parkway Belt (Kennedy Rd./Eglinton Ave. area)
• Totoredaca (Meadowpine Blvd., west of Mississauga Rd. and north of Derry Rd.)

The layout of the new leash-free dog park at Churchill Meadows Community Centre in west Mississauga.