Plans for dog park in Kerikeri back to the drawing board

Far North deputy mayor Kelly Stratford says there is nothing to stop residents “from driving and delivering a dog park themselves”. Photo / Jenny Ling

The Far North District Council has pushed “paws” on an unpopular dog park proposal in Kerikeri while it investigates other locations.

After extensive public consultation on two plans for a dedicated, off-leash dog park at a council reserve on Waitotara Drive in Waipapa near SH10, the council is now investigating more options.

Deputy mayor Kelly Stratford said because of “the zoning of the land” at Waitotara Drive, the council would have needed to apply for resource consent for the dog park, which “would waste a lot of money”.

“The community board voted to look for a new location because that location wasn’t suitable.

“The community that lived there were also opposed.”

Last November, the council asked the public for input on two options at the proposed site at the end of Waitotara Drive.

Option 1 - estimated to cost around $130,000 - covered minimum requirements such as pathways, seating, and separate areas for small and large dogs as well as a mixed-size dog area.

Option 2 – the cost of which was to be dependent on the survey results - included extras seen in popular dog parks across the country such as an agility area, dog wash station, boardwalk, shaded areas, and drinking fountains for dogs and their owners.

Dog advocates spoken to by the Northern Advocate said the site at Waitotara Drive was too far away from the centre of town, where hundreds of retirees live in various retirement villages, rest homes, and gated communities.

A council spokeswoman said the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board instructed staff to investigate alternative locations for the dog park.

“Once that investigation is completed, the issue will go back to the community board to make its recommendations to the council on how to proceed with this proposal.”

It was only the location of the park staff had been asked to investigate, not the draft design options, the spokeswoman said.

Apart from the project being pushed out until next year, it seems the amount of funding has decreased.

Initially, $72,000 was budgeted for the park from the 2021/31 Long-Term Plan.

The current budget for the proposed dog park is $68,000, the council spokeswoman said, and would come out of the next budgeting rounds for the Long-Term Plan in April next year.

“Depending on the final location selected, more funding may be required.”

Stratford indicated the council reserve on Aranga Rd might be on the cards.

AnnMaree Mills is pleased her idea for an off-leash dog park in central Kerikeri may be considered by the council. Photo / File

“It’s a small dog exercise park which may meet the needs of Kerikeri’s CBD residents that don’t drive and need a place to walk from home or their retirement village,” she said.

“That site, though it costs more than is budgeted for, we know volunteers would help out as a community project.”

Kerikeri dog enthusiast AnnMaree Mills, who has been lobbying for a central Kerikeri dog park for 20 years, said she was “absolutely pro” the Aranga location.

“I have the support, and I paid for the drawings.

“The retirees around the streets, they don’t want to drive to Waipapa or Roland’s Wood, they just want to go for a potter.

“It’s in town and it already has five car parks...it’s practical because it’s got pedestrian linkage already there.

“There are a lot of dogs in that area.”

However, Mills said she was concerned about the delays.

“There’s too much consultation and it nearly lost momentum; my concern is how much money has been wasted on Waitotara?”

Stratford said there was nothing to stop residents anywhere in the Far North “from driving and delivering a dog park themselves”.

“There’s nothing to stop a community group coming up with a plan and applying for permission with the community board in their area – as long as it’s done to health and safety regulations.”