Minogue Park will have Hamilton's first fenced dog exercise area

Fenced dog exercise areas provide a controlled environment for handlers to let their dogs off leash. Photo / Supplied

Minogue Park will be home to Hamilton's first fenced dog exercise area.

Construction of the new 1ha area will begin in mid-October after Hamilton City Council's Community Committee unanimously voted to choose Minogue Park in Forest Lake over two other potential locations.

It is expected to open in time for summer.

The council consulted the community over four weeks in August and September on three possible locations for the new area. Tauhara Park in Rototuna and Resthills Park in Glenview were also considered.

All three parks are already off-leash exercise spaces and have existing infrastructure such as off-street parking and toilets.

The council received 1478 public submissions, with a strong concentration of feedback from residents near the three parks.

Tauhara Park and Minogue Park were the most popular community choices with 583 submissions in favour of Tauhara Park and 582 in favour of Minogue Park.

Council staff recommended Minogue Park on the basis the new area could be positioned further from neighbours than other options, the community considered this park the most central of the three parks and construction would not require resource consent so could start earlier.

Councillors welcomed a final decision on a location for the fenced area, which has been requested by dog owners for many years.

Fenced dog exercise areas provide a controlled environment for handlers to let their dogs off leash.

The new area will be designed to blend into the park. It will be planted with natives and will include seats and a doggy water fountain. Rules of use will be clearly displayed.

Funding of $177,000 for the new pooch play space was approved through the 2018-28 Long-Term Plan.