The BNT in Weston Creek runs along Eucumbene Drive at the top of Duffy, past Narrabundah Hill riding area, past the entrance to Canberra Equestrian Centre at the top of Hindmarsh Drive and on to Cooleman Ridge and Kambah Pony Club beyond.
The ACT Government is now proposing to put a 1 hectare Dog Park on the open space next to the Canberra Equestrian Centre entrance. The BNT will have to travel around two sides of the dog enclosure. Dog parks tend to be enclosed by a high wire mesh fence which will create a laneway with a barbed wire fence on the other side. The remainder of the square is surrounded by two busy roads, Hindmarsh Drive and Darwinia Terrace.
ACTEA was astonished to find out that TAMS knew the BNT route passed through this area and did not think it was a problem to have numbers of energetic loose dogs on the other side of a fence. There will also be the issue of where vehicles will be parked and whether dogs will be on a leash as they move from cars to the park.
TAMS needs to be made aware that this is a crazily unsafe idea and inconsistent with their Memorandum of Understanding with ACTEA about maintaining the BNT as a safe equestrian facility.
ACTEA has strongly voiced its opposition to this proposal and is meeting with officials. It may be necessary to talk to the Minister and/or the press.
If you agist at Canberra Equestrian Centre, ride the BNT in this area, or are just concerned about the impact on yet another equestrian trail we need you to respond to the public survey at the Your Say website. Consultation closes Tuesday 20 September 2016.
Typically the survey does not give you the option of objecting to anything so we suggest you do the following:
- Go to https://www.yoursay.act.gov.au/new-weston-creek-dog-park
- Scroll down to the Tell Us What You Think survey on the left hand side of the page
- Select one of the two other dog park options, Weingarth St Holder or Badimara St Waramanga
- Under the box labelled ‘What are the main reasons for the selected ranking of these sites?‘ you can add any of the following comments:
- I object strongly to a dog park being placed at the corner of Hindmarsh Drive and Darwinia Terrace.
- The dog park will have serious impact on the safety of the Bicentennial National Trail which has been there for 28 years.
- Uncontrolled vehicle parking will make riding out of Canberra Equestrian Centre and along the Trail hazardous to horses
- The area is too close to busy roads for the dog park and a horse trail to be safely in the same place
- The dog park is inconsistent with the government’s agreement to maintain the BNT as a safe riding route
If you ride this way yourself you could make some comment about how safe you would feel if there was a park with loose dogs together in numbers on the other side of the fence.
If you want to say something more fulsome you can also e-mail a submission to communityengagement@act.gov.au
We really need you to get in there and have your say. The government interprets silence as agreement.