Dog ban empties park

Dog owners are blaming the deserted state of Glendowie’s Tahuna Torea Reserve on the bylaw banning dogs.

The reserve, once popular with dog walkers and joggers, is now virtually unused after being deemed a no-go area for dogs by the Auckland City Council in 2003.

This followed concerns about the impact of dogs on the reserve’s birdlife.

How about CATS... is there a ban on them, as they are the ones that have the greatest impact on bird life!

A petition with more than 800 signatures was presented to the council asking it to reconsider but the ban has been kept.

No survey or public consultation of the reserve’s public use was done by the council during the bylaw review.

WHAT !!! no public consultation !!
Safety problems have also arisen since the dog ban.

People and their dogs using Tahuna Torea created a "safety net" for walkers and joggers, says Ms Campbell.

"No one wants to walk or run in an isolated park."

The bylaw that affects the reserve is coming up for review in a few months.
Ms Millar urges anyone interested in the area to make a submission to the council.