What started as a second look at the city’s leash-free policy, and potentially scrapping one planned facility, ended with councillors voting to potentially leave Guelph without any fenced in, leash-free dog parks.

At Monday’s committee of the whole meeting, councillors voted in favour of a staff recommendation to not move forward with a planned fenced in, leash-free dog park at Lee Street Park.

However, following further amendments, they also voted in favour of scrapping a planned fenced-in site at Bristol Street Park, and closing the existing facility at Peter Misersky Park, which opened in September.

“I couldn't live at Peter Misersky Park, it would just be cruel. So why would I make other people do that?” Coun. Christine Billings said, adding the same would apply to people living near Bristol and Lee.

“I mean, it's just wrong. So let's find this something that's right.”

Colleen Clack, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for public services, said Peter Misersky would be closed immediately after a final council vote at its Feb. 24 meeting. To start, the gates to the park would be padlocked, and the fences removed later on in the year.

Council also voted in favour of having city staff look at properties in the city, outside of residential areas, that could host a fenced in, leash-free park in the future. It is expected that a report on possible sites, and the associated costs, would come forward in time for 2021 budget discussions.

Monday’s discussions and decisions came about following a staff report, first made public last month, that said a second look was needed at the city’s leash-free policy following negative feedback from residents near Peter Misersky Park, where a fenced in facility opened last year.

“Every morning, it starts at 7 a.m. Dogs barking, owners yelling, car doors and gates slamming,” John Farley, who lives near the park, told councillors.

“It just continues all day, well after dark, sometimes after midnight, and worse on weekends.”