Yarralumla Dog Park is due to reopen in June with dog-friendly grass and other amenities, the ACT Government has reassured the public.
Some locals have been concerned about delays in reopening the park, which closed in October. At the time, the government said it would reopen in early November.
“Five months on, the dog park remains closed to the public,” Giulia Jones, Liberal MLA for Murrumbidgee, said. “Some residents are put off by the unacceptable levels of pollution in the lake, and don’t want to risk their dog getting sick. They really need the dog park to open now.”
The ACT Government stated the Yarralumla Dog Park remained closed to complete upgrade works more efficiently.
A special ‘dog track mix’ was sprayed on the park surface in February: a mixture of water, mulch, grass seeds, fertiliser, and soil mix to prevent soil erosion and protect new grass.
“We have taken onboard community feedback about the dog park being a bit dusty, and want to provide dog-friendly grass,” the government spokesperson said. “While the grass looks lush and green now, it won’t be ready for use until the roots are well established and the grass is able to withstand the wear and tear.”
The government removed 96 radiata pines which arborists had deemed unsafe. These will be replaced with 60 pine tree species. 50 of the replaced trees will be planted in the same pattern as the original trees to respect heritage values. Ten more trees will be planted around the dog park to blend these new plantings.
Deciduous species will replace trees in the non-heritage areas of the dog park and surrounds to provide more light in winter months.
A new park bench was installed in February, and a new shade sail will be installed near the park entrance before the park re-opens in June.
The government has enhanced landscaping around the park, and installed irrigation infrastructure to keep the turf green.
The ACT Government has seven dog parks; the nearest to Yarralumla are in O’Connor, off Fairfax Street, and in Duffy, off Warragamba Avenue.
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