AFTER changes to off-leash dog parks across Lake Macquarie sent some owners barking mad, the local council has given its plans a rethink.
The first draft would have seen the off-leash area at Thomas H Halton Park reduced, but a raft of submissions during community consultation made it clear dog owners wanted it kept as is.
Lake Macquarie City Council community assets section manager Brendan Callander said the revised plans have responded to those requests.
"We've listened to the community, and the final proposal strikes a balance between what we're required to do under the Companion Animals Act, and what the community wants us to provide at the site," he said.
Under the revised concept, the existing off-leash area will be retained except for a 10m buffer around the playground and barbecue area.
A bushland area in the park and the new hit wall and basketball court will also be off-limits to pooches.
Lake Macquarie has one of the highest dog ownership rates in the state, with more than 92,000 registered dogs.
Mr Callander said the draft strategy will guide planning for dogs in open spaces for the next decade.
"That will apply to all the open spaces we manage, from parks and bushland to sportsgrounds, beaches and the lake foreshore," he said.
There are 10 new off-leash areas outlined in the draft strategy, including at Catherine Hill Bay, Cameron Park, Hillborough, Morisset Peninsula and Pinny Beach.
A raft of changes are proposed for 25 existing off-leash areas.
They include adjustments to boundaries, changes in time periods and improvements to facilities to make them more dog-friendly.
At Redhead Beach, the council plans to ban dogs on and off-lead from the stretch of sand north of Second Creek.
The off-leash area south of Second Creek would remain as is.
According to the council, the change aligns with the Dogs In Open Space Framework, placing a 400m shoreline buffer between patrolled beaches and off-leash areas.
Mr Callander said he knows people enjoy walking their dogs on Redhead Beach and that the change would be an adjustment.
"But, this will ensure we have an adequate stretch of beach available for people to enjoy without dogs," he said.
"It will also remove confusion regarding the presence of dogs between First and Second Creek.
"It's also important to remember that under the proposed change, dogs and their owners will still have one of the longest stretches of beach on the NSW coast to enjoy."
Under the plans, dog owners would access the Second Creek off-leash area from the carpark on Cain Street.
The plans are open for exhibition until November 30 and the public can make submissions on council's website.
Any feedback will be assessed before a final strategy is put to the council early next year.
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