A trial period of allowing dogs on White Rock's promenade during early morning hours is proving doggone popular.
Now one month in, the two-month pilot project, which city council approved at a July meeting, allows guardians to walk their leashed, four-legged canine companions on the waterfront promenade from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. from August 1 until Oct. 1. Leashed dogs are currently allowed on the promenade from October through March.
Plenty of dog walkers were happy to be enjoying the sunrise and fresh air with their pets last Thursday (Aug. 29), with many out to enjoy the pilot timeframe. Long a contentious issue in the city, a recent survey resulted in comments from 'no' voters that indicated fearing an increase in dog feces and urine on, and around, the promenade, as well as negative interactions between dogs and other promenade users.
None of the dog walkers on Thursday morning said they had noticed any increase in feces or negative interactions, with one noting how city employees work hard every morning to clean up the litter and mess that humans – not dogs – leave behind on a nightly basis.
"At the end of the pilot, staff will report back to council with feedback received. We are currently one month into the pilot, and overall, there have not been any issues," White Rock director of planning and development services Anne Berry said in an emailed statement.
"(Leashed) dogs are allowed on the promenade any time from October 1 till March 31, which is still scheduled to happen this fall," she noted.
While many of the dogs and guardians out enjoying the promenade on Thursday were local, several others shared they often travel to the seaside city's waterfront from Lagely, Surrey and elsewhere with their pets because of the waterfront walkway, the beach, and the incomparable views.
– with files from Alex Browne
