What community wants most from dog-friendly spaces

An extensive community engagement program has captured the thoughts and hopes of Sunshine Coast dog owners and the wider community.

The Have your Say consultation was conducted to seek input into the draft Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan and Network Blueprint.

The consultation, conducted between February 4 and March 7, received 2,530 submissions and will play a crucial role in shaping the future of dog exercise areas across our vast region.

High community engagement

The submissions reflected the community's strong interest in developing dog exercise areas and highlighted the importance of these spaces to the local community.

Community survey themes

• Usage and accessibility: More than 85 per cent of respondents had visited a dog exercise area on the Sunshine Coast. Primary feedback highlighted opportunities to enhance safety and suitability which could encourage more people to visit these areas.
• Desired features: The community expressed a strong preference for safe interaction spaces, shade, seating and dog bag dispensers. Other desired features included drinking water, fenced areas and separate spaces for different activities.
• Responses to the draft Plan: The community provided a range of responses on the vision and objectives of the draft plan. Key areas of focus included enhancing safety, protecting the environment and ensuring fair access to recreation opportunities. There were varied opinions and preferences regarding the proposed changes to beaches, foreshores, environment reserves and sports grounds.

The Plan aims to provide a balanced approach that reflects community values around safety, environmental protection and social inclusion. The community feedback is being comprehensively reviewed to identify opportunities for improvements to the draft Plan. This review includes all survey responses, informal and formal submissions, risk assessments, research and social impacts.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the high level of community engagement in the feedback process demonstrated how important dog exercise areas were to our community.

“Council is committed to ensuring we strike the right balance between creating recreational spaces for dog owners and non-dog owners alike, while maintaining safe, accessible and enjoyable spaces for everyone," Mayor Natoli said.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we review all of the feedback and look forward to continuing to work with our community on this important project to support our beloved dogs, residents and environment for future generations.”

Next steps and staying informed

The community feedback is being comprehensively reviewed to identify opportunities for improvements to the draft Plan. The review includes all survey responses, informal and formal submissions, risk assessments, research and consideration of social impacts.

The updated Plan is due to be presented to Council later this year.

If endorsed, any additional infrastructure such as new dog off leash fenced parks, or upgrades to signage would be subject to funding.

To subscribe for updates quickly and easily, visit Have your Say Sunshine Coast and search for ‘Dog Exercise Area Regional Plan’.

About the draft plan

The draft Plan includes:

• Expanded and improved dog-friendly spaces: including larger off-leash areas, fenced zones for safer play and unique features like water play and social facilities.
• A sustainable blueprint for the future: recommendations for new dog exercise areas and upgrades to meet the needs of a growing population.
• Protecting our natural assets: measures to ensure recreational spaces align with the Sunshine Coast’s environmental and cultural values.
• Better education and compliance: initiatives to promote responsible dog ownership and ensure safe spaces for all park and beach users.