Inner-city fenced dog park in Beltline a first for Calgary

New facility added to Connaught Park at 11th Street and 14th Avenue S.W.

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Caption: The city opened Calgary's first fenced inner-city off-leash park for dogs on Thursday in Connaught. (City of Calgary)

Calgary's first inner-city fenced dogpark has opened in the Beltline on Thursday.
The new off-leash area is located in Connaught Park, a green space at 11th Street and 14th Avenue S.W.
"There are almost 650 dogs licensed in the Beltline, and during public engagement we identified a need for a safe and dedicated off-leash space in the area," said Doug Marter, development manager for Calgary Parks, in a release.

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Caption: Connaught Park in the Beltline has been revamped to include a fenced area for dogs, new fountains for people and dogs and many new trees and benches. (Monty Kruger/CBC)

The park was chosen because it's so central and because it was originally set aside as a multi-use area, the city says.
The space, which is about the size of a hockey rink, features drinking fountains for people and their dogs, and a foot-pedal garbage can to make it easier to throw out dog waste.
The park also has new benches, a stone wall with seating area, and 19 new trees to act as a buffer between the different areas and the nearby condos and apartment buildings.

Image | Connaught Park in the Beltline off-leash dog

Caption: Mozzie is all smiles about the new off-leash dog in Calgary's Beltline. (Monty Kruger/CBC)

"With over 22,000 residents in the Beltline living in a high-density urban community, this new park is a great way for people to get outside and enjoy the neighbourhood with their pets," said Ward 8 Coun. Evan Woolley in a release.
The city held open houses on the park's design in 2014, and construction started last fall.