Beryl Gaffney Park
Update: September 9, 2020
Off-lease dog park
The proposed off-leash dog park in Beryl Gaffney Park will not be built. Residents feedback made it clear this was not desired in the community. They City will be looking for another location in other communities for the off-leash dog park.
The picnic area will be proceeding but there will be new designs created and community input sought.
Update: July 17, 2020
SURVEY (now closed) - The City requested input on a new off-leash dog park for Beryl Gaffney Park scheduled to open this September. The park was recently enlarged and has space for an off-leash dog park that is proposed to include:
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One hectare of fenced off-leash space
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Separate areas for small and large dogs
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A new picnic shelter
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New pathways
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New sign
July 2019
The City of Ottawa is moving to make improvements to Beryl Gaffney Park using funds retained specifically for this purpose. These funds were generated through an agreement with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority when the City transferred land for their new building at the corner of Prince of Wales Drive and Rideau Valley Drive North. Close to $1 million is now available for enhancements to the Park.
MVCA has sought input from local residents who use the park and encouraged everyone to attend public consultations that have been taking place over the past year. MVCA has been an active participant in these public consultations regarding the future plans for this park and has supported efforts to maintain the natural environment of the park while providing additional amenities such as benches, picnic tables and improvements to the existing network of pathways.
On June 24 there was a public information session regarding the proposed improvements. MVCA representatives were surprised to discover that the proposed changes were significantly different than those discussed at prior meetings. It is our position they do not reflect the stated intent of the funding nor do the changes reflect what the community and park users have indicated they would desire for the Park.
The City is now recommending traffic lights, a parking lot and a fenced dog park instead of the enhancements of more benches and picnic tables as well as path improvements to extend the pathway network through to Chapman Mills and to David Bartlett park, including a small bridge. These priorities not only preserve the natural beauty of the park, they would connect Manotick to Ottawa’s greater network of paths.
We will continue to post updates on these consultations and City responses in the coming months.
If you have comments on this, MVCA is pleased to receive them and we encourage you to also share them with your Councillor Moffatt and Councillor Meehan as the Park falls within their Wards. You can find more details on the plan on the City of Ottawa website.
Beryl Gaffney Park borders the Rideau River, and is located near the intersection of Prince of Wales Drive and Rideau Valley Drive.