At Council’s September meeting, the Harden Dog Park was set for approval of the location and design. Council ultimately could not come to a decision on the construction of the dog park at 67 Albury Street, Harden.
At the 26 February 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, the Council resolved (25/31): ‘$40,000 be internally restricted for the purpose of an off-leash dog park commencing in Harden’. The proposed site is the open space between Harden Caravan Park and Harden Memorial Town Pool at 67 Albury Street. This is a large open space that is already fenced on two sides.
The space (from Albury Street to the back of the pool fence) is approximately 3000sqm, which is much larger than the 400sqm recommended minimum size for a dog park according to Council. There are established trees within the park area that would provide natural shade. The land is zoned RE1 Public Recreation, which means it is classified as Community Land with a General Use categorisation, which is suitable for establishing a dog park.
The land does not have a Plan of Management, so when a draft Plan of Management is being proposed, so Council may wish to re-categorise the land to ‘Park’ to clarify the use of the land in the future.
Council Officers worked closely with Crown Lands to establish that the zone is suitable for a dog park. The proposed dog park has the following features:
• air lock gates;
• 1.8m high fencing;
• maintenance gates;
• two seating;
• dog bag dispenser and bin; and
• a water fountain.
The fence is 1.8m high and set back from the road to minimise the risk of a dog running onto Albury Street. There is no gate at the southern end as there is a locked gate behind the pool that prohibits access to the Newson Park car parking area.
The estimated cost of the project is $33,348 and includes a 20% contingency. This is within the $40,000 project budget, according to Council.
Council decided to defer the application, choosing to come to a decision at a later date.
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