Hill Street Dog Park Community Coalition: 2 Weeks In — 136/250 Signatures & Counting & Updates
TL;DR: 136 signatures so far. Share the petition, ask one person to sign, and log a park visit at hillstreetdogpark.ca. Full details below.
Hi all,
It’s been exactly two weeks since we launched the Hill Street Dog Park Community Coalition — a petition asking the City of Hamilton to reconsider and consult on the small dog area/fencing at Hill Street Dog Park, using real data and input from all park users. We’ve already reached 136 signatures. Thank you!
Here’s how you can help right now:
1. Share it — Facebook groups, Instagram stories, WhatsApp, text, email, family, and friends. One share can reach dozens of signers.
2. Get one person to sign — Set a goal to get just one person to sign the petition this weekend!
3. Log a park visit — Go to hillstreetdogpark.ca; it takes 30 seconds and can be done every 30 minutes. (Note: the tracker is now self-hosted on our site—please stop using the old Google App Script link.)
Support the campaign: If you are able, financial support helps cover costs for website hosting, printing posters, outreach materials, and the tracker.
• Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/HillStreetDogPark
• Interac e-transfer: hillstreetdogpark@gmail.com
Note on Change.org: Our campaign is independent of Change.org. Contributions made on their platform fund their own advertising and do not go toward our local efforts. We are grateful for the 36 signatures generated there. Learn more about how they use funds here.
Why the tracker matters: In our observations over the last two weeks, the small-dog area was empty in 72% of snapshots, while the main area consistently accommodated up to 14 dogs or more. While some users appreciate the small-dog space, we are also hearing from those who find the current layout restrictive. We want to find a configuration that balances these experiences for everyone. As one visitor noted, "It feels like 50% of the park was taken away for like 4 dogs total to use," highlighting the impact of the current fence. Bonus: the tracker also tells you if there are playmates at the park before you leave home!
What happens at 250 signatures: we’ll formally reach out to decision-makers, Maureen Wilson Ward 1 City Councillor and relevant city and parks staff and invite them to visit the park in person for an initial on-site discussion. At the same time, we’ll open submissions for your solution ideas: everything from park reconfiguration, to approaches that have worked elsewhere, to the possibility of a resident advisory or community board for the park. We’ll collate every submission, analyze them together as a group, and vote on which ones to bring forward. To be clear: this isn’t meant to replace the City’s formal consultation process which we are advocating for; it’s meant to strengthen it, so that whatever the City decides is genuinely informed by the people who use this park every day.
We’re waiting until 250 on purpose. We’ve wanted to give everyone time to compare notes at the park, hear different views, and let the data lead. We all want the same outcome: a park that works for every dog and every owner.
The background: The current fence and small-dog area were installed following a 457-signature petition. Based on the motion linked here, this project was funded with up to $25,000 from Ward 1 discretionary capital funds. We are asking the City to apply that same evidence-based, consultative approach to current community feedback.
I’ve also mailed a Freedom of Information request for the underlying data, mapping, designs, and costs — including park dimensions and fence pricing. (Also very curious about this City Parks report and what information was collected and used - where the ⅓ breaking up of the park came from, who how and why this was deemed suitable or to work in reality - there are some very serious safety issues that have since arisen - were these considered?) All of this will be useful in examining the problem and developing solutions. I’ll share the response dates and information on the website once I have them.
A few practical notes:
• Romy and I have paper petition/sign-up sheets for anyone who’d rather sign that way.
• Questions, tracker trouble, want a poster for your store or building, or interested in volunteering? Use the contact form on homepage https://hillstreetdogpark.ca or email hillstreetdogpark@gmail.com
Let’s get to 250 as fast as we can. The sooner we get there, the sooner things start really moving — and the sooner we are at least heard. If we can get to and surpass 457, this is when we will see change. But the only way to get there is by getting people to sign the petition.
STAY CONNECTED!
• Join our Facebook group
Have a great, and hopefully less smoky, weekend.
Robert & Romy