We're in the Hamilton Spectator! Community voting on solutions is now OPEN!

TL;DR: We're in the Hamilton Spectator! Community voting on solutions is now OPEN at hillstreetdogpark.ca/vote (closes Sept 27). Please vote, take the survey, keep signing and sharing, and email Ward 1 — details below.

Hi all,

Big updates this week.

1. The Spectator covered our campaign

The Hamilton Spectator published a story on Hill Street Dog Park:
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/small-dog-area-divides-hill-street-dog-park-users/article_69a6a4b5-9410-5c6b-92af-e531e080023a.html

We're grateful the paper came out to the park and brought this issue to a wider audience. That said, we'd gently push back on the framing of a divided community or a neighbourhood feud. This has never been neighbour against neighbour, or big dogs against small dogs — our coalition of roughly 70 members includes both small-dog and large-dog owners, and we support dedicated small-dog space.

What the article touched on less is the heart of our concern: process. A significant portion of a small public park was fenced off without meaningful consultation with the people who use it every day, and without any usage data or clear criteria we've been able to identify. We're still waiting on our Freedom of Information request (#26-256) for the as-built dimensions and the records behind the decision. That's the story — not a feud.

2. Voting on community solutions is now open — closes September 27

Submissions closed September 11, and we received thoughtful proposals by drawing, writing, voice, and paper form. The ballot now carries seven options — six community-proposed, plus a no-change baseline — each redrawn to the same scale on a common park map with a short spec.

Vote now at hillstreetdogpark.ca/vote. One vote per person. The three most-supported alternatives will be advanced to the City for consideration. This is exactly the kind of community-led consultation we've been asking for.

3. More ways to help right now

• Take the 5-minute survey at hillstreetdogpark.ca/survey — tell us why you choose each area and what a good configuration looks like.
• Read our September evidence report at hillstreetdogpark.ca/report — what 315+ community observations show about how the park is actually used.
• Share the petition if you haven't — every signature strengthens our case.
• Email Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson (ward1@hamilton.ca & maureen.wilson@hamilton.ca) and ask the City to review the configuration and consult park users. A short, polite, personal note goes a long way.
• Keep logging your park visits at hillstreetdogpark.ca — roughly 9 in 10 observed dogs use the main area. This data is what makes our case credible.

Thank you for everything you've done to get us here.

Robert and Romy
Hill Street Dog Park Community Coalition