Hill Street Dog Park: Reconsider & Reconfigure the Small-Dog Area
The Issue
Please sign and share. If you use Hill Street Dog Park, live nearby, or believe changes to shared public spaces should include community input, add your name below.
Hill Street Dog Park, located at 13 Hill Street in Hamilton, Ontario, is an important community space for dogs and the people who care for them. Many of us use this park regularly—some every day—and value both the space and the community that has formed here.
A major new fenced small-dog area has significantly changed how the park functions.
To be clear: we support dedicated space for small dogs. We are not asking for it to be removed.
We are asking the City of Hamilton to reconsider the current size, layout, boundaries, and configuration of the newly installed small-dog area and meaningfully consult with the people who regularly use the park about a better solution.
Why does the current layout need to be reconsidered?
The central concern is simple: the current division of this limited park does not appear to reflect how the space is actually being used.
Regular park users have kept a daily count and photo record since the enclosure was installed. These observations show only a handful of dogs using the small-dog area while the remaining general-use area regularly serves many times more.
At busy times, regular users have observed upwards of 25 dogs—both large and small—sharing the main area while no dogs are using the newly fenced small-dog enclosure.
Meanwhile, a large share of this already limited park is no longer available for flexible general use.
This matters because the remaining main area has become more confined and congested. Regular users have also reported an increase in conflicts between dogs since the amount of space available for general use was significantly reduced.
The issue is not whether small dogs deserve dedicated space. They do.
The question is whether the current size and layout are the safest, most functional, and fairest use of this limited public space.
Key concerns with the current configuration
1. The size and layout do not appear to reflect actual demand
A large share of the park has been fenced off for the small-dog area, while observed use so far has often been much lower than demand for the remaining general-use space.
At times, one side is crowded with dogs while the other is lightly used or completely empty.
It is unclear what standard, usage data, or criteria were used to determine the size, placement, and boundaries of the enclosure, or how those decisions relate to actual demand at Hill Street Dog Park.
2. The remaining general-use area is more confined and congested
Hill Street Dog Park was already a relatively small off-leash space. The new configuration has significantly reduced the flexible space available to the larger number of dogs using the main area.
During busy periods, many dogs and owners are now concentrated into a smaller space. Regular users have reported increased conflicts between dogs since the change.
This deserves serious review. In an off-leash environment, the amount and configuration of usable space can affect how easily dogs can use the space to run and play with owners able to create distance, move away from tension, and leave conflict between dogs in circumstances when this may arise.
3. The new fencing has disrupted entrances, exits, and movement through the park
The new layout has cut off established routes through the park and effectively leaves only one entrance and exit for each of the park areas.
Moving between areas can now require exiting the fenced space and walking around the outside rather than moving directly through the park.
This is more than an inconvenience. It is a significant potential safety issue. Practical access to entrances and exits matters when an owner needs to quickly remove a dog that is overwhelmed, involved in a conflict, or otherwise needs to leave.
4. The small-dog area lacks convenient direct access to the park’s water source
The current configuration does not provide convenient direct access from the small-dog enclosure to the park’s water source.
This creates a practical problem, particularly during hot weather, and raises questions about whether access to essential park infrastructure was adequately considered in the design.
5. The new access pattern may be concentrating parking demand
Before the change, users could access and move through the park more practically from different points, helping disperse parking along Hill Street.
With practical access now concentrated around the primary usable entrance, more users may also be parking and gathering in the same area rather than distributing themselves more evenly along the street.
6. The current configuration reduces flexibility
People caring for both small and larger dogs may be forced to choose between separate fenced areas rather than using the park together.
More broadly, a substantial portion of limited public space has become less flexible even though demand changes throughout the day. A fixed layout should work with actual usage patterns—not create a situation where one area is crowded while another sits empty.
A petition supporting a small-dog area is not the same as consultation on its design
Support for the general idea of a small-dog area should not automatically be treated as approval of one specific layout.
The exact size, location, boundaries, access points, water access, effect on circulation, and impact on existing park users all matter.
Regular park users were not meaningfully consulted about these practical design choices or about how the new configuration would affect the park as a whole.
Before a major physical change to a shared public space is treated as permanent, the people who actually use that space should have a meaningful opportunity to provide input on how it works in practice.
What we are asking the City of Hamilton to do
We respectfully ask the City of Hamilton to:
- Reconsider the current size, layout, boundaries, and configuration of the small-dog area at Hill Street Dog Park.
- Consult directly with regular park users and nearby residents about the current layout, its practical impacts, and possible alternatives.
- Observe and assess actual park usage, including the number of dogs using each area during busy weekday evenings, weekends, and other peak periods.
- Review the safety and congestion impacts of concentrating many dogs into the reduced general-use area, including reports from regular users of increased conflicts between dogs.
- Consider alternative configurations, boundaries, or locations that preserve dedicated space for small dogs while improving circulation, entrance and exit access, water access, and overall park function.
- Share the rationale, standards, usage data, and criteria used to determine the current size, placement, and boundaries of the small-dog enclosure.
- Remain open to modifying the current fencing and layout based on evidence, observed usage, safety considerations, and meaningful community feedback.
We believe a better solution is possible
This does not need to be a choice between supporting small dogs and supporting everyone else.
We believe Hill Street Dog Park can provide dedicated space for small dogs while also preserving usable shared space, safer circulation, practical entrances and exits, water access, flexibility, and the sense of community that makes this park valuable.
We are asking for something simple and reasonable:
Reconsider the current configuration.
Consult the people who use the park.
Assess actual usage and safety.
Evaluate alternatives.
Work with the community toward a better solution.
If you use Hill Street Dog Park, live nearby, or believe changes to shared public spaces should include meaningful community input, please sign and share this petition.
GET INVOLVED! Help Us Document Actual Park Use!
- If you visit or pass by Hill Street Dog Park, please record the number of dogs you observe in each fenced area. The form takes less than a minute, and you can submit a new observation after 1 hour spent at the park or each time you visit. Save the link in your browser!
- Submit an observation: https://tinyurl.com/HSDPCount
- Your responses will help build an evidence-based picture of how the park is actually being used. Data is collected anonymously.
STAY CONNECTED!
Join the new Hill Street Dog Park Facebook group for community updates, discussion, and information about the park:
Have a question, concern, suggestion, or information to share? Contact at hillstreetdogpark@gmail.com.
33
The Issue
Please sign and share. If you use Hill Street Dog Park, live nearby, or believe changes to shared public spaces should include community input, add your name below.
Hill Street Dog Park, located at 13 Hill Street in Hamilton, Ontario, is an important community space for dogs and the people who care for them. Many of us use this park regularly—some every day—and value both the space and the community that has formed here.
A major new fenced small-dog area has significantly changed how the park functions.
To be clear: we support dedicated space for small dogs. We are not asking for it to be removed.
We are asking the City of Hamilton to reconsider the current size, layout, boundaries, and configuration of the newly installed small-dog area and meaningfully consult with the people who regularly use the park about a better solution.
Why does the current layout need to be reconsidered?
The central concern is simple: the current division of this limited park does not appear to reflect how the space is actually being used.
Regular park users have kept a daily count and photo record since the enclosure was installed. These observations show only a handful of dogs using the small-dog area while the remaining general-use area regularly serves many times more.
At busy times, regular users have observed upwards of 25 dogs—both large and small—sharing the main area while no dogs are using the newly fenced small-dog enclosure.
Meanwhile, a large share of this already limited park is no longer available for flexible general use.
This matters because the remaining main area has become more confined and congested. Regular users have also reported an increase in conflicts between dogs since the amount of space available for general use was significantly reduced.
The issue is not whether small dogs deserve dedicated space. They do.
The question is whether the current size and layout are the safest, most functional, and fairest use of this limited public space.
Key concerns with the current configuration
1. The size and layout do not appear to reflect actual demand
A large share of the park has been fenced off for the small-dog area, while observed use so far has often been much lower than demand for the remaining general-use space.
At times, one side is crowded with dogs while the other is lightly used or completely empty.
It is unclear what standard, usage data, or criteria were used to determine the size, placement, and boundaries of the enclosure, or how those decisions relate to actual demand at Hill Street Dog Park.
2. The remaining general-use area is more confined and congested
Hill Street Dog Park was already a relatively small off-leash space. The new configuration has significantly reduced the flexible space available to the larger number of dogs using the main area.
During busy periods, many dogs and owners are now concentrated into a smaller space. Regular users have reported increased conflicts between dogs since the change.
This deserves serious review. In an off-leash environment, the amount and configuration of usable space can affect how easily dogs can use the space to run and play with owners able to create distance, move away from tension, and leave conflict between dogs in circumstances when this may arise.
3. The new fencing has disrupted entrances, exits, and movement through the park
The new layout has cut off established routes through the park and effectively leaves only one entrance and exit for each of the park areas.
Moving between areas can now require exiting the fenced space and walking around the outside rather than moving directly through the park.
This is more than an inconvenience. It is a significant potential safety issue. Practical access to entrances and exits matters when an owner needs to quickly remove a dog that is overwhelmed, involved in a conflict, or otherwise needs to leave.
4. The small-dog area lacks convenient direct access to the park’s water source
The current configuration does not provide convenient direct access from the small-dog enclosure to the park’s water source.
This creates a practical problem, particularly during hot weather, and raises questions about whether access to essential park infrastructure was adequately considered in the design.
5. The new access pattern may be concentrating parking demand
Before the change, users could access and move through the park more practically from different points, helping disperse parking along Hill Street.
With practical access now concentrated around the primary usable entrance, more users may also be parking and gathering in the same area rather than distributing themselves more evenly along the street.
6. The current configuration reduces flexibility
People caring for both small and larger dogs may be forced to choose between separate fenced areas rather than using the park together.
More broadly, a substantial portion of limited public space has become less flexible even though demand changes throughout the day. A fixed layout should work with actual usage patterns—not create a situation where one area is crowded while another sits empty.
A petition supporting a small-dog area is not the same as consultation on its design
Support for the general idea of a small-dog area should not automatically be treated as approval of one specific layout.
The exact size, location, boundaries, access points, water access, effect on circulation, and impact on existing park users all matter.
Regular park users were not meaningfully consulted about these practical design choices or about how the new configuration would affect the park as a whole.
Before a major physical change to a shared public space is treated as permanent, the people who actually use that space should have a meaningful opportunity to provide input on how it works in practice.
What we are asking the City of Hamilton to do
We respectfully ask the City of Hamilton to:
- Reconsider the current size, layout, boundaries, and configuration of the small-dog area at Hill Street Dog Park.
- Consult directly with regular park users and nearby residents about the current layout, its practical impacts, and possible alternatives.
- Observe and assess actual park usage, including the number of dogs using each area during busy weekday evenings, weekends, and other peak periods.
- Review the safety and congestion impacts of concentrating many dogs into the reduced general-use area, including reports from regular users of increased conflicts between dogs.
- Consider alternative configurations, boundaries, or locations that preserve dedicated space for small dogs while improving circulation, entrance and exit access, water access, and overall park function.
- Share the rationale, standards, usage data, and criteria used to determine the current size, placement, and boundaries of the small-dog enclosure.
- Remain open to modifying the current fencing and layout based on evidence, observed usage, safety considerations, and meaningful community feedback.
We believe a better solution is possible
This does not need to be a choice between supporting small dogs and supporting everyone else.
We believe Hill Street Dog Park can provide dedicated space for small dogs while also preserving usable shared space, safer circulation, practical entrances and exits, water access, flexibility, and the sense of community that makes this park valuable.
We are asking for something simple and reasonable:
Reconsider the current configuration.
Consult the people who use the park.
Assess actual usage and safety.
Evaluate alternatives.
Work with the community toward a better solution.
If you use Hill Street Dog Park, live nearby, or believe changes to shared public spaces should include meaningful community input, please sign and share this petition.
GET INVOLVED! Help Us Document Actual Park Use!
- If you visit or pass by Hill Street Dog Park, please record the number of dogs you observe in each fenced area. The form takes less than a minute, and you can submit a new observation after 1 hour spent at the park or each time you visit. Save the link in your browser!
- Submit an observation: https://tinyurl.com/HSDPCount
- Your responses will help build an evidence-based picture of how the park is actually being used. Data is collected anonymously.
STAY CONNECTED!
Join the new Hill Street Dog Park Facebook group for community updates, discussion, and information about the park:
Have a question, concern, suggestion, or information to share? Contact at hillstreetdogpark@gmail.com.
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Petition created on July 3, 2026