This petition, supported by the undersigned, is directed to Mr. Tang Tuck Weng, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Park Management & Lifestyle Cluster, National Parks Board, Mr. Tham Cheng-E, Director of Physical Planning, North East Department of Urban Redevelopment Authority, as well as MPs of Aljunied GRC. 

We refer to URA’s media release for “Tender launch of site at Parry Avenue for private assisted living development” found at https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Media-Room/Media-Releases/pr22-36 (hereinafter referred to as “URA Media Release”). From the URA Masterplan 2019, we believe that this site for tender is Parry Hall located at 28 Parry Avenue Singapore 547255 (hereinafter referred to as “28 Parry Ave”). According to Annex C of the URA Media Release, we understand that there are plans for a proposed park beside 28 Parry Ave (hereinafter referred to as “Park”). From the URA Masterplan 2019, we also understand that this Park is currently designated as a park and intended to be used mainly for parks or gardens for the enjoyment of the general public and includes pedestrian linkages. Our goal of this petition is to support the construction of an enclosed, off-leash dog run within this Park.

This dog run would be a designated area where residents and their well-behaved canine citizens can exercise and have fun in a clean, safe environment. We want to create a beautiful, well-maintained space open to all dog lovers and friends who will be willing to uphold the park’s rules and restrictions. This dog run will be designed to satisfy the needs of dog-owners and non-dog owners alike. We aim for this Park to be a vibrant community project, supported in large part by volunteer dog advocates and maintained in partnership with NParks.

Presently, the Park is already serving the local community well as a beloved green space within a sizeable cluster of residential estates. It hosts a daily communion of over 20 pets and their owners who look forward to spending time amongst the fostered community of well-behaved pets and like-minded owners. On the weekends, the Park often sees the number of pets and owners alike almost double. Over the years, the pet owners visiting the Park have fostered a tight knit community who are deeply invested in the space for their dogs to run freely and safely, off-leash. This is best exemplified through kind acts of volunteering additional safety gates/wire mesh to ensure the integrity of the perimeter or provision of water bowls for communal use. The demographics of the users of the Park is also heart-warming. From young children walking their first pet to elderly on their evening strolls watching the dogs play; domestic helpers intermingling with resident dog owners; even members of the public without dogs who simply enjoy coming by to interact.

Additionally, the Park is also often used for recreational activities such as soccer, frisbee and running. Noteworthy is that despite being unregulated, the Park sees little dispute as users have graciously learnt to share the precious space. You would not be hard pressed to find an evening with a group playing soccer in one area of the Park, while the dogs frolic off-leash and perhaps bird trainers engaging another part of the Park. The Park has succeeded and flourished as an accidental green space, cultivating an exemplary display of tolerance, respect and community spirit.

With the new BTO projects and potential future development for residential capacity post-Paya Lebar Airbase evacuation, constructing this green space is critical towards keeping Kovan/Hougang/Serangoon vibrant. Furthermore, the targeted demographic of the proposed private assisted living development also stand to benefit from being front and center of such a beloved space. The daily gathering and heart-warming scenes of dogs frolicking will surely provide a boost to the mood and wellbeing of residents of the private assisted living development. 

As such, we beseech NParks to allow the construction of a dog park within the Park for the following reasons:

• Currently, there is no public dog run in the Kovan/Serangoon estates to accommodate safe, off-leash dog activities. The nearest alternatives such as the dog run at Upper Serangoon Road or in Bishan Park are not viable options as there are many who are unable to drive their pets all the way there.
• Such a dog run in the Park allows the local community to maintain their present way of life, communion and camaraderie. It would also allow families with dogs to spend more quality time outdoors with nature and greenery, which is one of the great qualities and charms of living in the Kovan/Serangoon estates.
• Such a dog run would provide a good opportunity to cultivate responsible pet ownership: educating dog owners on where they can safely unleash their dogs, hence reducing angst between dog owners, non-owners, police and park authorities regarding dog access to the Park.
• This Park would provide opportunities for local residents to interact with their neighbours and help foster strong sense of community and belonging.
• Many dogs need exercise above and beyond human limitations. This dog run would allow dogs to run freely, beyond the limitations on their pace walking on leash and the limitations on their area of residential living spaces.
• Socializing dogs is very beneficial to the community, since it makes them less skittish and can mitigate aggressive behavior when meeting other dogs and people. This dog run will also provide ample space for behavioural dogs to observe social mores from a distance as they are being trained to integrate.
• Regular exercise is great for any dog's longevity and weight control, and the overall effect of regular exercise makes most dogs calmer and better behaved.
• It is noteworthy that even the present Park has been identified as a “Doggies Field” on Google Maps

In the event that the Park is unable to accommodate a dog run, we have also identified nearby green spaces that are currently designated as a park in the URA Masterplan 2019 as alternative areas to construct a dog run: 

1. Designated park between Yio Chu Kang Road and Serangoon North Avenue 1
2. Designated park beside the Garden Residences

Please help us create a dedicated space that allows local residents to exercise their canine family members and themselves as well as benefit the entire community as a whole!

If you would like to be involved in our efforts or facilitate a discussion with stakeholders from the community whom the Park is dear to, please reach out to us at parryfurkids@gmail.com. We would love to discuss further on how this precious Park can be safeguarded, if not enhanced, and assist with its development in any way we can.

We, the undersigned, are voicing our support for the construction of an off-leash, fenced-in dog run to be created within the proposed park beside 28 Parry Avenue Singapore 547255, or alternatively at any of the designated park listed above within the Kovan/Serangoon estates.