Nairne's New Dog Park - Coming Mid 2024

WHY A DOG PARK?

There has been significant community interest in developing a protected off leash area for dogs in the Nairne township. Currently, the District has a single dog park in Mount Barker “Barka Park” and there is now scope to add to this with a new dog park in Nairne.

Nairne is the second most populated township in the Mount Barker District, with over 6,000 residents, more than 2,000 households and approximately 1,700 registered dogs. The Nairne township is also growing as a result of new residential development throughout the town, further increasing the demand for functional open space and recreation facilities. A recent survey conducted by Council found that over 60% of households in Nairne own at least one dog and more than 80% of these households would use a new dog park if one was made available in their area.

Fenced dog parks are a great way to provide a safe and secure environment for dogs to exercise and socialise with other dogs. Studies have shown that regular off-leash exercise can improve a dog's physical and mental well-being. Dog parks also provide a space for dog owners to come together, creating opportunities for social interaction, social inclusion and a greater sense of community.

THE CONCEPT DESIGN

In considering the use of the space as a dog park, Council has reviewed the design of eight existing dog parks across greater Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills and has referred to State Government guidelines for establishing dog parks “Unleashed A Guide To Successful Dog Parks”. The guidelines identify eight essential elements required to construct a successful dog park and these have been included in the concept design for the park:

• Separate areas for large dogs and small dogs;
• Adequate fencing & entry gates;
• Renovated and irrigated turf to create a surface suitable for dogs;
• Two water fountains with water bowls;
• Two rubbish bins with bag dispensers;
• A shelter and four bench seats;
• Gravel walking paths to move through the space;
• Landscaping including screening border plants and 10 native trees;
• Onsite informal gravel carpark.

The site has an area of 6,658m² which is comparable to Barka Park in Mount Barker (7,000m²) and has largely level terrain, making it accessible for a broad range of users. There are also large existing native trees on the site which are proposed to be retained creating shade and interest on the site. The site is also largely covered with existing Kikuyu grass that with top dressing and irrigation can be used as a suitable surface for the dog park.

The concept design also includes a number of elements to help reduce the impact to land in the surrounding locality. These design elements include the following:

• An increased setback to adjoining land on the northern side. There is presently an existing tree lined walkway (approx. 5m wide) which provides a buffer between the reserve and the side boundary of two existing dwellings. The concept design increases the width of this space to 15m and includes a number of additional trees to providing further screening on this side of the site;
• Landscaped screening and increased setback, southern side. The design includes a landscaped screening hedge around the southern perimeter of the space and the fencing has been moved further inside the land, increasing the setback to dwelling on the southern side of the land to 20m;
• Landscaped screening on western side. The setback to dwellings on the western side of Woodside Road is approximately 20m. The concept design includes landscaped screening along much of the western boundary, not only to help reduce the impact to dwellings on the western side of the road but to also to reduce the effects of traffic traveling along Woodside Road to those using the facility;

SELECTING THE RIGHT SITE

Identifying the right location for the dog park is important to the success and safety of the facility and to ensure that there is an acceptable level of impact to surrounding locality. The right location must adequately address the following five requirements as identified by the guidelines to establishing dog parks:

• Accessible to pedestrians
• Accessible to those who drive and park
• Safe and Functional
• Close to existing facilities
• Ability to minimise impact

There are a number of Council owned land parcels across the Nairne township and surrounding area that could be considered for use as a dog park, each with varying characteristics and abilities to achieve the above site selection criteria. Council has assessed the availability and suitability of each of the potential sites across the town.

1. Rachel Circuit Reserve 2. Oakford Estate Reserve 3. Matthew Road Reserve 4. Parr Street Reserve

5. Matthew Smillie Reserve 6. Nairne Golf Course 7. Pyrites Road Reserve 9. Nairne Village Green

10. Britannia Road Reserve 11. Byethorne Park

Those sites on the periphery of the township typically lack the ability to be easily accessed by pedestrians, are isolated making them less safe and are not located near existing facilities, making them difficult to support as preferred locations. Of all the sites reviewed, the site known as ‘Oakford Reserve’ (site 2#) bound by Woodside Road, Webber Drive and Megan Circuit, is considered to most adequately address the five site selection requirements identified above.

The site has an area of 6,658m² which is comparable to Barka Park, Council’s only other existing dog park (7,000m²). The land has a largely level terrain, making it accessible for a broad range of users. There are also large existing native trees on the site which are proposed to be retained create shade and interest on the site. The site is also largely covered with existing Kikuyu grass that with top dressing and irrigated can be used as a suitable surface for the dog park.

The land forms part of the northern portion of the town identified by the Clezy Memorial present on the site. The memorial commemorates the site as being part land where the first commercially grown quantity of wheat in the Adelaide Hills Region was grown. The memorial would remain in place, be formalised within the surrounding landscaping and it is possible that the Clezy name could be used at some point to identify the space, if appropriate.

There are three allotments which make up the site, two of which are owned by Council and one which is owned by SA Water. SA Water have agreed in principle to a majority of their land being used as an onsite gravel carpark to facilitate the use of the space as a dog park.

The facilities for the dog park can be developed on the site so as to avoid much of the underground SA Water infrastructure that exist on the land. This will be further considered as part of the detailed design process.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on the project or to provide feedback on the design and layout of the space, please feel free to contact Kristian Wohlstadt at kwohlstadt@mountbarker.sa.gov.au or on 83917219.