Who Let the Dogs Out? (Seriously, Port Moody Wants to Know)
Fill out the Dogs, People and Places Engagement Survey by April 6th
If you've spent any time at Rocky Point, Bert Flinn, or pretty much any park in Port Moody, you've seen the tension play out in real time. An excited dog charges up to a toddler. A leashed dog gets rushed by an off-leash one. Someone's tossing a ball on a trail barely wide enough for two people to pass. Everyone's trying to enjoy the same space, and nobody's quite sure what the rules are — or whether they're being followed.
Solo & I would love it if you filled out the Dogs, People and Places survey! Come say hi if you see us out and about!
It's not that dog owners are inconsiderate. And it's not that non-dog people are being unreasonable. It's that our public spaces are getting busier, our dog population is growing, and we've never really had a comprehensive plan for how all of us — two legs and four — share this city together.
That's what the City's new People, Dogs, and Public Spaces Strategy is trying to figure out. And right now, they're asking for community input through a survey and a series of information pop-ups.
I filled out the survey last week. It's thoughtful — it asks about your experiences in parks and public spaces, what's working, what isn't, and what you'd like to see change. It took me about ten minutes, and, if enough people participate, it’s the kind of consultation that could actually lead somewhere meaningful.
As someone who walks Solo through this city every day, I think about this stuff constantly. Where are the off-leash options that actually work for dogs who need space to run? We often frequent the field at Moody Middle to throw a ball, but that space isn’t designed for dogs. How do we make trails feel safe and welcoming for everyone — families with young kids, seniors, cyclists, and yes, the dogs? How do we balance environmental protection with the reality that people and their pets need places to be outdoors together?
Port Moody has already started experimenting. The off-leash morning pilot at Bert Flinn Park was a step in that direction, and the City is collecting data and feedback on how it's going. Personally, I'd love to see the pilot expanded to the full main Bert Flinn Loop between dawn and 10am like Coquitlam does with the Mundy Park Perimeter Trail along with a shorter off-leash trail available all day. I’d also like to see something similar come to the Chineside trails as they get further developed. The City's Trail Network Plan already envisions new connections through that area, and it feels like a natural fit with the existing off-leash space. The new trails could be designed from the start with shared use in mind, including designated off-leash hours that work for dogs and the people around them.
But that's just one person's wish list. The whole point of this strategy is that it should reflect what the community actually needs — dog owners and non-dog owners alike. The more people who weigh in, the better the outcome.
If you have a dog, fill out the survey. If you don't have a dog but use our parks and trails, fill out the survey. Your experience matters either way.
The survey closes April 6. You can find it at engage.portmoody.ca.
If you'd rather share your thoughts in person, there are two more pop-up sessions coming up:
Friday, March 27 | 1–3pm Bert Flinn Park, 1300 David Avenue (entrance at David Avenue and Heritage Mountain Boulevard)
Wednesday, April 1 | 4–6pm Recreation Complex, 300 Ioco Road (outdoor plaza near main entrance)
Source: City of Port Moody (https://engage.portmoody.ca/people-dogs-and-public-spaces-strategy)
I've been wanting a place to write about things happening in Port Moody that I think deserve more attention. This felt like a good one to start with.