THUNDER BAY — Some Thunder Bay pet-owners are expressing concern about the proposed indoor turf facility near the Community Auditorium.
A draft plan for the project shows an expanded parking lot on the east side of Winnipeg Avenue adjacent to the existing 1.4 acre off-leash dog park.
On the Thunder Bay Dog Park Crew Facebook page, Mike Shannon posted a message stating "I think it is important that the city be aware that people (and dogs!) value the park. In the next day or two I will put together a letter to city council in support of the dog park."
Shannon was at the dog park Tuesday afternoon collecting signatures to attach to the letter.
"It would be a real shame, I think, to shrink this park just in order to put in a few parking spots," he told TBnewswatch. "It's very popular. It's a good facility, a good location. There are only two fenced-in dog parks in Thunder Bay, and it's the only one that's kind of in the centre or north side" of town.
Shannon said one city representative has stated that about half the park might have to be taken over, but "We're still kind of guessing. As I understand it, there are possibly two versions of this parking lot."
Kayla Dixon, director of engineering and operations for the City of Thunder Bay, didn't provide details in an email, saying only that the park will remain but "If additional parking requirements are identified, the dog park may be reduced in size to extend parking along Winnipeg Ave."
Dixon said those additional parking spots would be available for users of any of the facilities in the area – including the dog park, the indoor turf complex, the auditorium, the Canada Games Complex, the Port Arthur Stadium and the Port Arthur Arena.
City council has not yet approved the indoor turf facility proposed by Soccer Northwest Ontario.
Tentative plans for the SNO option show a need for an additional 150 parking spaces, but a document prepared for public inspection states that accommodating parking for the new complex and the auditorium "could be challenging in instances where there are multiple concurrent events being hosted at the major facilities in the area."
