I couldn’t agree more with the Jan. 25 PNR editorial regarding the respect that needs to be present among people who use parks.
I would go further by adding that this kind of respect must also include the natural world and the ecosystems that comprise these parks.
I am particularly concerned with the situation at Island View Beach. Over the years, due to lack of education and enforcement, this CRD regional park has become a dogs’ park.
Dog owners have been given free reins and they have developed this sense of entitlement to the point where they think they have the right to have their dogs off leash pretty well all over the park.
My spouse and I just came back from exploring a variety of parks in southern Arizona and California and we had a totally different experience. It didn’t matter where we went, national, state or regional parks, the same rules applied. There were clear signs stating that dogs had to be on leash at all times and that they were limited to certain areas of the park.
And people mainly complied!
Some of the dogs were off leash but they were well controlled by their owners. It had a very positive impact on the environment in areas where dogs were not allowed to trample all over and damage fragile plants and scare wildlife.
What a pleasant experience it was! And it worked because obviously over the years, the policy had been enforced and everybody just took for granted that it was the way to interact respectfully with each other and with nature.
I really believe it is possible to arrive at a similar situation here but it will require some work and a willingness from all parties to reach some compromise to ensure that everybody feels they can enjoy going to Island View Beach including children playing safely at the beach that is also clean and free of dog feces.
A section of the park could be designated to have off leash dogs as well as another one where people could pursue other interests.
It will require some frank discussions and education and then a way to enforce the regulations until it becomes part of the culture of mutual respect.
Yves Parizeau, Brentwood Bay