A longtime Salmon Arm resident wants a more clearly drawn line in the sand delineating off- and on-leash areas for dogs at Canoe Beach.
At its Aug. 25 meeting, city council received a letter from a G. Grant, regarding two recent morning visits to the beach. In the first, at 8 a.m. on Aug. 5, Grant said he had ridden his bike through the pedestrian tunnel and turned left towards the grassy area (and the opposite direction of the beach's designated area for dogs off leash). Grant said he then encountered a couple with a small unleashed dog, and another woman with a large unleashed dog.
"The big dog immediately came on to me at a dead run in a very aggressive manner, circling my bike several times with hackles way up and teeth bared," wrote Grant. "I suffered a nasty dog bite to my right calf, which required medical assistance."
Grant said city bylaw enforcement responded "in a very timely fashion," and that the dog's owner was found and appropriate action taken.
"I wish to thank them for that, I appreciate their help," said Grant, explaining he's 68 years old and has lived in the area since age 6.
"I would like to be able to ride my bicycle where I please and not be intimidated by a unleashed dog, in a not so well marked No Dogs Allowed area."
Grant said he was back on his bike at the beach at 8 a.m. on Aug. 18 and again encountered the couple with the small unleashed dog; "no leash, just walking along the concrete barriers on the water right past the No Dogs Allowed sign."
Grant asked that council address the issue of unleashed dogs, "a lack of signage indicating such bylaw enforcement of unleashed dogs and the very 'gray area' of what is and what isn't dog beach."
Asked if the city had responded to Grant as he'd asked, planning and community services director Gary Buxton said bylaw enforcement had followed up though he wasn't sure they'd been able to connect with the owners of the second dog. He said staff is also looking at signage, and have made existing signage more visible.
On Aug. 20, the city also shared via social media guidelines for dogs at Canoe Beach.
Coun. Louise Wallace Richmond said she appreciated the letter and stressed "there are not to be dogs on the people side of the beach, and there is a perfectly good dog side of the beach there"
