HOLBEACH PARISH COUNCIL: New dog run is a 'vital offering' for park
Dog owners visiting Holbeach can give their pets some exercise in a specially-created area of the town's main park.
Holbeach Parish Council has confirmed the opening of a new off-lead dog run at Carter's Park after about two months of work.
The dog run area, formerly a tennis court, has been secured with new fencing, landscaping and an accessible lock.
It has replaced a previous dog run area which was considered to be outdated and "unfit for purpose".
Coun Kelly Wilson, chairman of parks and playing fields for Holbeach Parish Council, said: “This is a vital offering for the residents of Holbeach and an attraction for others who come to the town.
Coun Kelly Wilson, chairman of parks and playing fields for Holbeach Parish Council, said: “This is a vital offering for the residents of Holbeach and an attraction for others who come to the town.
"As Holbeach grows, more pressure is on the park to be as efficient as possible and this was seen as a key facility to be preserved.
"Following a review of the costs of replacing the existing fencing in the old dog run area, as well as a review of the provisions at Carters Park for all residents, the parish council decided that the most cost-effective way of preserving this facility was to move it nearer to Holbeach United Football Club."
Of those who responded, 71 per cent voted to keep the dog run, including Tim Newell who said: "The dog run is a very low-cost, much-used area of the park".
Coun Wilson said that the new dog run put the parish council in a different light to other authorities that have banned dogs from its parks.
She added: "This area is a lovely, landscaped piece of previously unused land that will now protect facilities for dog owners who use the off-lead area to exercise their dogs.
She added: "This area is a lovely, landscaped piece of previously unused land that will now protect facilities for dog owners who use the off-lead area to exercise their dogs.
"As other councils shut their parks generally to dogs, it was important for us to find a way to accommodate everyone that uses Carter's Park.
" The entrance to the dog run area has a dog lock on it, a paved area to support wheelchair access and it is cited right next to Park Road, making it easier for all residents to enter it without having to walk all the way through Carter's Park itself."
The new dog run area will be officially opened during the first-ever Holbeach Parish Fair on Sunday when Coun Wilson will be joined by parish council chairman Coun Paul Foyster in cutting the ribbon.
Coun Foyster said: "This project has taken lots of work in conducting costings to ensure that the council gets the best value for parishioners' money, including the commissioning of a contractor to have the fencing installed professionally.
Coun Foyster said: "This project has taken lots of work in conducting costings to ensure that the council gets the best value for parishioners' money, including the commissioning of a contractor to have the fencing installed professionally.
"However, there are still some things for dog owners to consider as some of the trees in Carter's Park have berries on them that could be poisonous to a dog who eats too much of them.
"In addition, The dog run cannot be manned so dog owners are reminded that it is used entirely at their pets' own risk.
"However, all reasonable precautions have been taken by the council to make it as pleasant and as safe an area as possible.
"Many hours of work have been put into this project to really maximise the potential out of this otherwise unused area.
"All we ask is that users of the dog run should let us have their suggestions as to how we should shape it for the future.
"That and, of course, please pick up after your dogs."
