By Jessie Weisner

Kin Coulee Park on-leash only as of 2019

Oct 22, 2018 | 5:34 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Kin Coulee Park is a favourite spot in Medicine Hat, widely known has a beautiful off-leash area to bring your dog.

However, a city decision will now change just how much running dogs can do.

“We come here once, sometimes twice a day and the reason we come here is for the off leash, so he can run. He gets a lot more exercise that way, he gets to interact with all the other dogs and play in the water as well, especially in the summer when it’s super hot out,” says Sara Lewis, a local dog owner. “I don’t know much about the history of it, but it would be really sad to see it go to an on leash only.”

As of January 1st 2019, there will be no off-leash areas in the park.

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Currently, dogs can go off-leash in any area, including on and off trails, but the city says dogs are damaging much of the archaeological landscape.

“Really, this site needs to be repaired and in order to do that we need on leash on trail.” Karen Charlton, Commissioner of Public Services.

The province directed the city to protect the site, as it’s one of the largest First Nation camps in southeastern Alberta, and has a large amount of cultural material just below the dirt surface.

There are at least 10 stakeholder groups currently involved with the current and future land management of the site.

An initial protection plan was released in late July, which included a smaller fenced area where dogs could go off-leash.

Dog owners weren’t keen on the idea… but Councillor Julie Freisen says something had to be done eventually.

“We really don’t have a choice in this matter,” says councillor Freisen. “If we choose not to do anything, the province will do it and we’ll pay for it anyway.”

Freisen says the site would have been on-leash in 2019 regardless, so saving tax-payers roughly $100,000 dollars by not building the fenced area is the best option.

Despite dogs having to stay on the trail, the city is fighting for their right to swim.

They’re currently consulting with the province to allow on-leash access to one small area of the stream within the park.

The city has said other off-leash areas can replace the park, but one local dog owner disagrees.

“This is the nicest one, the other ones you put them in a cage and they run and fight with other dogs because there’s no place for them to go,” says Sherry Dutton, a local dog owner. “So this is the best place to go.”

In the meantime, the city plans to start installing on-leash and on-trail signs, which will eventually be enforced by local bylaw officers.

A communication campaign including information on the significance of the site, why the work is occurring and any timelines will also be released soon.