Dear Editor:
On a glorious September day, I ventured forth for the first time up the Whyte Lake trail, West Vancouver, in the company of a friend and her dog.
What a beautiful and tranquil place. Along the way, we encountered at least two dozen people, and almost as many dogs of various shapes and sizes, all enjoying themselves immensely.
What could possibly intrude on this idyllic place and time I wondered? I soon had my answer: District of West Vancouver bylaw 4545, requiring dogs to be on leash for a goodly portion of the trail. Here is a textbook example of regulatory over-reach, “Big Sister” at her hectoring best.
Unlike, say, the SeaWalk, to require dogs to be on leash in such a location is wrongheaded in the extreme. Apart from anything else, given the rather treacherous terrain (steep slopes, loose rocks and tangled tree roots underfoot) it is inviting potentially grievous injury to leash someone to their often large and powerful dog.
I’m as concerned as the next person about protecting our fragile local fauna and such but, for goodness sake, let’s show some perspective here. District council ought to repeal bylaw 4545 insofar as it affects places such as the Whyte Lake trail and tell the next bureaucrat who proposes a similar measure to take a hike.
David Marley
West Vancouver
District of West Vancouver spokesman Jeff McDonald responds:
"For every person who would like to see an area designated off-leash, you can find someone else who feels strongly that it should be on-leash. Finding this balance is a challenge. The Whyte Lake trail was created through the expansion of Highway 99 works over a decade ago and the District recognized then that creating this new trail from Highway 99 to Whyte Lake could impact an environmentally rich area. Before construction of the new trail, the Whyte Lake area was not very accessible for the community. Building this trail was seen as a way to access this beautiful recreation area, and keeping dogs on leash minimizes the environmental impact of the trail. The District of West Vancouver does offer many other off-leash trails for dogs and for their owners to enjoy."
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