Plans have been approved for a dog park in Katikati but there are concerns about how it will be funded.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council committed $30,000 to the dog park and approved the plans at a Strategy and Policy Committee meeting today.

The fully fenced dog park will be at Donegal Reserve and have three areas, a chill zone for small dogs, a high energy zone and an area for agility.

Councillor Rodney Joyce questioned the funding because the dog park would cost more than $30,000.

“How can we consult on costings that we know are no longer currently in use?”

Council policy and planning manager Matthew Leighton said the $30,000 was the maximum the council would contribute to the park. The rest would need to come from external funders and possibly the community board, he said.

Deputy CEO, general manager strategy and community Rachael Davie said the council’s funding commitment was clear.

“It’s not sufficient in and of itself to fund a dog exercise area that our communities would expect.

“Equally they are the types of projects that communities love to get behind and so too, do our philanthropic funders.”

A concept plan of the Katikati dog park in Donegal Reserve. Image: Supplied/WBOPDC.

The council consulted on locations for dog parks in Katikati and Ōmokoroa in June and staff were seeking approval for the concept plans, said Leighton.

There were 496 submissions on the dog park locations and the features people would like to see included.

Of those submission 81 per cent were happy with the Katikati location, 19 percent were not. With the Ōmokoroa location of Links View Reserve, 64 percent agreed with it while 36 per cent did not.

These figures and concerns raised by submitters prompted the council to look at the Precious Family Reserve as an alternative site.

Council opted to consult on this location before progressing the Ōmokoroa dog park further.

Councillor Tracey Coxhead questioned if dog poo bags and drinking facilities were needed if they did want to cut costs because she seen other dog parks that were just a fenced off area.

Mayor James Denyer said they had consulted on “high-spec” parks with the community and according to the consultation dog poo bags were the number one thing people wanted to see at the parks.

The feedback showed dog poo bag dispensers and water stations were the highest priority features.

Councillor Rodney Joyce had concerns about how the parks would be funded. Photo: Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Joyce said he loved dogs parks but wasn’t comfortable with the lack of costings.

“We don't actually have a costing for this plan as it is now. We've been told our $30, 000 that we've committed is not enough, but we have no idea where we're getting the rest from.”

Councillor Grant Dally said the Te Puke dog park that opened in October was already popular.

They had received funding from the Te Puke Community Board and TECT for the project, he said.

TECT was already aware of the Katikati and Ōmokoroa dog park plans and Dally hoped funding from the trust would be forthcoming.

“Despite the reservations, I think you guys will find that there's lots of goodwill and support from the community.”

Work on the Katikati dog park is likely to begin next year. Consultation dates on the new Ōmokoroa location are yet to be confirmed.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.