Dogs

Dog Parks and Free Running Areas

Canada Post Labour Disruption

Cybersecurity Incident Response

Dog Park Benchmarking

We are piloting the use of pedestrian traffic counters at dog park entrance areas. This will provide baseline data of dog park use.

Why?
Data on volume & time of use is essential to:

provide a snap shot of when and the volume of dog park use
build long-term support for City dog parks
contribute to city processes including capital/maintenance programs, planning/design and program evaluation

Where?
Currently 2 traffic counters are rotated amongst City Dog Parks to gain information about the number of visitors and windows of use.

The City's Traffic Operations operates a similar program with over 20 counters on trails & pathways.

There are two types of dog parks in Hamilton:

Dog Parks - fenced areas where you can exercise your dog off-leash.
Free Running Areas - unfenced areas for you to exercise your dog off leash - they include parkland and public open spaces owned by the City of Hamilton.

Interactive Mapping

Find a Dog Park or Running Area

To find a location near you, enter your address or intersection into the search box. View map in new window

Download a PDF map of City of Hamilton Dog Parks(PDF, 2.43 MB)

You are responsible for respecting the safety of others.

Use these areas at your own risk.
Keep your dog on a leash until you are in the off-leash area.
Dogs must be wearing valid rabies and dog license tags.
Dogs are not allowed to
- Be in the park without an adult human being
- Bother or chase people
- Destroy, dig up, or disturb flowerbeds, lawns, bushes, or trees.
Dogs must be under voice control.
You must clean up after your dog. Poop n' scoop is mandatory.
No more than two dogs may be brought into the park by an individual at the same time.
Professional dog trainers are not allowed to use dog parks for their business.

All children must be supervised by an adult while in a dog park.
Do not bring these dogs to dog parks:
- Female dogs in heat
- Sick dogs
- Aggressive dogs - dogs that become aggressive toward another dog or person must leave the dog park
Do not bring the following items to a dog park:
- Glass containers
- Rawhide chews
- Dog toys
- Animal or human food
- Pinch or prong and spike collars
Dog owners are subject to Ontario’s Dog Owners’ Liability Act.

Suggest a Location

For a Dog Park or Free Running Area in your neighbourhood

If you want to start a dog park in your neighbourhood or community, you will need to:

review the leash free parks policy and criteria
submit an application

Review the Policy & Criteria

New Dog Parks & Running Areas

Dog Parks

Free Running Areas

Do you want a dog park in your neighbourhood?

If you want to start a dog park in your neighbourhood or community, you must submit an application and make sure the site meets the City’s criteria.

Dog Park Application Form(PDF, 182.16 KB)

This criteria from the Leash Free Parks Policy(PDF, 282.55 KB) are used to decide if a proposed site is eligible for a dog park.

You may not change these criteria in any way.

Sites must be at least two acres but not more than five acres in size.
Sites are limited to certain areas of the city (as determined by the City) and should not be located in highly populated residential areas.
Environmentally Significant Areas are not eligible to be a dog park.
Parks that have sports facilities where people pay permit fees are not eligible to be a dog park, unless the total acreage of the site is more than 40 acres and has room for a fenced pen with limited land-use and or visual conflicts.
The site must have a fence that is at least four feet high, with a double-gated entry system.
Sites must have on-site parking.
Regulatory and advisory signs must be visible.
A volunteer committee with a minimum of ten (10) members must be in place.
The Leash Free Parks account will fund park development costs.
The Leash Free Parks account does not provide funding for amenities or equipment. Volunteer committees need to fund these things.

The development of dog parks in Hamilton is subject to these conditions:

Development is done on a cost share basis, where the City pays for 50% of the development costs and the volunteer committee pays 50% of development costs.
Cost share programs are done on a first-come first-served basis, subject to City funding. The City will only enter into cost share agreements with volunteer groups that have their funding, and who pay the City before any development happens.

Do you want a free running area in your neighbourhood?

If you want to apply for a free running area in your neighbourhood or community, you must submit an application and make sure the site meets the City of Hamilton’s criteria.

Free Running Area Application Form(PDF, 48.4 KB)

The City will use this criteria from the Leash Free Parks Policy(PDF, 282.55 KB) to decide if a proposed site is eligible for a free running area.

We will not allow exceptions to these criteria:

Time and seasonality will limit the use of some sites, especially if the site is near a school board or where play equipment and or splash pads or wading pools are present.
Sites must be at least one acre in size.
Land is given as-is with no extra amenities. Only amenities found in a traditional park setting will be allowed. Dog park equipment will not be allowed in free running areas.
Environmentally Significant Areas are not eligible to be a free running area.
Sites surrounded by high traffic streets, main thoroughfares or highways will not be considered for free running areas, unless there are enough landscape and/or physical barriers to block access to the roadway.
Free running areas are not allowed in park sites that have sports facilities.
The City does not allow free running areas along trails.

There can only be one free running area per political ward. The City approves free running areas on an as-required or as-requested basis, subject to funding.

Date modified

November 06, 2024