After a very active debate at City Council last month, the new leash-free rules are now in effect at Guelph parks. With that, the Royal City now officially has standards in terms of when and how you can let your dog go without a leash in the City’s 113 parks.

To recap, you can let your dog go leash-free in one of 41 approved unoccupied sports fields, or you can take your pet to one of the two fenced-in leash-free fields being constructed at Peter Misersky Park and Bristol Street Park. The one at Peter Misersky is currently under construction while the Bristol Street facility will be built later this year. Children under age six are not permitted in fenced leash-free parks, while children between the ages of 7 and 17 years old must be supervised by an adult at all times

You can get the full list of unoccupied sports fields where you can walk your dog leash free here. Remember too that people who are using the fields for sports and activities have first right of refusal when it comes to usage.

“We’re grateful to the community for helping us shape the future of leash-free parks,” said Luke Jefferson, manager of Open Space Planning in a media statment. “The final Leash Free Policy gives our community the choice of taking their dogs to one of our existing leash free areas, a new fenced leash-free space or to one of the designated leash-free sports fields.”

The City of Guelph is still looking for feedback concerning leash-free parks and facilities as it completes the Parks and Recreation Master Plan later this year and into next year. You can find that page on the City’s website here.