Welcome to the informal Stittsville off-leash Dog Park Community Website

According to you , approximately:

74% of our dog park visitors drive there

and in total, each week:

5% visit twice (or more) per day

28% visit once or twice per day

41% visit three to six times per week

More recent comments:

I have been taking my dogs to the "dog park" in Stittsville for ten years and there is nothing like having this informal, free run type of socialization for the dogs, and also socialization for the people who take their dogs. Dogs NEED to run, to be with other dogs, to sniff and explore to be healthy and happy. And people who love dogs, love to chat with other people who love dogs.

Walking on leash is not enough exercise for most dogs, it is boring for the dog, and holding onto a leash with some dogs can wreak havoc on owners' neck and shoulders when their dogs stop suddenly to sniff or when they pull suddenly to get to something interesting (these are normal behaviours in dogs). Off-leash walking eliminates these problems.

On leash walking does not offer the same benefits of off-leash walking for owner or dog, and having a dog park in Stittsville is appreciated by hundreds of owners and dogs alike. We love "our" dog park, we love the people there, and we hope to keep it a part of Stittsville forever. - tb

I have been walking in this park for 11 years since 2003 with my dogs and my son who is now 17 and still enjoys walking with me and our senior dog and new puppy. It would be sadly missed if we lose the park. - cd

If it's not too late, let's keep this beautiful piece of land for locals and their pets. - fl

I feel that a designated off-leash dog park benefits all in our community...dog and non-dog owners alike. Well exercised dogs are happier and safer pets in our neighbourhoods. Not to mention the importance of well socialized dogs!!! It really can be argued that it's a community safety issue. I'm sure animal experts and local vets would provide testimonial to this!
- k sens fan

I love that I can socialize my dog, there nowhere else to go that is close by. I would hate to see it gone. - ld

I do want it preserved as an off leash dog park, keeping it as natural as possible. This is a very well used park and has been for many years. I made a partial list of people and their dogs for about six months. I arrived at a list of almost 300 dogs who use the park, most of them on a regular basis. - kt

We have been walking in the informal Stittsville dog park for the past 18 years. Our dogs love the off-leash experience and the Mom's & Dad's of these pups love the social time meeting up with neighbours. Please help the large number of dog families retain an off-leash park in Stittsville! – s & t

We'll be devastated to lose this park. There are so few other options in this area for dogs to socialize. Our only other option is driving to Bruce Pit. - anon
We moved here last August and use this park for our big dog every day. It's fantastic exercise for us and him and gives him a great place to socialize and relax without a long drive to Bruce Pit. We were saddened to hear that there are apparently development plans for the area. Stittsville has plenty of development underway already, surely some space can be set aside for residents that use and care for it. - gc

Please keep this park open. As ALL our statements reflect our environment and freedom between man and dog! – ar & ba

It's so much better than Bruce Pit. The dogs and the owners are like minded and well-behaved. Let us keep this space in Stittsville as a safe and well respected place for our fur-babies. - anon
This is a wonderful place for dogs to be off leash & enjoy their time with not only their owners but other dogs as well! It is a fantastic green space that keeps us staying in Stittsville. I know our family enjoys every minute we are there with our dog & would truly miss it. - kl

I don't use it anymore because my dog is permanently injured :(. However!! I use to live right on granite Ridge when my dog was a puppy. And Then. my answers to the questions would have been: “Walk. One min. 15 times!!”. We have moved to Elm and before my dogs "accident", we would “Drive 10min. 7x.” I use to love walking in the "park" Please don't take it away.....
- anon

There are fewer and fewer places for me to take my dog off leash and socialize with like minded people. The loss of this park would impact the health of a lot of dogs, let alone the people who own them. Please keep this park open to all who use and enjoy it.
- anon

I have been using this area for over 25 years. I moved to Stittsville over 29 years ago. - el

Can't imagine not having it available. - ah

I have been going to the off leash dog park for 9 years now and enjoy every day that I go. It's my oasis from my day to day life. Watching all the dogs run free and play together. It would be a very sad day if the park was no longer there. - ss

The dog park is a wonderful refuge from city noise and traffic. Walking in the woods with my dogs is truly an escape into a different world and the best relaxation for myself and exercise for my dogs possible. I would be extremely grateful for any efforts taken to preserve this experience and would consider the loss of the area to be a severe blow to the character and charm of the community.- sg

I absolutely find the park invaluable. My dogs enjoy the freedom and safety of this park to run around and play with other dogs. The variety of environments (apple orchard, coniferous forest and open plains) make this area very enjoyable to spend hours in. The people and dogs who frequent this park are kind, respectable and responsible. - ka

This off leash dog area is perfect for my dog and for me to walk, enjoy nature, and often talk to other dog owners. My dog loves meeting and greeting the dogs that are always present no matter what time of day we go. In the summer, it is cooler amongst the trees and in the winter you avoid the wind chill when you are amongst the trees. It is also a lot closer than Bruce Pit. It is a dog's right to have somewhere to go off leash and there are very few areas which allow this. Any dog needs to run and few owners are able to run with their dogs. My dog at around 120 pounds weighs more than me - how can I run with him. Taking him off leash he can run and enjoy himself and he always keeps me within view. I get the necessary exercise I need and he gets the necessary exercise he needs. The “Stittsville Woods”, as I call them, is perfect. - pt

It is a fantastic informal dog park and it would be a tragedy to lose it. - kb

I think it is a great way for dogs and their owners to collaborate, meet new people and enjoy the fresh outdoors. - anon

We have been walking our dog Flint at this park for seven years. He loves his walk every day and we all enjoy meeting other dogs and their owners. This is a perfect way for everyone to get exercise in a beautiful environment and it is lovely to see families with their children and their dogs all getting along with everyone. It would be an awful shame if the space is lost to the community. - ls & ds

My dog thoroughly enjoys the time he spends at the off-leash dog park. It allows him valuable time to socialize with other dogs and burn off some off his boundless energy. It is a wonderful place and is well worth our drive. - kr

I have used this park for 9 years and find it a great place to walk my dogs. - anon

It would be a tremendous loss to not have this informal location to let our pet dogs run free. This location or a suitable alternate would be good for the well-being of both our dogs and us as pet owners. Dogs of all ages meet at this park. For area residents with young dogs, the park enables dogs to socialize at a time when their behaviours are being developed. Dogs that socialize with both people and other dogs present fewer problems, reducing the likelihood that of our pets becoming aggressive. - pa

I recently moved to Stittsville and love that there is an off leash area where my dog can get her much needed exercise. - ra

One of very few local locations where dogs are free to exercise and socialize off-leash, not to mention a wonderful walk through some beautiful woodland for their owners. Please see that it stays this way! - cg

Fantastic place to take your dog. It would truly be a shame to lose this area. - ss

It is a wonderful place to come. My dog smiles as he is able to run free. All the people who use it are friendly. - anon

Certainly know it is not only a valuable place for pet owners but also local business owners (dog walkers/pet sitters) and lots of beautiful flora and precious fauna that depend on it for their survival!!! PLS SAVE THE PARK!!! - ec

We are a city of natural parks and green land, so destroying this park to allow more builders comes in, makes this City less welcoming. The number of people that have dogs in the City requires this park and others to remain open.
- anon

A wonderful place with great people and pets.
- ih

I don't know what we would do if they build on this land. I don't like going to Bruce Pitt. This is my 2nd dog that I've taken there. I've been going there for 12 years.
- kb

Please don't take away this natural space. This is a gem in Stittsville - the woods are absolutely beautiful to walk through. This is where I have brought my daughter since she was two and she has learned so much about nature. Now she has such a love for Mother Earth and the natural things that we see at the park.

It provides us with great exercise and fresh air. It's spiritually and emotionally grounding, and allows us to decompress from the crazy pace of life. My husband, myself, our daughter, and of course our sweet dog come here for wonderful family time whenever we can.

There's no better park than this one for a happy, healthy, well socialized dog. Our dog loves her off leash runs at this park - I don't know what we would do without it. This park benefits so many families it would be unforgivable not to keep it alive.
- sk

It's beautiful! The dogs love it and the humans get exercise and socialization too. - s

We just got our dog Dec 2013, and my friends with dogs introduced me to this area. My dog, Nellie, a 6yo Belgian/German Shepard mix **LOVES** to go and see her friends, and have a free-run!! Please, let's keep this park available to our 4-legged friends!! - jt

Great exercise and socialization for Dogs and Owners. - anon

Please preserve this off leash dog park. Not only do I and my friends enjoy the walks, but our dogs love it. It is a great place for our dogs to socialize, but it is also a great place for families to socialize and teach our children the joy of having a dog and how important exercise is. We can also teach our children about nature and enjoy how the whole community comes together to protect this unique area and to have family time with our dogs.

It shows the kindness of individuals who made bird feeders, supply winter feed for the birds and squirrels, and help to take care of our wildlife. To see the cookie tree decorated for Christmas and everyone taking turns to fill the jar with dog treats helps to show the generosity and kindness of the people who use this area. I remember my first visit and felt like I was walking through a winter wonderland.

Please keep this area not just for our dogs, but for our families. It is truly the best dog park I have ever taken my pets to. This will be a lasting memory for us all. Let's not allow our favorite place in Stittsville to disappear. Let us keep building memories and having fun with our families and friends in Stittsville. - ma

Love that I can take my dogs off leash in my own town. It's a wonderful way for them to socialize, and walking the paths through the fields and the woods is good for the body and soul! Please let this wonderful natural space go to the dogs and not to another cookie cutter development. - anon

It varies the number of times we use the park. Winter months is harder as it gets dark very early and I do not like to walk in the dark. In the summer months we try to get our 4 legged family member a walk daily. Keep the park....xoxo - b & s

This park is essential for any dog and owner as we both get our exercise, so we are both keeping healthy which is great for everyone. If we lost this park it would be a crime for both the dogs, dog walkers and people that just walk there. Please keep our park. - kk

My dog and I have enjoyed the Shea Forest for the last 12 years and I hope to continue to utilize the park with my future dogs. There are no off leash areas in the kanata/Stittsvile area save the Shea Forest and i think all should be done so it can remain. - sa

There is no place like this for humans and animals alike to enjoy. - a

COMMUNITY

Adventure abounds – from a romp in the park to hitting the trail, your dog wants to be out exploring anything he can get his paws on. For dogs and humans alike, feeling alive is all about staying active together.

Puppy love is where it all begins, but quickly you and your dog build a relationship uniquely yours. Their unwavering love runs deep, and we're hopelessly addicted to wagging tails and smiling eyes.

Thanks to "SG", a regular at the park, who has mapped all the main walking trails through the cedar stand and posted it here.

To Submit a description of your dog, please e-mail your dogs name, breed, gender, age, attach a picture and any comments to stittsvilledogpark@gmail.com

The Dogs
(a cast of thousands, in order of appearance)

Benji: Basenji-Dalmation (male) 2 years
Love my walks!

Patches: Husky-Whippet (male) 15 years
SQUIRREL!!!!

Max

Ace

Calvin: Husky/Ibizan Hound (male) 1.5 years old
Experiencing pure joy at this dog park

Wiley

Pippin & Kira

Wayne (male) 3yr old chocolate lab & his Uncle Bauer (male) 5yr old Shnoodle
The Stittsville Dog Park is like a second home.

(To Submit your photos, attach a picture and any comments and e-mail to stittsvilledogpark@gmail.com )

The Gallery

Park Christmas Tree, 2011

Ace as a puppy, 2013

Max with dog friends 2011

Meet Cal

Oz got Calvin from the Gatineau shelter in June 2013...

"When I adopted him, he was a mess. He had no idea what was acceptable behavior and what was not and his energy level was completely unmanageable. He got kicked out of many daycares and earned me many dirty looks and stern talkings-to. But the one place I always knew I could take him and not feel judged was the Stittsville dog park. Although I have only had him for 9 months, he has matured into an amazing little dog due in no small part to the fantastic people at this dog park and their great dogs. Cal has learned something from everyone at this park as the months have rolled by, and I am proud to say that he was welcomed back to all the daycares he got booted from.

Without this park, I hate to say it, I probably would not have been able to keep Cal because I do not have a backyard and so he had no outlet for his boundless energy. I am truly upset at the idea of losing this park and I know that the joy Cal experiences here cannot be compared to any of the other dog parks in the city."

I drive in the winter and walk there in the summer. It is a great place to socialize and exercise our dog. It has a beautiful forest and trails all year long. It would be a complete shame to see this area disappear. - vb

The Ottawa Carleton area has to be more in tune with its' citizens and realize dogs are an important part of their lives. Hence a dog park is a necessity. - bb

This land has become an invaluable resource to exercise my dogs. It has become nearly essential to maintaining our household as well as my dogs health and fitness. In addition, this is a great place to socialize and meet other animal lovers. - anon

So very therapeutic for all! Absolutely makes our day and helps with depression for those who are affected. Thank you so much for this site. Great work!! - c

I love this space!!! It is such a great place to get away from the busy everyday things. You can really lose yourself in the beauty of nature all around you, and you can't ask for a better space to let your dog run and play. - anon

Please don't take this park from us. It's great for dogs and people to walk socialize and have fun. It's an amazing place to take the dog. - sb

SAVE THE PARK - anon

We don't have many off leash dog parks in Ottawa. We need to keep them. - m

A wonderful place to walk dogs & connect with others in the community! - anon

Save this beautiful space. - cb

Off leash parks are amazing ways to build community and socialize our animals. - anon

I believe in this park. Many friends use it and I find it delightful to walk by on occasion and be greeted by these wonderful pets and people!!! - ae

A great place for us to walk our dog Carly we have shared many wonderful hours together . Great family place sociable and friendly for all. - ab & db

Absolutely wonderful resource! Has done wonders for the socialization of our dog and she gets much more exercise in a shorter time. For myself it has been very therapeutic. I am recovering from ankle surgery and the pathways are much easier to walk on than the pavement in the subdivision. I also find that a walk in the woods relieves far more of the daily office stress. - jp

I would move towns to ensure I have a dog park to go to. My dogs and I need this park. - anon

Fantastic place to walk your dogs and children. We are so lucky to have this greenspace which brings joy and peace. I have brought my dogs to this off leash unofficial dog park since we moved here 7 years ago. Great trails whether it is summer or winter. My dogs know where we are going when we head up the street to the woods. We must protect this greenspace. - jb

Please preserve this area! There are so many developments going up between Kanata/Stittsville that we need to maintain and keep enjoying this wonderful spot! - anon

This is the best dog park I've seen please keep it.
- anon

One of the last areas of Stittsville which still has beautiful nature trails. It would be a shame to see this disappear because of housing and business being built, when there is so much other land to build on. - anon

It would be a shame to let this jewel of our community disappear. - sh

Without this off leash park, we would have to go to Bruce pit, 20 minutes away. - jj

In addition of being a dog park, this is a place to practice winter sports such as cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Not unusual to see wild life such as beaver, deer, birds and squirrels around. A small oasis in town. - anon

It would be ashamed to lose it for bricks and asphalt...... - anon

It's a great social area for both dogs and people. Where else would you find complete strangers stopping to have a conversation while their dogs run and play with each other. - anon

I love the off-leash Stittsville dog park. It is 10 times better than Bruce Pitt. Everyone (including dogs) at the Stittsville off-leash dog park at really friendly. - anon

My dog loves the park and I want my dog to have fun. I don't want the dog park turned into homes. The park is very beautiful and it is safe and fun. My dog loves it so much that he does not want it to be destroyed. And my dog has so so much fun playing with other dogs. - bc

I am from outside the Stittsville area but still love to come back and visit this park to meet up with old friends. We need to keep some balance between nature and our expanding housing for the benefit of our children and theirs. - anon

Please help designate the Stittsville dog park!
- anon

This is a much needed park for the people of Stittsville & Ottawa. We use it, we treat it with respect, we keep it clean and pick up after our pets. Please let us keep it. Our four-legged friends really need this place! - sb

We have been walking our dogs and kids in this park for over 23 years. We have had enough development in and around Stittsville. It is time to start saving our forests. - kp

Such a great spot. This park needs to be protected from development. We look forward to our weekend visits. - as

We love this place! It's just as much a place of serenity for me as it is for our dog! - anon

Having dogs is about being healthy - in mind, body and spirit. Having a thriving dog park where we can exercise with our pets is part of a healthy community. - cmb

Love the park for off-leash walking!!! - anon

We're going to be lost without this park. Please try to save it. - kb

There are not many places left where you can let your dog off without a leash. Some of the bigger breeds need to run. - anon

Save the park! There is not enough places to let the dogs run free in the Ottawa area! - anon

We love using this park. Misty(our border collie) loves being able to run off leash and enjoy her walk. I find that Bruce pit is very large and has too many dogs. Keeping the Stittsville park around and making it an official dog park would be great.
- anon

This is not only a great space for dog walking, but a beautiful piece of greenery I value in my neighbourhood. - kg

Love this space. Best dog Park in the City! It has clearly helped socialize my rescued dog. I hope it is preserved for many years to come! - lc

I think the development of the areas surrounding Kanata and Stittsville is getting out of hand and we are forgetting that natural spaces such as the area around Abbot street need to be preserved. You can't cultivate natural growing wooded areas in the same way. Ottawa has always been known for its' green belt with the trails and preserved wooded areas. Not to mention that we only have 2 off leash dogs parks in the West end that are small and we are in need of a bigger space to handle the volume of pet owners.

Please help preserve this natural space for future generations to come! We couldn't save the Beaver pond but we have an opportunity here to not make the same mistake! - ka

I've been using this park for the past 5 years and absolutely love it! It is a piece of heaven each time I go walking with my dog, she loves it and loves to meet up with the other dogs. It is such a great feeling to walk through the "enchanted forest" as I call it. It can be a short walk or a nice long walk, either way it is a beautiful park to unwind and bond with your pet. - kr

Wonderful area to promote fitness and nature. Have seen many varying bird species there. It is most definitely a great place to de stress and enjoy the calming company of our dogs. Have walked there for 7 years and really don't know where I will be able to walk my elderly spaniels off leash in such a setting. Please consider preserving the lands to some degree. It's discouraging how Vancouver has promoted off leash areas for dogs and Ottawa has not. - anon

It's a great spot for recreation, something the area needs! - anon

My dog loves this park, As soon as we turn onto Abbot, she starts whining until we get there. So great to meet other people and other dogs. Would be a huge loss! - gp

Stittsville is becoming so built up, and practically all areas where dogs are allowed are "on leash" so this open area is so appreciated by the many, many dog lovers who use it. I often take my grand kids with me when I exercise my 2 dogs. They love to see all the dogs and they enjoy the exercise. I often see people without dogs taking photos of the lovely winter/spring scenes. For those who don't want to walk far it seems to be an area where people congregate and chat while their dogs romp with the other dogs. Finally, it's safe I do hourly walks with my 2 small dogs and never feel threatened. - ll

As a dog park in Stittsville, this area is irreplaceable. This was the first public area we ever brought our dog to over nine years ago and continue to visit with our dog and our children. - kb

Please keep this park! It is my dog's favorite place in the whole world! - k

When I lived on Kathleen Cr., about 5 years ago and for the 12 years of his life, my dog and I would walk twice daily in the Stittsville Dog Park and surrounding area, thoroughly enjoying nature and putting him on- and off-leash as appropriate. Meeting dogs and their owners was an important social part of our walks. Indeed, a lot of owners were known by their dogs' names, e.g., Skylar's dad, Jello's mom, etc. In my case, it's also how I met my wife! - ds

I've been a resident of Stittsville since 1965. Seen a lot of change. It's not the same little village it used to be by any means. The worse construction was the apartments near the TransCanada. Who ever approved the plans has rocks in their head. The architect should find another profession. The dog park is a Social place, where people are actually getting out and talking face to face with fellow Stittsville residents. Back in the day, we would walk down Main Street and actually say a sincere hello or wave. This park gives the opportunity to do this again. Last but not least, the dogs love it! - anon

Love this park... Bring my dog, and I snow shoe....hope it remains. I am worried cause the Bell park is going to be changed into a maze....to make it more user friendly but this means more people and I will not be able to take my dog off leash here too....I am thinking Stittisville is getting to industrialized and I don't like it one bit:( - bz

This area is a beautiful space with trails and open spaces to roam with my dog and for my kids to enjoy nature in a daily, casual manner. Stittsville is lucky to have such a wonderful natural resource for its residents and we should all support having this space formalized as an off-leash area to ensure its' continued availability. I encourage all residents - dog owners, parents of younger children and those seeking an area for a nature walk - to use this area and support this initiative.
- sl

One of the reasons we bought in this area in 1990 was because of all of the green space where we could walk our dog. All of this land is being eaten up by builders and box stores. Time to move? - jt

This is such an important part of stittsville. - anon

Wonderful spot and always well behaved animals. - anon

We love walking our dogs in this beautiful area; the dogs are always excited to be off-leash; they run after each other through the trails; both owners and dogs are friendly. - anon

This is an amazing park. I feel with all these new homes going in we are slowly losing Stittsville. We moved here from Kanata 5 years ago with three young children. We have always loved the trails. Our dog lives this trail. The nearest dog park is on Cedarview Rd. in Nepean and I won't go that far.
- jb

The area with trees and trails is beautiful and would be an asset to Stittsville for dogs and their walkers as well as others. - gg

This is a beautiful area unlike any other I am aware of. As our community has grown (I have been here 16 years) the 'park ' areas have disappeared.

The 'dog park' brings so many in the community together ..it allows for quiet time if needed. The wooded area is environmentally so very important!!! There has to be some way to maintain this space! - af

It occurs to us that pets provide a significant contribution to the tax base in our city, when you consider all of the businesses that support pet ownership: four pet store chains plus the independents; pet products in many other grocery and department stores; veterinarians; groomers; dog day care and boarding businesses; dog trainers; agility training ; dog coat business, etc. As well, we all pay annual license fees for our dogs.

More subjective are the health benefits of owning a dog(s) and walking them daily. One cannot begin to calculate the future savings in health care. There is a sense of community that develops around pets. Who else do you see out 365 days a year in all weather? - Dog owners!!

I would really like to see a study done on the contribution of dog ownership to our local economy similar to the one done on that of the Sens. I firmly believe that dog ownership contributes in a very substantial way to our lives and our economy and therefore we need and deserve, as taxpayers, places where dogs can be walked off leash. The Stittsville Park is a gem, and it would be heartbreaking not to preserve a part of it. - ja & ma

We love being able to let our dog run off leash here, she gets some freedom, socialization and we don't have to drive to Bruce Pit. - anon

I LOVE this park! I drive from West End Ottawa because my dog loves it too! It's like a small piece of safe wilderness - it's protected in the winter and shaded and cool in the summer! I thought it was the most wonderful place when a friend introduced it to me a couple of years ago and have been going ever since. I would go even more often if I lived closer. - ca

I have been taking my dog Roxi there since she was a puppy and she is 10 now. I am 67 years old and taking her for a walk everyday helps me get my exercise. She also looks so forward to this every day. She is old now and ignores all the young bouncy puppies and spends most her time trying to convince me to take the longest trails. How she know this is beyond me, so it has become a game with me to take all the different trails. When she thinks I am only taking a short trail, I will cut across to a longer trail. Please do not take this park from our community and all our wonderful dogs that walk and enjoy so much. Thanks to all those who are putting up all the feeders and putting clean up bags and shovels it has made such a great difference. Thanks again.
- bf

Are you in favour of having the City of Ottawa plan for the creation of an off-leash dog park West of Bruce Pit?

Click here: Agree [ YES ] Off leash dog parks have well documented benefits to dogs, people and society as a whole. The demand for off leash dog parks is increasing. We wish the City of Ottawa to acknowledge the need, and identify space and to plan for the creation of an off leash dog park West of Bruce Pit.

Goal is to get as many responses as possible & deliver them to the Councillors in Ward 6, Stittsville, Ward 23, Kanata South, Ward 4, Kanata North, Ward 21, Rideau-Goulbourn, Ward 5, West Carleton-March.