The future of dog off-leash areas on beaches between Stanwell Park and Windang could be revealed by the end of next week.More than a year after Wollongong City Council unveiled a controversial proposal to allow dogs on all but four of the city's busiest beaches, a revised off-leash policy is set to be presented to the administrators at the next council meeting on September 28.The business papers for the meeting will be made available on the council's website towards the end of next week.
EDITORIAL: Hackles up over dogs on beachesDog owners such as Melissa Meadham, of Mount St Thomas, are crossing their fingers that the existing off-leash areas will be retained and more areas added.Ms Meadham walks her seven-year-old German shepherd, Rex, at Coniston Beach every day."The dogs love having a run - this beach is not really a good swimming beach, so it is great for the dogs."When the council exhibited the "traffic lights" policy for five weeks from July 1 last year, it was inundated with submissions in favour of the changes, as well as objections."Council has been reviewing more than 800 submissions and other technical reviews, including a review of environmental factors," a spokeswoman said."Council officers are currently preparing a revised policy which is anticipated to be presented to the next public meeting of council."When petitions were included, the total number of submissions tallied 1422.The policy proposed that four of the region's busiest beaches and all coastal rock pools would become red no-go zones, with dogs banned 24 hours a day.Six existing off-leash beaches and three new off-leash beaches would be classified as "green zones", with dogs allowed off-leash.All other beaches - including an existing off-leash area at Sharkeys Beach, Coledale - would be orange on-leash zones, where owners could walk dogs before 9am or after 6pm. Illawarra Dog Training Club publicity officer Heather Kennedy said it was a shame nothing had happened since the proposed expansion of off-leash beaches was exhibited."Our club is trying very hard to promote responsible dog ownership, but if people aren't given an opportunity to prove themselves, it is hard," she said."Part of going for a walk is socialising with other dogs, with people, and letting dogs learn how to deal with different situations."South Coast Dog Training Club president Dirk Littooy said if the council was worried about dogs on its beaches, it should provide more off-leash areas in parks to ease the pressure on the coast."There aren't enough off-leash areas away from the beaches," he said. He said the limited off-leash areas were punishing responsible dog owners."In Europe, and even in Britain, 90 per cent of the places you walk are off-leash. We just need more options," he said.
