The debate over whether Shellharbour should soon have two off-leash dog beaches is on, with a proposal to establish two sites out for public consultation.
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Two sites have been selected for potential use as dog beaches - Shellharbour North Beach and Kiyong Beach, at the eastern end of Reddall Reserve.
At present the city has no designated dog beach anywhere on its 7km of coastline - just the gravel-based section of The Shallows on Bass Point, which is popular by not sandy.
Read more: Dog owners petition council over beach use
The council is prepared for a vigorous debate over the issue, which has proved divisive in Wollongong as well.
The city of Wollongong has off-leash dog areas at several beaches from Perkins to Stanwell Park.
"We know that the community has strong views when it comes to allowing dogs on beaches," Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said.
"Consultation with residents is paramount to any decision council ultimately makes, so I encourage people to share their feedback with us."
The Kiyong Beach site would include about 200m of sand inside the breakwater at Reddall Reserve.
The Shellharbour North area would be 500m long, between the patrolled sections of Black Beach to the north and Shellharbour North Beach to the south.
It is not yet clear whether two sites would be chosen for off-leash or just one.
The council estimates there are about 30,000 dogs living in Shellharbour, which means finding a way to balance the needs of beach users is vital.
We know that the community has strong views when it comes to allowing dogs on beaches. I encourage people to share their feedback with us
- Marianne Saliba
"Dog friendly spaces are a great place for dogs and owners to spend quality time together and facilitate opportunities for socialisation and exercise," Cr Saliba said.
Cr Saliba said the Shellharbour coast is largely fringed by rocky headlands, environmentally sensitive areas, public reserves and urban development including car parks and housing.
"This means that the actual space for recreation on the sand is quite limited. Our challenge is to plan and manage these spaces with all users in mind," she said.
To give feedback to the council on this issue visit the Let's Chat Shellharbour website.
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Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
