Page 755 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012
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MS GALLAGHER: I welcome Mrs Dunne’s support for one of this government’s initiatives to establish dog parks around the ACT. They are extremely popular. I use them myself. The one at Lake Burley Griffin is always packed, near Weston Park, as are the ones in Belconnen and Tuggeranong. They are very successful. The community love them. In fact, there is demand for more of those dog parks in other parts of the city. In terms of why that is, I think I recall that Belconnen was the first dog park built—
Mr Hargreaves: Tuggeranong.
MS GALLAGHER: Was it? Around the same time then. I do not know the answer as to why a small dog park was not built with it. I am not sure that we can put a small dog park within the one at Belconnen. I am happy to look at it and come back to you, but again it is a matter of priorities. We have demand in other areas of the city for dog parks now because they are so popular. This is one of the challenges and is again why we have established that urban renewal fund—so that we can meet the community’s expectations, expand on the services we provide and make sure that everyone across the city has access to wonderful facilities like the ones the dog parks provide.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, what consideration has the government given to representations it has received about installing low-level lighting at the Belconnen dog park?
MS GALLAGHER: I recall this was raised probably about a year ago, having low-level lighting in the dog parks. I was not the minister at the time, but I am happy to refresh the advice that was given around that and look at what the resourcing requirements of that would be. I imagine there would be a fairly significant cost issue involved. Again, this is about managing priorities across the city.
MR COE: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, will you consider the establishment of separate large and small dog areas?
MS GALLAGHER: As I said, I am certainly open to it if it does not cost too much money. If we can do a separate small dog park at Belconnen that does not cost too much money, I am very happy to look at it. But I would say that the big pressure for dog parks at the moment is coming from those in areas around the inner north and the inner south, who would also like a dog park for their dogs.
MR COE: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
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