Bridgwater Trails: Off-leash dog area

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We are planning a new off-leash dog area in Bridgwater Trails.

Off-leash dog areas are places where dogs can run and play without a leash. They offer a place for people and dogs to exercise and socialize. We want to create off-leash areas that are safe, easy to access, and fit well within the surrounding community.

We chose a one-hectare area at the north end of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park, that contains an unprogrammed baseball diamond. We will install a fence to separate the dog area from the rest of the park. The off-leash area will be about the size of two Canadian football fields.

This will be a community off-leash area. We design this type of off-leash area for residents and their dogs who live within a 10-minute drive.

The design features:

  • Two entrances
  • Separate fenced areas for large and small dogs
  • Secure fencing
  • Benches/seating
  • Open areas for running
  • Climbing logs
  • Garbage cans
  • New shade trees
  • By-law/enforcement information signage

We want to hear from you

We want to make sure the off-leash area works for the community. Share your feedback to help improve the proposed design.

Review the proposed design and take the survey until April 22.


Take the survey


We are planning a new off-leash dog area in Bridgwater Trails.

Off-leash dog areas are places where dogs can run and play without a leash. They offer a place for people and dogs to exercise and socialize. We want to create off-leash areas that are safe, easy to access, and fit well within the surrounding community.

We chose a one-hectare area at the north end of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park, that contains an unprogrammed baseball diamond. We will install a fence to separate the dog area from the rest of the park. The off-leash area will be about the size of two Canadian football fields.

This will be a community off-leash area. We design this type of off-leash area for residents and their dogs who live within a 10-minute drive.

The design features:

  • Two entrances
  • Separate fenced areas for large and small dogs
  • Secure fencing
  • Benches/seating
  • Open areas for running
  • Climbing logs
  • Garbage cans
  • New shade trees
  • By-law/enforcement information signage

We want to hear from you

We want to make sure the off-leash area works for the community. Share your feedback to help improve the proposed design.

Review the proposed design and take the survey until April 22.


Take the survey


Background

Off-leash Area Master Plan

Council adopted the Off-Leash Area Master Plan (OLAMP) in 2018. The OLAMP:

  • Aligns with OurWinnipeg, Complete Communities, the Regional Parks Investment Strategy, and the Recreation and Parks Strategies 
  • Contains policies and procedures for dog park location, design and operation
  • Guides how and where we build dog parks
  • Outlines the process for meeting local demand for off-leash areas
  • Standardizes how we get community and stakeholders involved in the planning process 

When planning a new off-leash area, we want to hear what residents value, need, and want. We use this feedback, site visits, user counts and best practices to finalize proposed designs. 

Off-leash area implementation procedures

The new BridgwaterTrails off-leash dog area follows the OLAMP Implementation Procedures.

The Bridgwater Trails off-leash dog area involves:

  • The applicant - Councillor Janice Lukes 
  • Funding sources – The Waverley West Community Fund, allocated by Councillor Janice Lukes; the Civic Initiatives, Promotional and Protocol fund, allocated by Mayor Scott Gillingham
  • The Public Service - Design the off-leash area and hire contractors to construct it. The Parks division will also maintain the off-leash area after it is built and Animal Services will enforce the rules. 
  • Neighbours of the park – Review an early concept design and can sign a petition in support
  • Any community member who is interested – provide feedback on the draft design so the final design reflects the community’s needs

Bridgwater Trails off-leash dog area

We are planning a community off-leash area. The fenced, one-hectare of open space is roughly the size of two Canadian football fields. 

A community off-leash area provides recreation space to residents and dogs living within a 10-minute drive. This is different from the much larger off-leash regional sites like Charleswood Dog Park and Maple Grove Park. These parks attract users from a much larger region.  

We have already received a petition from nearby landowners and neighbours to confirm neighbour support for the off-leash area.

The Bridgwater Trails off-leash area is ‘single-use’ meaning only people with dogs can use the secure area. 

The design for this site includes:

  • Two entrances 
  • Separate fenced areas for large and small dogs
  • Secure fencing
  • Benches/seating
  • Open areas for running
  • Climbing logs
  • Garbage cans
  • New shade trees
  • By-law/enforcement information signage

This is a mid-sized location with limited available funds. The design does not include amenities such as:

  • Water fill station 
  • Parking lot 
  • Waste bag dispensers 
  • Community message board

Other off-leash areas in Winnipeg have these features. Find out more about Winnipeg’s other off-leash dog areas.

Public feedback will help us refine the design and ensure the off-leash area meets the needs of the community. 

The design will be updated based on feedback. After that, we will complete the detailed design and construction in late Spring 2026.


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Page published: 31 Mar 2026, 01:53 PM