What Squamish Wants › More info

Fence the off leash dog area at John Hunter Park

The background, so you can decide for yourself. Facts checked October 26, 2026.

Skip to answering

In 2021 the District of Squamish picked four places to try out off leash dog areas as a pilot. One of them is John Hunter Park in Valleycliffe. The plan was for the Valleycliffe site to be fully fenced.

Three of the four sites are now open: Merrill Park in the Garibaldi Highlands, the Brennan Park dog run, and the Powerline Service Road in Brackendale. John Hunter Park is the one still waiting.

The District says the park needs money spent on fencing before it can open, and it has not set a timeline. The District's newest public update on this is from fall 2024, so the details may have changed since (checked October 2026).

Key facts

Location
John Hunter Park, Valleycliffe1
Planned design
A fully fenced off leash area4
Status
Not open. Needs fencing; no timeline set (District update, fall 2024)1
Other pilot sites
Merrill Park (opened 2022), Brennan Park (opened spring 2024), Powerline Service Road in Brackendale1
Rules at pilot sites
Carry a visible leash, valid dog licence, put waste in a garbage bin1
Who decides
Council, through the District budget1

Where it stands

Not in any District plan or budget we can find, and not on a council agenda.

Who decides: Squamish council.

The case for each answer

The strongest honest case for each side, as people who hold it would put it.

Yes

  • Valleycliffe is the only part of the pilot plan without a working off leash area. Fencing would finish what council endorsed in 2021.
  • A fence keeps dogs away from the road and from people who don't want contact with dogs, which can make the park easier to share.
  • A nearby spot means Valleycliffe dog owners don't need to drive across town to let their dog run.

No

  • Fencing costs money that could go to other parks or services, and the District has not shown it in a budget.
  • Fencing off part of the park takes that space away from people who use it for other things.
  • Some would rather see how the three open sites work before spending more on a fourth.

How we got here

  1. September to October 2021The District surveyed the public on proposed off leash locations. About 860 people commented.2
  2. November 9, 2021Council voted 4 to 2 to endorse four pilot sites, including John Hunter Park.2
  3. 2021The District said sites needing fencing would go forward through the 2023 budget process.1
  4. Summer 2022Merrill Park opened as the first off leash pilot area.1
  5. February 2024The District told the Squamish Chief that John Hunter Park needs fencing and has no opening date because of the added cost.3
  6. Fall 2024Brennan Park was open, Brackendale was coming soon, and John Hunter Park still had no timeline.1

Questions people ask

Can I let my dog off leash at John Hunter Park now?

No. As of the District's latest update, John Hunter Park has not opened as an off leash area because the fencing has not been built.1

How much would the fence cost?

The District has not published a cost for John Hunter Park. For comparison, staff estimated about $30,000 to fence the Brennan Park dog run in 2021.2

Why was it not built with the others?

The District says this site needs an investment in fencing, and it has not set a timeline.3

More background

Sources

  1. District of Squamish: Off Leash Dogs Pilot Project
  2. Squamish Chief: Pilot off leash dog parks on the way (November 15, 2021)
  3. Squamish Chief: Two more off leash dog areas expected this year (February 22, 2024)
  4. Squamish Reporter: Two fenced off leash dog areas proposed in Valleycliffe, Brennan Park (September 27, 2021)

Spot something wrong or out of date? Email squamishvoters@gmail.com.