New signs anger dog owners

by Carl McRae

Hutt City Council signs erected along the Promenade in southern Eastbourne, informing owners who don't leash their dogs that they will be fined $300, have angered many local canine owners.

Nikau Street resident and dog owner, Lindsay Mitchell, says that she has lived and walked dogs in Eastbourne for 26 years and can't understand why there is suddenly a problem, where none previously existed. Like many, she is left wondering what has prompted this.

“There is a community of dog walkers who often stop to chat while their dogs mill around freely and cause no trouble,” she says. “The Promenade is shared by walkers of varying speeds, cyclists of varying speeds, so why not unleashed dogs of varying speeds? Some dogs enjoy running along the wall itself. Is that also out of bounds?”

Sue Matthew says she has a friend who has a disability and uses a wheelchair, who says it’s really scary in public when dogs are off the leash. Not all dogs are under control and some have leapt up at her.

“I’ve had this experience myself also,” Sue says. “It’s also stressful if I’m walking a dog on a lead and an unleashed dog approaches. The power imbalance between the dogs is often difficult to manage. Dogs on a leash on the Promenade may also lead to better poop pick up rates. I pick up dog poop there regularly and it looks like the same dogs going in the same places.”

Jane Schuitema, Team Leader Animal Services for HCC, says it was brought to her attention a few months ago from some local residents (one being a dog owner), that there were a number of other owners who were walking their dogs off lead along the Promenade/footpath in Eastbourne, and that the current signs on the sea wall were not clear.

“The dog owner who alerted me was having difficulty when walking her dog on a lead with off leash dogs rushing up to her” says Ms Schuitema, “and then some disagreements occurred when she pointed out that dogs must be leashed there.

“I have had new signs installed (as attached) as The Dog Control Bylaw 20156.1(b), states that dogs must be kept on a leash in any public place, which the Promenade is.

“The beach is a designated dog exercise area,” she adds, “Schedule Three 2.13; Muritai Beach200m south of Rona Bay Wharf to Miro Street.”

For several months of the year, dog owners are unable to walk their dogs on much of the southern end of the beach, due to protection required for dotterals who nest there.

Responding to a post on Facebook regarding the matter, Matthew Diederich says the signs and the possibly unenforceable bylaw don't seem to make one iota of difference.

“Would be better if owners just realised that if their dog's a dick, put it on a lead,” he states. “If their dog is well behaved and will walk at heel, I can't see an issue with it being off lead. Just another waste of resources trying to enforce [this], plus the cost of signage.”

Asset Manager Parks for Hutt City Council, Aaron Marsh, has provided the Eastbourne Community Board with an update regarding the Wellesley College/HCC planned refurbishment of the tennis courts adjacent to the college in Days Bay. “We are continuing to work with the school to agree on a design for the curtain system separating the two court areas,” Aaron says. “The school has been informed and is aware that construction cannot take place between now and the end of the busy summer period, which means a likely construction start date of February/March 2021.”

The Eastbourne Lions have announced a date for this year's Christmas Market; Sunday, December 6 at Williams Park, Days Bay. All information, including stall booking, is available here; https://www.eastbournemarket. co.nz/next-market “It’s important to note that we no longer have the use of the Pavilion covered area,” says Lions' Sally Bain, “so we have booked Williams Park for the following Sunday 13, as a postponement date in case of bad weather.”