Take me out to the dog park
How cities are dealing with the high demand for—and high controversy around—dog parks.
City Profile
City of North Vancouver
City of North Vancouver
- At 54%, North Vancouver’s ratio of parkland under special policy protection for sensitive ecosystems is twice the average.
- With nearly 23 community gardens per 100,000 people, North Vancouver is tied with Red Deer with the highest ratio.
- North Vancouver is one of about a quarter of cities that offer a formal park volunteer program, a grant program, and a policy to waive permit fees for groups in financial need.
- North Vancouver is piloting a new off-leash dog area at Waterfront Park at a site selected in response to community feedback.
- The city banned smoking—cigarettes and cannabis—in all city parks and greenways.
- In 2019, North Vancouver residents planted 100 trees at the new Moodyville Park.
Data 2020
3.2
ha parkland per 1000 people
169 ha of total parkland
53%
of total parkland is natural area
90 total ha
54%
of parkland is environmentally significant/protected
91 total ha²
14%
of total city land is parkland
1183 ha of total city area
4
Dog parks
12
Community gardens/urban farms
3
Parkland provision goal (in ha per 1000 people)
17.4
volunteers per 1000 people
924 total³
2
community park groups
Yes
Policy to waive permit fees for groups with financial need?
Community park group program
Community grant program
$42
Parks operating budget per person
$2,250,000 total
$4,000,000
Total parks capital budget
$100,000
Total philanthropy/sponsorships
Yes
Provincially legislated tools available for parkland development
5% of development site or cash-in-lieu
¹Source: 2016 Census ²Includes ESAs rated "high" only. ³Includes Park Steward program only.
Park Master Plans
Environmental Strategies
Related City of North Vancouver stories
The New Wave of Parks
Leading examples of projects that use creative measures to expand parkland
Don’t just tick the box—think outside of it
Why community engagement requires going deeper—and broader—to provide meaningful opportunities for people to see themselves reflected.
Feed them and they will come
How creative community groups and city support are growing connections through food in parks.
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