The Whitehorse Woofers Dog Club has a bone to pick with the City of Whitehorse about its loss of access to a field behind the Takhini Arena for its dog training activities.
“We found out by accident early this past spring, but it’s the city’s intention to no longer allow our club to use the field,” club president Jocelyn Laveck told city council members at their Tuesday evening meeting.
The club immediately sought a meeting with the city’s manager of parks and community development. It has been told it can only rent the field for one last summer, as at the end of September, it will lose its access to the field.
That means it will not be able to promote its dog training and other activities, council heard.
The club has applied to rent the field every year, as well as to store equipment, for a cost of $4,045 annually.
It shares the space with other dog groups, and maintains the field on a regular basis by picking up items that might cause injuries to the dogs, such as glass and nails.
Laveck mentioned that the club used to share the field with four or five dog groups.
“The training is especially critical to the Whitehorse Woofers as it’s our specialty, the sport of dog agility,” she explained.
“This is a dog and his handler running a course of different obstacles. There are hoops, jump tunnels and equipment like a frame dog walk, and the dog handler team is expected to run the course cleanly and within a certain time limit.”
Part of the club’s philosophy is to promote dog training and expand its popularity. The club, created in 1996, runs solely on volunteers. Participants pay for their own teacher training courses.
“We hold an annual North American dog agility council, agility trial, and participants come from B.C., Alberta and Alaska, and even from some southern states,” Laveck said.
“Some of our club members have represented the Yukon and been successful at various trials in Alberta and Alaska. Judges from other parts of Canada and the U.S. come here to judge these trials and to hold training.”
The Takhini field was established specifically for dog training in 2006. The club had sought an alternate location for the training, but nothing has been offered to it.
Councillor Mellisa Murray inquired about the location used prior to the establishment of the field in 2006.
Since she wasn’t involved with that aspect of the club at that time, Laveck said, she’s not certain of the exact location, but mentioned it was a school field.
More than 20 club supporters attended Tuesday’s council meeting. No decision was made on the club’s request.
Mayor Laura Cabott said all council members will keep the handout provided by the club as a letter, and will have conversations with city administration.
The club will receive a formal response from council at an unspecified time.