President's report for the year 2018
For the Aylmer Canine Club (ACC), 2018 was a year of upcoming changes:
─ Some decisions are yet to come on the relocation of the Paul Pelletier dog exercise area (DEA). Municipal officials asked us to suggest potential DEA locations at the Allen Park site. It was agreed, among other things, that this location should allow users to leave their cars as close as possible to the exercise area. This requirement was part of a more detailed list of recommendations that the Club had presented to the CSPO and to the City regarding the implementation of a new DEA. Note that no precise relocation schedule has yet been set, since it depends on the new high school construction plan. In short, no firm decision has been communicated to us on the location of the DEA or on a precise date for its relocation in 2019. We were told however that the CSPO has finally agreed to cover all relocation costs, including parking.
─ We will receive, for 2019, a new proposed MOU between the ACC and the City on the shared management of the Jardins-Lavigne off-leash dog park and of the future Allen Park DEA. There will only be one MOU for both sites.
─ It would seem that in the Master Plan it submitted to the Town Council for adoption in 2019, the Boucher Forest Foundation (BFF) has not addressed the issue of access to the forest with unleashed dogs. The ACC and the BFF agreed that if the Council adopts this management plan and develops a management agreement for this future forested park, they will review it and recommend recreational activities related to dog walking in the forest. Until further notice, we presume that the status quo remains as to walking in the forest with our unleashed dogs.
Finally, our 2018 activities (BBQs) were outstanding successes. Thanks to the remarkable efficiency of our volunteers, whether on table installation or service during the BBQ, we have offered our visitors exceptional opportunities for social gathering and fun. Let's not forget that these events are also made possible by the wonderful collaboration of the City, particularly with its financial and technical support. I would like to conclude by pointing out that the "hospitability" index of our dog parks depends, first and foremost, on their users. The City of Gatineau and the ACC take care of the functionality of these parks, but in the final analysis, the users ensure their safety, cleanliness and friendliness! To that end, I believe we can be proud of the civic mindedness and congenial attitude of the overwhelming majority of these citizens.
I would like to acknowledge the departure of Claire-Line Aecherli from the Board of Directors. For six years, Claire-Line has brilliantly fulfilled her duties as secretary, translator and reviser. We thank her wholeheartedly for her more than generous contribution to our organization!
André Lemay, Chair
Aylmer Canine Club
For the Aylmer Canine Club (ACC), 2018 was a year of upcoming changes:
─ Some decisions are yet to come on the relocation of the Paul Pelletier dog exercise area (DEA). Municipal officials asked us to suggest potential DEA locations at the Allen Park site. It was agreed, among other things, that this location should allow users to leave their cars as close as possible to the exercise area. This requirement was part of a more detailed list of recommendations that the Club had presented to the CSPO and to the City regarding the implementation of a new DEA. Note that no precise relocation schedule has yet been set, since it depends on the new high school construction plan. In short, no firm decision has been communicated to us on the location of the DEA or on a precise date for its relocation in 2019. We were told however that the CSPO has finally agreed to cover all relocation costs, including parking.
─ We will receive, for 2019, a new proposed MOU between the ACC and the City on the shared management of the Jardins-Lavigne off-leash dog park and of the future Allen Park DEA. There will only be one MOU for both sites.
─ It would seem that in the Master Plan it submitted to the Town Council for adoption in 2019, the Boucher Forest Foundation (BFF) has not addressed the issue of access to the forest with unleashed dogs. The ACC and the BFF agreed that if the Council adopts this management plan and develops a management agreement for this future forested park, they will review it and recommend recreational activities related to dog walking in the forest. Until further notice, we presume that the status quo remains as to walking in the forest with our unleashed dogs.
Finally, our 2018 activities (BBQs) were outstanding successes. Thanks to the remarkable efficiency of our volunteers, whether on table installation or service during the BBQ, we have offered our visitors exceptional opportunities for social gathering and fun. Let's not forget that these events are also made possible by the wonderful collaboration of the City, particularly with its financial and technical support. I would like to conclude by pointing out that the "hospitability" index of our dog parks depends, first and foremost, on their users. The City of Gatineau and the ACC take care of the functionality of these parks, but in the final analysis, the users ensure their safety, cleanliness and friendliness! To that end, I believe we can be proud of the civic mindedness and congenial attitude of the overwhelming majority of these citizens.
I would like to acknowledge the departure of Claire-Line Aecherli from the Board of Directors. For six years, Claire-Line has brilliantly fulfilled her duties as secretary, translator and reviser. We thank her wholeheartedly for her more than generous contribution to our organization!
André Lemay, Chair
Aylmer Canine Club
Relocation file Paul Pelletier dog park
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Our BBQ (22 oct) was a great success. More than 400 visitors and 40 new members! Thanks to all those who were able to come and support us! This event enabled City representatives to discover our wonderful park and appreciate the community’s involvement in its upkeep!
Photos of the BBQ are already on the Club’s web site under the heading Activities.
Winners of our draws are :
Stéphanie Besque (One grooming offered by le Loft canin)
Chantal Dubeau (One grooming offered by le Loft canin)
Stéphanie Thérien ((Surprise basquet + a gift certificate offered by Pitou-Minou & Compagnons)
Recipient of the Community Event of the Year during Gatineau's annual Gala.
Monsieur Mike Duggan, Monsieur Richard Bégin et Monsieur André Lemay.
December 8th last was held the City of Gatineau’s annual Gala in recognition of volunteer activities in the Aylmer sector. We are proud to announce that the Aylmer Canine Club received the award for best event of the year for its October 4th, 2015 activities at the Jardins Lavigne dog park. This event had attracted more than 400 visitors. Such an award is a first for a dog owner association. We are thankful for your presence during these activities and for your daily contribution to the cleanliness of our dog parks. See you in March 2017 for our next Canine Club event!
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Lucky to have such determined volunteers!
This morning, some fifty volunteers joined in for the clean-up spree at the Jardins Lavigne dog park. A credit to dog walkers for their community effort.
Thanks to all! Your participation to this event is not only encouraging for us but also adds to our motivation to work for you. The Aylmer Canine Club’s
strength and efficiency depends, foremost on your involvement and active participation.
A generous offer
Dog poo bags left for free at the Samuel-Pelletier and the Jardins-Lavigne dog parks are generously given us by
Pitou-Minou& Compagnons,
203 Aylmer rd. and 1160 St-Joseph (Hull).
Access to the new dog exercise area (Paul Pelletier Park)
The new dog exercise area located behind the Centre aquatique Paul Pelletier at 325 Aylmer Road is now open to the public. Its official opening is scheduled for the spring or the summer of 2015. The Aylmer Canine Club, in partnership with the City, is responsible for its management, upkeep and surveillance. As this enclosed dog exercise area is rather small, we appreciate all those guardians who are particularly attentive to their dog’s behavior and exercise control when need be. Also, we thank all those who empty out the garbage container situated in the park. In order to keep the park doors operational in winter, we’ve placed a snow shovel at the entrance. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Winter cleanliness: Jardins-Lavigne Park
We thank all the dog walkers who steadfastly pick up after their dog regardless of the cold and snow. Also, we ask all of you to be particularly vigilant when entering the park (from the concrete blocks to the basin). Thank you to all those who empty out the garbage containers around the basin. Your generosity and civic mindedness honors all dog owners.
A NEW PAGE ON OUR MEMBERS
We wish to add a new page on our website entitled «Our Members» where we will post a picture of your dogs. So send us pictures of your dogs with their names, and we will insert them in the slideshow.
JARDINS-LAVIGNE PARK
GARBAGE PICK UP
We thank all the members who voluntarily check and empty day after day the garbage cans around the basin. Note that all park users are welcome to do so. We also thank wholeheartedly all the users who conscientiously pick up after their dogs. Unfortunately, some users do not take this responsibility seriously, especially when there is no one around to see them! May we remind you how important it is to also keep the slopes around the basin and the space within the basin free of excrements, since our dogs’ health depends on it!
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
A team of volunteers helped repair our facilities – we removed a bench (due to vandalism), we had to replace some posts holding the garbage cans which got stolen, we posted more signs reminding dog owners to clean after their animals. Please call the City (3-1-1) when you see that its garbage crew has not come for a while and that the mound of bags at the park entrance keeps rising.
BAG BOX
We do wish to fill more regularly our poop bag box at the park entrance. We meant to offer these bags just in case you forgot yours, but we noticed that many members use them regularly, which ends up costing us a fair amount of money. If you know a company who provides such bags (rolls of 300 bags about 15 cm wide), please contact us through our website (click on Contact us) or email us at club.canin.aylmer@hotmail.ca. Presently, we pay $13.00 for a roll, but we’d prefer buy them at a better price!
LOST DOGS
You probably know that our Facebook page is a good way to help find a lost dog. It is therefore important that we cumulate a large number of “friends”, since alerting rapidly hundreds of people about a lost dog makes all the difference! Please subscribe to our Facebook page, and do not hesitate to send us an message that we will post on our wall if anything happens to your dog.
