A new dog walking park was opened in Lucavsala on Friday, 13 October. It is the largest one in Riga so far and is the result of the project “Urban dog park” (Pilsētsuņu laukums), submitted by the association “A Dog with A Mission” (Suns ar misiju) to the 2021 Participatory Budget Competition and supported by the residents.
"Many of us have pets that need looking after. One of the main welfare requirements for dogs is to be able to go for regular walks and, even better, to have a good run around. This is not always possible in an urban environment, so the creation of this park is a great example of how a municipality and its residents can implement long-awaited and useful projects together. The new park will help the whole family to relax together, as it is adjacent to the Lucavsala recreation area and swimming area. Together we will continue to improve the urban environment in the future - by the end of this year, we will have already renovated several green areas and children's playgrounds, and next year we will continue our work even more vigorously," says Viesturs Zeps, Chairman of the Housing and Environment Committee of the Riga City Council.
In 2021, the idea for a dog park, submitted by the association "A Dog with A Mission", won the support of the residents in the vote of the Riga Participatory Budgeting Contest. The project received 1133 votes. Work started in spring this year and the total cost of the project was just over €75 000. The dog park in Lucavsala is the first on the left bank of the Daugava.
"The park occupies more than 5600 square metres and divided into four zones where our four-legged friends can run on the grass according to their size and friendliness - a common area and separate zones for puppies, small dogs and large dogs. By creating such a dog walking park, the city has made the urban environment more humane and friendly for dogs and their owners. As pets are an integral part of our society, the public demand for urban improvements for pets is growing all the time", says Edijs Pelšs, Acting Director of the Housing and Environment Department of the Riga City Council.
The new park has been especially designed for the safety of dogs, with several metal fences enclosing the entire perimeter and individual zones. The park will be accessible through eight different gates. Dogs are not allowed in the official bathing areas of the municipality, so a special bathing area for dogs has been set up next to the dog park for the well-being of man's best friend.
A plastic waste container and benches with backrests are installed in each zone for the convenience of dog owners. There are information boards on the use of the park and a notice board at the external entrance gate, and the names of the zones at the gates to the internal areas. There are ten obstacle units for training large dogs, three obstacle units in each zone for training small dogs and puppies.
The park is located next to the Daugava River, so visitors should be aware that the area may flood temporarily on certain days of the year in case of extreme weather conditions. To protect against damage or the washing away of obstacles, the selected elements have powder-coated steel structures and panels made of high-quality plastic resistant to moisture and environmental influences. The park was designed so as to preserve all the trees on the site.
The new park is located in the northern part of Lucavsala near the Bieķengrāvis, on the right side of the Salu Bridge, in the direction from the city centre to Pārdaugava. Location on the map here.
Riga Municipality is evaluating the possibility of creating new dog walking parks in the future. That's why this autumn the platform iesaisties.riga.lv launched a survey of residents on both dog walking habits and preferred locations for dog parks.
Until 31 October, residents can vote for one of the 30 neighbourhood development ideas submitted this year by Riga residents on balso.riga.lv portal and in person at the Riga Neighbourhood Residents' Centre. Anyone in Latvia who is at least 16 years old can vote.
This is the fifth year that Riga has organised the Participatory Budget Ideas Competition. So far, 36 ideas have been approved, of which 12 are now fully implemented.
Information prepared by: Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga City Council Communication Department, e-mail: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv
