AFTER half a century in Bunbury and 18 years at Hay Park, the Bunbury and Districts Dog Club need to relocate.
A letter addressed to the club last month from City of Bunbury director of works and services Gavin Harris outlined the club were not in any future budgetary plans.
He said the club had been made aware the city had planned to install a fence at Lions Park for a public off leash dog exercise area.
“Council’s plan was to install the fence at the off leash area and then for the dog club to go and explore funding avenues to possibly construct a facility,” Mr Harris said.
“The future development works earmarked for Lions Park are not classified as high priority project.”
Bunbury Districts Dog Club secretary Gillian Mostert said Lions Park was not conducive to their needs.
The fenced area was not big enough, or leveled properly and was a sand pit that would need reticulation, not to mention there were no facilities at the park.
“They want us to go there and build a facility which we will have to fully fund and that includes electricity and water and then for the public to be able to use it – we will not go there,” Ms Mostert said.
“We had it quoted and to put facilities near Lions Park it would cost upwards of $650,000 – funds that we do not have as a not-for-profit community sporting organisation.”
The club has had disputes with sporting clubs in the area who disrespected the field, mistreated the toilet facilities and left equipment strewn across the park, Ms Mostert said.
Mr Harris said the dog club’s membership numbers were one of the lowest within Bunbury and relocating them to an area that does not have as high a usage would benefit other sporting clubs in Hay Park.
“Over the years there have been a few issues between the dog club and a couple of sport and recreation clubs who are based at Hay Park. These issues have also been taken into account in regards to relocation of the dog club,” Mr Harris said.
Committee member Dirk Mostert said you only had to look around at the other grounds in Hay Park to see the difference and it had already started to become a mud fest on their field.
Club life member Lyn Hesson said it was disappointing and disheartening for all of their members and now there is no glimmer of hope left.
If the club doesn’t find somewhere else to go they will have no choice but to close down, she said.
“We will just disintegrate and we have members come here because we are affordable - we are community focused,” she said.