DogWasteStationsProjectTheRedDotAssociation

October,2017

Purpose:InresponsetothewaterqualityissuesatParleeandsurroundingbeaches,agroupofconcernedcitizensmettodiscusswhattheycoulddotohelp.Addressingtheissueofdogwastelitteringthebeachesandnear-bytrailsseemedtobeagoodplacetostart.Tothatend,adogwastestationprototypewasdesigned.TheyapproachedtheRedDotAssociationforhelpinfundingthisproject.ArequestwassenttotheDepartmentofHealthandtheproposalwasapprovedandfundinggranted.Withabudgetof$9,211.50,12dogwastestations(coverpage)werefabricated,installedandmaintainedforthe2017touristseason.Inaddition,educationalmaterialsweremailedoutalertingthepublicofadversehealthaffectsofuncontaineddogfeces.Thesestationswereinstalledatselectedentrancestothebeaches,near-bytrailsandatPointe-du-CheneWharf.Materialswerelocallysourcedandallsignagewasbilingual.

Sitelocations:

Note:ThecrossedoutstationswerereallocatedtoPointe-du-CheneWharfaspertheirrequest.

FinancialReport:Posts,spikes,screws

639.35

Dispensers 897.00Signs 225.00Paintsupplies 207.39Locks 179.25Garbagebins 349.47Garbageliners 12.67Labour&maintenance

5410.00

Gas 231.71Educationalmaterialandpostage

462.24

RedDott-shirts 200.00Dogwastebags 126.05Projectfinalreport

200.00

Total 9140.13

Balance 71.37

Summary:Itisfeltthatthestationswerewellusedthissummerbasedonthenumberofdogwastebagsusedandthefullnessofbinsongarbagepick-updays.Positivefeedbackwasheardfrombothdogandnon-dogowners.Management/staffofParleeBeachProvincialPark,OceanSurfCampground,Pointe-du-CheneLSDandPointe-du-CheneWharfallprovidedpositivefeedbackconcerningtheeffectivenessofthesestations.NearbytrailsandthebeachesborderingParleeBeachappearedtohavemuchlessdoglitter.Therewastheexpectedmisuse,initially,ofthegarbagebins(householdwaste,fastfoodcontainers,cans,bottles…)alongwithvandalismof2ofthestations.Decalsindicating“dogwasteonly”helpedtoimproveproperusagealthoughtheproblemdidpersistatonestationonthewestside.

TheRedDotAssociationwouldliketothankthepublicforusingthesestationswhichhelpedtokeepthebeachesandtrailscleaner.AhugethankyoualsotothestaffattheProvincialPark,OceanSurfCampground,Pointe-du-CheneWharfandprivatecitizenswhomadesurethebinswereemptiedandbagsreplenishedasneeded.

Recommendations:• Thissuccessfulpilotprojectshouldbecontinuedandfundingprovided.

• Hiredesignatedstafftomonitorandmaintainexistingdogwastestationsduringtouristseason.

• Remove,sanitizeandstoredetachablebinsforthewintertopreventdamage.Thiswillreducecostsofreplacingthem.

Submittedbythefollowingprojectcontributors:AndyMalolepszyArtMelansonPierreWedgeHelenWedgeMikeBelliveauOctober,2017