Contractors are this week putting up new fences at the Ashburton Dog Park, ahead of its re-opening next week.

The park will be 50 per cent bigger when it is back in business, with a new separate area for small dogs.

Additional play equipment for dogs and a drinking fountain will be added over the next month or so, and a new entrance off Cass Street should be ready for use in February.

The park was closed after the May 2021 flood event when fences were washed out and the popular grassed area was left littered with shingle, river silt and holes in the ground.

The dog park is on the north-east bank of the Ashburton River at State Highway 1 and backs onto the Kmart development. It is managed by the Ashburton District Council.

Community Services Group Manager Steve Fabish said the flood damage presented an opportunity for improvements at the dog park and Council planned to have the park open again on 24 December 2021.

“As well as undertaking the repair work, we have removed trees, recontoured the bank to make it easier to mow and maintain, and increased its overall area by quite a lot.

“We are dividing the park into small and all dog areas, with new fencing. Signs, furniture, dog play equipment and a drinking fountain are part of the plan too.

“We know we have a bit of work to do in the next week, but we are committed to having the park open for dogs and their owners before Christmas. Some of the final touches will happen over the next month.”

In conjunction with the Kmart development, a new entrance, pathway and carpark is being created off the end of Cass Street. That will be ready for use in February 2022. People should use the entrance off William Street until the new one is complete.

Mr Fabish said Council’s other dog exercise areas were open while the dog park was having a makeover. These are designated areas where dogs can exercise off the leash, however they must be under the direct control of their owners.

Other areas include: Pioneer Park, Digby Park, Patching Street reserve, Devon Park, Smallbone Drive reserve, George Glassey Park, Argyle Park and the Green in Tinwald.

Mr Fabish said dog owners were also welcome to use the old landfill area at the end of Range Street to run their dogs off the leash. The area is not an official dog exercise area and access is sometimes restricted, but dog bag dispensers were on site there, and receptacles for dog waste.