The City of Regina will be welcoming three new dog parks.

The City will be developing a new year-round, off-leash dog park in A.E. Wilson Park and a small off-leash area in Horizon Station Park in the Towns neighbourhood.

Council also voted in favour of designating the boarded rink in Litzenberger Park as a seasonal off-leash area.

The new dog park is part of the City’s Recreation Master Plan to have one off-leash area per 45,000 residents.

Connie Buchan, Off-Leash Dog Park User Group, said the addition of dog parks would present a lot of positives.

“They create community and provide both people and dogs with exercise in an appropriate safe place,” she said. “Having a dog park or off-leash area in a neighbourhood brings more eyes to have a neighbourhood which can help deter crime and make it a safer place.”

Buchan said it would also help with the overuse of the City’s existing locations.

“It will help with any congestion and overuse of our few locations. It will help lessen the wear and tear on the turf and give dog owners more options closer to their own homes in a style of park that suits them, their dog, and their family.”

The City currently has three year-round dog parks and seven seasonal off-leash areas at boarded rinks for the estimated dog population of 30,000.