Sherry O’Leary doesn’t have to look high and low for places to take the many dogs she cares for. Barrie, she says, has a pretty good selection from its off-leash parks to many wooded areas where both pets and their owners or walkers can enjoy the outdoors.
“Most of our dog walking is on-leash walks so we go to the beautiful places in Barrie,” says the owner of Out N About Pet Care, which provides care allowing pets to stay at home and dog-walking services through a network of walkers across the area.
O’Leary started the business 10 years ago part time and has developed it into a year-round service that employs her and her partner, James Laxton, full time along with a staff of eight people.
Many of those trails, however, are multi-use, so O’Leary and her walkers follow a protocol to remain safe and be courteous to others they might encounter. That begins with using the leash.
And recognizing that not everyone is comfortable around dogs, she and her staff will often step off the trail, where possible, to let other people pass. Barrie’s waterfront trails are, of course, a big draw for walkers given its well-maintained walking paths and many green areas.
One of her favourites is The Gables, off Tollendal Mill Road on the south shore of Kempenfelt Bay. It’s a nicely wooded trail that leads to the waterfront where the dogs can get their feet wet. O’Leary and the walkers also carry water so the dogs can have a drink when they take a little break or stop to take in the view.
Innisfil’s off-leash dog beach also excites her and she’d love to see something similar in Barrie.
Barrie’s Waterfront Strategic Plan Update 2023 recommends that the city undertake a feasibility study to explore dog water access points, including time of day/week/year options and provide dog refuse bags at waste stations. That means the idea has at least been floated in Barrie.
Meanwhile, additional off-leash parks are being considered, said Kevin Bradley, Barrie’s manager of parks planning.
“The city is assessing locations for potential additional sites,” he said.
Dogs are welcome on a leash in any park in Barrie but are prohibited on beach areas at waterfront parks.
O’Leary is enjoying the two off-leash recreation areas that Barrie has so far developed.
The Sunnidale off-leash park is totally fenced in and is located off Coulter Street on the wooded area of the park, providing plenty of shade. The south-end park off Bayview Drive has a full fenced-in play area complemented by a trail area that isn’t fully fenced. While there is a garbage can by the park, she suspects that if it were more accessible, it would be better used.
Other area parks enjoyed by area residents and their dogs include:
- Warnica Trail to Wilkins Beach which offers a walk through mostly shady forest and which opens to an almost secluded lakefront section.
- The Oro-Medonte Rail Trail goes from Barrie to Orillia, mostly along a multi-use trail.
- Springwater Provincial Park in Midhurst has several trails to choose from.
- The Hickling Tract in Springwater Township is a lesser-used trail.
- The West Creek Trail Loop and the Simcoe County Forest Dyer Tract is on Barrie’s western edge off County Road 27.
“We just want to be attentive to the animals we bring,” says O’Leary. “Basically, your dog should be supervised.”
