Town Council Updates: Dog Park Decision

Council rejects proposal for new dog park

Feb 10, 2026  •  Last updated Feb 10, 2026  • 

Council rejects proposal for new dog park

A local dog owner is asking Tillsonburg to create a new dog park to replace the existing one.

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David Csepei addressed the council during a recent meeting, stating that residents need another option besides the Dave Johnson Memorial Dog Park on Hardy Drive. He presented an estimate from a Burgessville company of just over $27,000 to put up fencing for an area of about 10,000 square feet.

“What I’d like to see is if we can have an additional dog park designated,” he expressed at the meeting in late January. “The one we have currently, there’s several things wrong with it.”

Csepei pointed out that while the facility has separate areas for large and small dogs, it isn’t spacious enough.

“We’ve come several times where the big dog side is so overcrowded, people have migrated onto the smaller dog side, and some of the dogs don’t get along,” he explained.

“There’s been some altercations, some verbiage back and forth at times.”

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Csepei also claimed that the park has been “poorly managed” and receives “very little maintenance” from town staff.

“We’ve asked two years ago for the signs to be replaced,” he mentioned.

“Whoever is responsible for that has dropped the ball.”

The town staff have added mulch at the park to reduce grass upkeep; however, Csepei noted that most of it remains wet and is causing mold issues.

“Last year on the small dog park side, it was looking awesome; the grass was there,” he said. “What did they do in late fall? Brought in mulch and left it a mess. We had to break it up because people were tripping over it. If you don’t want to maintain it, put it back how it was.”

“It’s disgusting,” he continued. “It’s not maintained; it’s actually in someone’s memory – it’s terrible.”

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Csepei stated he’s been forced to keep calling staff about getting grass cut and requesting waste bags and replacement garbage bins. He also expressed concern over people letting their dogs run loose while smoking outside the fence.

“We need something done,” Csepei urged.

“If you have land, let’s make it happen.”

Council received his comments as information but suggested that Csepei report any issues through the town’s customer service center or online app so complaints can be logged and addressed accordingly.

Funding Approved for Harvest Ave Development Plan

The council approved Community Improvement Plan funding for a multi-residential property on Harvest Ave.
Support will include property tax rebates of 100 percent up until Year Six; followed by 80 percent in Year Seven; then reducing by increments of 20 percent down to Year Ten when full taxes will apply starting Year Eleven.
These rebates are aimed at assisting with constructing a building containing132 units with29 low-income apartments.

Fire Department Air System Replacement Authorized

The council has given approval for a new breathing air system for Tillsonburg Fire Department due to safety concerns regarding its current module from2008 providing clean high-pressure airfor self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The emergency purchase of arebuilt MAKO breathing air module costing $27,211.66 was sanctioned with funds drawn fromthe town’s fleet reserve.

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