Check out each month’s newsletter for dog-related topics such as health tips, animal behaviour, park access/use/etiquette, classifieds and more. Also watch for park updates, events and clean-up efforts.

Thanks for visiting our website. Happy reading!

Jan 2012 off leash news
Feb 2012 off leash news

Sean McCann of the Sun provided an article with a good photo of some of the group.

Thanks for everyone who came out to support offleash in Calgary.

Thanks for visiting our website. Each month we will post an off-leash newsletter chock full of dog-related topics. Watch for articles about health tips, animal behaviour, park access/use/etiquette, classifieds and more. Newsletters will also feature park updates, events and clean-up efforts.

Happy reading!

January 2011 newsletter
February 2011 newsletter
March 2011 newsletter
April 2011 newsletter
May 2011 newsletter
June 2011 newsletter
July 2011 newsletter
August 2011 newsletter
September 2011 newsletter
October 2011 newsletter
November 2011 newsletter
December 2011 newsletter

Looking for a day care, overnight care or a walker for your dog? Here’s a list of recommendations from fellow dog owners.  

dog care services

Click here to meet the members of the Friends of River Park leadership team.

December 2010 newsletter
November 2010 newsletter
October 2010 newsletter
September 2010 newsletter
August 2010 newsletter
July 2010 newsletter
June 2010 newsletter
May 2010 newsletter 
April 2010 newsletter 
March 2010 newsletter 
February 2010 newsletter 
January 2010 newsletter

Svend Anderson was one of the original Friends of River Park Leadership team members. He moved to British Columbia in 2009. We would like to thank him for his contribution to the off-leash cause.

Click here to read the great article he wrote about sustainable dog ownership.

Get your fill of 2009 River Park off-leash news. There’s lots of great information in each newsletter, so don’t pass by these editions just because they’re from 2009.

December 2009 newsletter
November 2009 newsletter
October 2009 newsletter
September 2009 newsletter
August 2009 newsletter
July 2009 newsletter
June 2009 newsletter
May 2009 newsletter
April 2009 newsletter
March 2009 newsletter
February 2009 newsletter
January 2009 newsletter

Welcome to the Friends of River Park website. 

Make no bones about it, the Friends of River Park Society (FRPS) is a group of approximately 600 off-leash advocates and continues to grow. Originally the group was formed 11 years ago as an opportunity to have a “howling good time”. A new direction began in 2007  as we learned about potential paving of trails and reduction of space affecting our off-leash access.  We also discovered people from competing interest groups in the park had been meeting since 2006 about various matters. One dog representative was invited to the table early in 2007. As a result the group morphed into the Friends of River Park with an elected six-member leadership team.

Various meetings continued where we learned competing interest groups have concerns that dog owners and dogs are poorly behaved, they feel the park is over-used and under maintained, and that the park is filled with feces. The FRPS leadership team immediately addressed concerns by educating fellow dog owners about competing interest groups’ concerns, influencing behaviour of people and dogs, and keeping the park clean. Ultimately the goal is to preserve off-leash access in this multi-use park. 

FRPS conducts bi-monthly clean-ups and regular social gatherings. The leadership team has affiliations with Off-leash Calgary, The Southland Natural Park Society, The Friends of Nosehill, and The Friends of Bowmont. Two of the leadership team members created an off-leash presentation after researching 141 off-leash areas listed on The City of Calgary’s website. It was sent to aldermen, The City of Calgary Bylaw Director as well as several radio and television stations. It, along with an off-leash advocacy speech was presented to the Standing Policy Committee at City Hall early in 2009.

Dogs and people are a large recreational group that is not typically organized and it also not recognized by others like typical receational activities. Since no formal organizations exist, it’s difficult to communicate  with us. When given the chance, dog owners are willing to work toward the maintaining the spaces we use, much like volunteers and committees do for other activities and spaces.

That’s all there is to it. Join the pack and support off-leash access in River Park and all other off-leash areas.  There are no membership fees and no hidden agendas. We’re a bunch of people who are passionate about off-leash as a form of recreation and exercise. We simply enjoy dogs and each other’s company. 

So have a browse through our website. Let us know what you think. Thanks for visiting today.

Read all about 2008 River Park off-leash news.

December 2008 Newsletter
November 2008 Newsletter
October 2008 Newsletter
September 2008 Newsletter
August 2008 Newsletter
July 2008 Newsletter
June 2008 Newsletter
May 2008 Newsletter
April 2008 Newsletter
March 2008 Newsletter
February 2008 Newsletter
January 2008 Newsletter