One Gunnedah councillor has been frustrated by seemingly stalled progress on an off-leash dog park.
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At the recent council meeting, Cr Owen Hasler said he was "frustrated" by the slow pace and didn't see why "an important but not controversial issue" could not be decided by the council now.
"I find it personally quite strange that it's taken us 18 months to get to this point to be able to make a decision on a dog off-leash area," he said.
"Having an off-leash area was raised the better part of three years ago. Can we not identify something quicker than that?
"Planning is very good in itself but if it prevents decision-making, it's counter-productive."
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Cr Hasler said the "high need" for an off-leash area was identified "the better part of three years ago" and questioned the delay.
"I think this community is waiting for us to make a decision, so I'd like to know ... [if] we have a target for community consultation to be completed so we can make some decisions on this matter and other matters going forward?" Cr Hasler said.
The concept for an off-leash area will be outlined in Gunnedah Shire Council's Open Space Strategy, which is yet to be written.
Infrastructure services director Jeremy Bartlett said the council planned to seek expressions of interest from "suitably qualified consultants sometime in the next 3-4 weeks".
Mr Bartlett said the strategy was "likely to take approximately six months to complete" and then the council would act on the strategy's recommendations. Community consultation will inform the plan.
Cr Hasler asked if a decision could be made before then but Mr Bartlett advised against it because councillors could appear to be circumventing the public exhibition process.
The council put forward Athol Gallen Park as a location for the park last year after the current dog park, Woolshed Reserve on Maitland Street, was considered unsuitable because it is unfenced and prone to flooding.