East Hamilton dog park remains closed after contaminants found in soil

It’s been nine months since a popular dog park in Hamilton closed out of an abundance of caution after it was discovered the soil was contaminated.

But today, the city says the overall risk to the dogs using the park is low, and below levels known to cause health effects. Now, residents want to know when it will reopen.

While the city says the risk to the dogs that use the park is low, it isn’t exactly zero. As a result, they still want to carry out some remediation efforts before it reopens, and are asking residents for their feedback.

Since last June, the Birch Avenue leash-free dog park has been closed after the city received a complaint regarding the condition of the soil, and the potential risk it may pose to the dogs using the space.

“I believe the hill was created out of clean fill years ago. I’m not sure exactly when the park was created. But I don’t really know. I would just like to see some transparency on the soil reports, personally,” said nearby resident John Stern.

In that time, studies were conducted to analyze the dirt, which found trace amounts of cadmium, copper, lead, zinc and mercury.

But a recent update from the city says that an “independent expert review received in March 2026 confirmed that the overall risk to dogs using the park is low and below levels known to cause health effects.”

While low, it isn’t enough for the park to reopen.

WATCH MORE: East-end Hamilton dog park closed for soil testing

Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann tells CHCH News that “until the city has a solution in place that can be consistently managed and eliminate that exposure and support safe, long-term use of the park, we are not in a position to reopen.”

Regardless, some residents want to go back in anyway.

“We do live in an industrial sector here, we’re all breathing the air from here. If it was some dog that had cancer, I feel like we’re all at the same risk level, being that Industrial Sector B is our home,” said Stern.

Nick Skuse says he’s been coming to the park for years, and there is no nearby alternative.

“Well, half the people at least walked here. And the nearest alternative is an unfenced park that way about two kilometers, three kilometers. And the next one is Globe Park and it’s a 10 minute drive, so you can’t walk to these things,” said Skuse.

In the meantime, the city says it plans to explore several options that include:

• Maintaining soil cover at the park;
• Excavating the contaminated dirt and replacing it with fresh soil;
• Installing a hard surface across the site, like asphalt concrete or paving stones;
• Target the high-traffic areas in the park where the exposure is the highest.

City staff encourage residents to use nearby parks including Ward 2 Dog Park at 371 Wellington St. North and the Rail Trail Dog Park at 175 Ferguson Ave. South, as they explore options to create temporary leash-free spaces.

At this time, there is no timeline for the park’s reopening, and residents can expect a recommendation report next fall.

Until then, there will be a community town hall held on this matter. It takes place just up the street at Powell Park inside the club house and starts at 6:30 p.m. March 26

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