CWDOG/Fergus Dog Park

05/23/2026

We’re looking to connect with the owner of a small to medium white dog, who was at the Fergus Dog Park today, May 22nd around 2:15 PM. The owner of the dog was a woman wearing a striped shirt.

A Centre Wellington summer student, who was at the park trimming weeds, was unfortunately bitten. The student is okay, however the bite did break the skin, and the student attended the hospital for treatment. The owner and dog left the park before the student could reach them, and the owner is probably unaware the bite occurred.

If this was your dog, could you please send us a private message to confirm whether the dog is currently up to date on vaccinations? We would greatly appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible.

Thank you for your help and cooperation.

05/17/2026

Thanks so much to our clean up crew!

Here are a few photos from yesterday morning's garlic mustard pull and garden bed prep at the Fergus Dog Park. There are photos of the hardy few braving the first cold downpour around 11 am; the remaining crew that stuck around for a group shot with 13 large garbage bags filled with garlic mustard at the end of the event.

The task seemed almost impossible when we started, but with a big effort and the welcome help of volunteers that joined us along the way, we managed to accomplish an amazing job.

05/16/2026

Reminder! Please come out Saturday morning to help the team!

Reminder! We are gathering on Saturday May 16th to remove as much Garlic Mustard as possible.

What to bring: Gloves, Shovels, Trowels, Wheelbarrows, Box cutters, Buckets.

Reason:

Soil "Poisoning" (Allelopathy)The plant's roots release allelopathic chemicals, such as glucosinolates, into the soil. These toxins:Kill Mycorrhizal Fungi: Most native trees and plants depend on these beneficial soil fungi to absorb nutrients and water. By destroying this fungal network, garlic mustard essentially starves surrounding vegetation.Inhibit Regeneration: Without these fungi, native tree seedlings (like sugar maples and oaks) cannot grow, preventing the forest from naturally renewing itself.

Rapid Displacement of Native PlantsGarlic mustard outcompetes native flora through sheer speed and volume:Early Emergence: It begins growing earlier in the spring than native species, blocking sunlight and hogging nutrients before native plants even wake up.Extreme Seed Production: A single plant can produce over 7,000 seeds, and dense populations can drop over 100,000 seeds per square meter. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for 30 years.Dominance: Within just 5 to 7 years, it can become the dominant plant in a forest understory, forming "dense carpets" that smother everything else.

05/06/2026

Reminder! We are gathering on Saturday May 16th to remove as much Garlic Mustard as possible.

What to bring: Gloves, Shovels, Trowels, Wheelbarrows, Box cutters, Buckets.

Reason:

Soil "Poisoning" (Allelopathy)The plant's roots release allelopathic chemicals, such as glucosinolates, into the soil. These toxins:Kill Mycorrhizal Fungi: Most native trees and plants depend on these beneficial soil fungi to absorb nutrients and water. By destroying this fungal network, garlic mustard essentially starves surrounding vegetation.Inhibit Regeneration: Without these fungi, native tree seedlings (like sugar maples and oaks) cannot grow, preventing the forest from naturally renewing itself.

Rapid Displacement of Native PlantsGarlic mustard outcompetes native flora through sheer speed and volume:Early Emergence: It begins growing earlier in the spring than native species, blocking sunlight and hogging nutrients before native plants even wake up.Extreme Seed Production: A single plant can produce over 7,000 seeds, and dense populations can drop over 100,000 seeds per square meter. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for 30 years.Dominance: Within just 5 to 7 years, it can become the dominant plant in a forest understory, forming "dense carpets" that smother everything else.

04/28/2026

Hello Friends! Please come out on May 16th to help us remove an invasive plant species before it goes to seed. We have been removing it every year and it has been making a big impact. We hope with your help we can remove all of it this year!

03/04/2026

🌷🐾 **Spring Thaw = Surprise P**p Patrol!** 🐾🌷

As the snow melts, we’re discovering some *not-so-lovely* reminders of winter around the park 💩😅

We love seeing everyone back out enjoying the sunshine, and we’re asking for a little extra help from our amazing dog park community. When you visit, could you grab a couple of extra p**p bags and pick up any “forgotten” piles you spot? Even cleaning up just one extra makes a big difference!

The spring thaw can reveal a lot, but if we all pitch in, we can keep the park clean, safe, and enjoyable for our pups and people alike. 🐶💚

Thank you for being responsible, caring dog owners and for helping keep our park beautiful!

**pPatrol

02/13/2026

It is with great sadness that I share that Moon, the constant, devoted companion of Dennis Reid, of Salem, has left this world. If you’re an Elora or Salem resident, you’ll know who I mean. Moon was a medium sized black and white Blue Healer mix, a Mennonite farm dog who entered Dennis’ life in 2016. A bundle of energy, she made it her life’s job to teach Dennis how best to manage her. They were seen most days walking downtown Elora, the Cataract trail or the Centre Wellington Dog Park. Very vocal and high energy would describe Moon in her youth but also into her later years. With Moon, Dennis was no longer the sole captain of his car. Moon, very definitely, was the navigator. Everyone at the Dog Park knew and loved Moon. She’ll be so missed. Rest in peace, Moon.

09/09/2025

Many dog parker’s will remember Rowdy and his Mum Diana who were regulars at the dog park for years before they moved to Alberta. Rowdy was a very popular fellow, an amazingly handsome Aussie who had an infectious joyful personality. He played with everyone, little pipsqueaks like Dottie who idolized him to big guys, he was a natural leader. His middle name was fun! I could almost hear them yell “Rowdy’s here, let the games begin!” when he’d jump out of Diana’s truck and fly into the park. We missed them terribly when they left. Rowdy left this world way too early, only 9 years old. Diana has a giant hole in her heart now and we all share her grief. It was a privilege and a pleasure to know Rowdy.

06/21/2025

Thank-you to everyone who came out today! It was lovely meeting people and having great conversations. We learned a lot of human names today! As we often know most park go-ers as ‘Briney’s Dad’ or ‘Esters Mom’.
We have lots of new people on our list and some great ideas were shared.
We will all meet again soon at the end of the summer.

06/17/2025

Please join us at the park this Saturday! Bring a chair and let’s discuss the park and things people would like to see.
Our volunteer group works with the Parks Department for things like tree planting, filling up the p**p bags, changing the garbages and maintaining the flowerbeds.