Latest news with #JamesSizer
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Let's get to the point - dogs should be able to run happy and free
To many, a row over dogs and how they are exercised is pretty small beer. But that's underestimating a whole lot of things. One, people love their dogs. Two, nothing pleases them more than seeing their dogs happy, active and engaged. Three, sometimes things really don't need fixing. And four, people are sick of bureaucrats apparently not understanding real life. So, what's up? The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area has been a much-loved secret corner of the Lanyon community in Tuggeranong for at least 20 years. It's a very large piece of land, at the intersection of Woodcock Drive and Jim Pike Avenue, where dogs can exercise off-leash. Dogs can play together across acres of land or trot next to their owner on a one-kilometre loop along the fence line, with beautiful views and sunsets added bonuses. Full disclosure: I didn't know this facility existed until last week but I really wish I had. There are few places dogs can run or sniff or socialise off-leash in nature. Some south coast beaches allow for that. It's a true joy to watch your mutt free and happy. The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area is fenced, it's well-maintained, volunteers have brought in portable water for the dogs and made benches for people to sit and rest or have a chat. (Someone said maybe all that's needed now is a bin for the poo bags but most people seem to take them and dispose of them). The area is not some pristine bushland. According to Gordon resident James Sizer, it was used to dump building waste when the suburb was under construction in the 1990s. There are great swathes of blackberries in amongst the open land. But it's a friendly place. People know each other and the dogs. It's not like a regular dog park. It's huge. You can socialise or enjoy some solitude. It's peaceful. The ACT government has built a new dog park right next to the existing dog exercise area. It's not very big. A fraction of the size of the current exercise area. It's a bright, shiny doggy playground. Some dogs and owners will love it. The government says more than 80 per cent of respondents to a survey liked the design. Perhaps, if the government had been upfront and respondents had known it would become the only off-leash facility in the area, the results would have been very different. The new dog park also looks like a case of the government giving with one hand and taking with the other. The latest advice is that as soon as the new dog park opens, the Point Hut dog exercise area will be leash-only. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the space and the way people have used it, without any dramas, for decades. (It's been, let's face it, a dog park before dog parks were a thing. Just not tizzed up to the nth degree.) Needless to say, the proposed change has been like a red rag to a bull - or a slobbery tennis ball to a Labrador. Lanyon locals are livid, saying the area needs to stay off-leash. And, like a dog with a bone, they're not going to give up. They want to know the reason for the decision. Why can the stroke of a pen steal so much joy? New Brindabella Labor MLA Caitlin Tough has, refreshingly, decided to stick up for her community. Only elected last October, Tough is obviously not afraid to challenge her Labor colleagues. She's written a letter to City Services Minister Tara Cheyne asking her to clarify conflicting advice from the minister's office about whether the exercise area will remain a leash-on or leash-off place once the dog park opens. Tough's letter to the minister was to-the-point but respectful - and great to see. That's what we want from our local members - true representation. Liberal MLA for Brindabella Deb Morris has also come on board, sponsoring a petition to keep the area off-leash. In a few days, the petition had close to 1000 signatures. Tara Cheyne, to her credit, is proving to be a City Services Minister who is responsive and open to discussion with the community rather than stubbornly intransigent as her predecessor Chris Steel was on a great many issues. The government, however, says it's actually the "Conservator of Flora and Fauna" who is deciding what areas are off-leash or on-leash. The conservator is a bureaucrat in Environment Heritage and Parks who looks after conservation matters such as protecting native plants and animals. James Sizer says Lanyon is the "Tuggeranong of Tuggeranong", a forgotten part of a forgotten district. He just wanted the public servants responsible for making the decisions to come out and have a look at the Point Hut dog exercise area. Realise it's not impacting the Murrumbidgee River corridor; that it doesn't hold any magical environmental value. That it's right across the road from Gordon suburbia. Tara Cheyne says she can't "direct the conservator's decisions". "However, I can direct them to be more consultative and to not blindside the community. Like you, I want a resolution to this quickly and I also agree it shouldn't have come to this," she said. Cheyne also described herself publicly as a "fellow dog - and off-leash dog park - lover". So, maybe, just maybe, these dogs will have their day. To many, a row over dogs and how they are exercised is pretty small beer. But that's underestimating a whole lot of things. One, people love their dogs. Two, nothing pleases them more than seeing their dogs happy, active and engaged. Three, sometimes things really don't need fixing. And four, people are sick of bureaucrats apparently not understanding real life. So, what's up? The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area has been a much-loved secret corner of the Lanyon community in Tuggeranong for at least 20 years. It's a very large piece of land, at the intersection of Woodcock Drive and Jim Pike Avenue, where dogs can exercise off-leash. Dogs can play together across acres of land or trot next to their owner on a one-kilometre loop along the fence line, with beautiful views and sunsets added bonuses. Full disclosure: I didn't know this facility existed until last week but I really wish I had. There are few places dogs can run or sniff or socialise off-leash in nature. Some south coast beaches allow for that. It's a true joy to watch your mutt free and happy. The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area is fenced, it's well-maintained, volunteers have brought in portable water for the dogs and made benches for people to sit and rest or have a chat. (Someone said maybe all that's needed now is a bin for the poo bags but most people seem to take them and dispose of them). The area is not some pristine bushland. According to Gordon resident James Sizer, it was used to dump building waste when the suburb was under construction in the 1990s. There are great swathes of blackberries in amongst the open land. But it's a friendly place. People know each other and the dogs. It's not like a regular dog park. It's huge. You can socialise or enjoy some solitude. It's peaceful. The ACT government has built a new dog park right next to the existing dog exercise area. It's not very big. A fraction of the size of the current exercise area. It's a bright, shiny doggy playground. Some dogs and owners will love it. The government says more than 80 per cent of respondents to a survey liked the design. Perhaps, if the government had been upfront and respondents had known it would become the only off-leash facility in the area, the results would have been very different. The new dog park also looks like a case of the government giving with one hand and taking with the other. The latest advice is that as soon as the new dog park opens, the Point Hut dog exercise area will be leash-only. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the space and the way people have used it, without any dramas, for decades. (It's been, let's face it, a dog park before dog parks were a thing. Just not tizzed up to the nth degree.) Needless to say, the proposed change has been like a red rag to a bull - or a slobbery tennis ball to a Labrador. Lanyon locals are livid, saying the area needs to stay off-leash. And, like a dog with a bone, they're not going to give up. They want to know the reason for the decision. Why can the stroke of a pen steal so much joy? New Brindabella Labor MLA Caitlin Tough has, refreshingly, decided to stick up for her community. Only elected last October, Tough is obviously not afraid to challenge her Labor colleagues. She's written a letter to City Services Minister Tara Cheyne asking her to clarify conflicting advice from the minister's office about whether the exercise area will remain a leash-on or leash-off place once the dog park opens. Tough's letter to the minister was to-the-point but respectful - and great to see. That's what we want from our local members - true representation. Liberal MLA for Brindabella Deb Morris has also come on board, sponsoring a petition to keep the area off-leash. In a few days, the petition had close to 1000 signatures. Tara Cheyne, to her credit, is proving to be a City Services Minister who is responsive and open to discussion with the community rather than stubbornly intransigent as her predecessor Chris Steel was on a great many issues. The government, however, says it's actually the "Conservator of Flora and Fauna" who is deciding what areas are off-leash or on-leash. The conservator is a bureaucrat in Environment Heritage and Parks who looks after conservation matters such as protecting native plants and animals. James Sizer says Lanyon is the "Tuggeranong of Tuggeranong", a forgotten part of a forgotten district. He just wanted the public servants responsible for making the decisions to come out and have a look at the Point Hut dog exercise area. Realise it's not impacting the Murrumbidgee River corridor; that it doesn't hold any magical environmental value. That it's right across the road from Gordon suburbia. Tara Cheyne says she can't "direct the conservator's decisions". "However, I can direct them to be more consultative and to not blindside the community. Like you, I want a resolution to this quickly and I also agree it shouldn't have come to this," she said. Cheyne also described herself publicly as a "fellow dog - and off-leash dog park - lover". So, maybe, just maybe, these dogs will have their day. To many, a row over dogs and how they are exercised is pretty small beer. But that's underestimating a whole lot of things. One, people love their dogs. Two, nothing pleases them more than seeing their dogs happy, active and engaged. Three, sometimes things really don't need fixing. And four, people are sick of bureaucrats apparently not understanding real life. So, what's up? The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area has been a much-loved secret corner of the Lanyon community in Tuggeranong for at least 20 years. It's a very large piece of land, at the intersection of Woodcock Drive and Jim Pike Avenue, where dogs can exercise off-leash. Dogs can play together across acres of land or trot next to their owner on a one-kilometre loop along the fence line, with beautiful views and sunsets added bonuses. Full disclosure: I didn't know this facility existed until last week but I really wish I had. There are few places dogs can run or sniff or socialise off-leash in nature. Some south coast beaches allow for that. It's a true joy to watch your mutt free and happy. The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area is fenced, it's well-maintained, volunteers have brought in portable water for the dogs and made benches for people to sit and rest or have a chat. (Someone said maybe all that's needed now is a bin for the poo bags but most people seem to take them and dispose of them). The area is not some pristine bushland. According to Gordon resident James Sizer, it was used to dump building waste when the suburb was under construction in the 1990s. There are great swathes of blackberries in amongst the open land. But it's a friendly place. People know each other and the dogs. It's not like a regular dog park. It's huge. You can socialise or enjoy some solitude. It's peaceful. The ACT government has built a new dog park right next to the existing dog exercise area. It's not very big. A fraction of the size of the current exercise area. It's a bright, shiny doggy playground. Some dogs and owners will love it. The government says more than 80 per cent of respondents to a survey liked the design. Perhaps, if the government had been upfront and respondents had known it would become the only off-leash facility in the area, the results would have been very different. The new dog park also looks like a case of the government giving with one hand and taking with the other. The latest advice is that as soon as the new dog park opens, the Point Hut dog exercise area will be leash-only. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the space and the way people have used it, without any dramas, for decades. (It's been, let's face it, a dog park before dog parks were a thing. Just not tizzed up to the nth degree.) Needless to say, the proposed change has been like a red rag to a bull - or a slobbery tennis ball to a Labrador. Lanyon locals are livid, saying the area needs to stay off-leash. And, like a dog with a bone, they're not going to give up. They want to know the reason for the decision. Why can the stroke of a pen steal so much joy? New Brindabella Labor MLA Caitlin Tough has, refreshingly, decided to stick up for her community. Only elected last October, Tough is obviously not afraid to challenge her Labor colleagues. She's written a letter to City Services Minister Tara Cheyne asking her to clarify conflicting advice from the minister's office about whether the exercise area will remain a leash-on or leash-off place once the dog park opens. Tough's letter to the minister was to-the-point but respectful - and great to see. That's what we want from our local members - true representation. Liberal MLA for Brindabella Deb Morris has also come on board, sponsoring a petition to keep the area off-leash. In a few days, the petition had close to 1000 signatures. Tara Cheyne, to her credit, is proving to be a City Services Minister who is responsive and open to discussion with the community rather than stubbornly intransigent as her predecessor Chris Steel was on a great many issues. The government, however, says it's actually the "Conservator of Flora and Fauna" who is deciding what areas are off-leash or on-leash. The conservator is a bureaucrat in Environment Heritage and Parks who looks after conservation matters such as protecting native plants and animals. James Sizer says Lanyon is the "Tuggeranong of Tuggeranong", a forgotten part of a forgotten district. He just wanted the public servants responsible for making the decisions to come out and have a look at the Point Hut dog exercise area. Realise it's not impacting the Murrumbidgee River corridor; that it doesn't hold any magical environmental value. That it's right across the road from Gordon suburbia. Tara Cheyne says she can't "direct the conservator's decisions". "However, I can direct them to be more consultative and to not blindside the community. Like you, I want a resolution to this quickly and I also agree it shouldn't have come to this," she said. Cheyne also described herself publicly as a "fellow dog - and off-leash dog park - lover". So, maybe, just maybe, these dogs will have their day. To many, a row over dogs and how they are exercised is pretty small beer. But that's underestimating a whole lot of things. One, people love their dogs. Two, nothing pleases them more than seeing their dogs happy, active and engaged. Three, sometimes things really don't need fixing. And four, people are sick of bureaucrats apparently not understanding real life. So, what's up? The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area has been a much-loved secret corner of the Lanyon community in Tuggeranong for at least 20 years. It's a very large piece of land, at the intersection of Woodcock Drive and Jim Pike Avenue, where dogs can exercise off-leash. Dogs can play together across acres of land or trot next to their owner on a one-kilometre loop along the fence line, with beautiful views and sunsets added bonuses. Full disclosure: I didn't know this facility existed until last week but I really wish I had. There are few places dogs can run or sniff or socialise off-leash in nature. Some south coast beaches allow for that. It's a true joy to watch your mutt free and happy. The Point Hut Dog Exercise Area is fenced, it's well-maintained, volunteers have brought in portable water for the dogs and made benches for people to sit and rest or have a chat. (Someone said maybe all that's needed now is a bin for the poo bags but most people seem to take them and dispose of them). The area is not some pristine bushland. According to Gordon resident James Sizer, it was used to dump building waste when the suburb was under construction in the 1990s. There are great swathes of blackberries in amongst the open land. But it's a friendly place. People know each other and the dogs. It's not like a regular dog park. It's huge. You can socialise or enjoy some solitude. It's peaceful. The ACT government has built a new dog park right next to the existing dog exercise area. It's not very big. A fraction of the size of the current exercise area. It's a bright, shiny doggy playground. Some dogs and owners will love it. The government says more than 80 per cent of respondents to a survey liked the design. Perhaps, if the government had been upfront and respondents had known it would become the only off-leash facility in the area, the results would have been very different. The new dog park also looks like a case of the government giving with one hand and taking with the other. The latest advice is that as soon as the new dog park opens, the Point Hut dog exercise area will be leash-only. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the space and the way people have used it, without any dramas, for decades. (It's been, let's face it, a dog park before dog parks were a thing. Just not tizzed up to the nth degree.) Needless to say, the proposed change has been like a red rag to a bull - or a slobbery tennis ball to a Labrador. Lanyon locals are livid, saying the area needs to stay off-leash. And, like a dog with a bone, they're not going to give up. They want to know the reason for the decision. Why can the stroke of a pen steal so much joy? New Brindabella Labor MLA Caitlin Tough has, refreshingly, decided to stick up for her community. Only elected last October, Tough is obviously not afraid to challenge her Labor colleagues. She's written a letter to City Services Minister Tara Cheyne asking her to clarify conflicting advice from the minister's office about whether the exercise area will remain a leash-on or leash-off place once the dog park opens. Tough's letter to the minister was to-the-point but respectful - and great to see. That's what we want from our local members - true representation. Liberal MLA for Brindabella Deb Morris has also come on board, sponsoring a petition to keep the area off-leash. In a few days, the petition had close to 1000 signatures. Tara Cheyne, to her credit, is proving to be a City Services Minister who is responsive and open to discussion with the community rather than stubbornly intransigent as her predecessor Chris Steel was on a great many issues. The government, however, says it's actually the "Conservator of Flora and Fauna" who is deciding what areas are off-leash or on-leash. The conservator is a bureaucrat in Environment Heritage and Parks who looks after conservation matters such as protecting native plants and animals. James Sizer says Lanyon is the "Tuggeranong of Tuggeranong", a forgotten part of a forgotten district. He just wanted the public servants responsible for making the decisions to come out and have a look at the Point Hut dog exercise area. Realise it's not impacting the Murrumbidgee River corridor; that it doesn't hold any magical environmental value. That it's right across the road from Gordon suburbia. Tara Cheyne says she can't "direct the conservator's decisions". "However, I can direct them to be more consultative and to not blindside the community. Like you, I want a resolution to this quickly and I also agree it shouldn't have come to this," she said. Cheyne also described herself publicly as a "fellow dog - and off-leash dog park - lover". So, maybe, just maybe, these dogs will have their day.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- BBC News
Man charged after 'pub altercation' with Hull City's Lewie Coyle
Man charged after 'Lewie Coyle pub altercation' A video of an incident allegedly involving Hull City captain Lewie Coyle was widely shared on social media A man has been charged following claims of an altercation at a pub involving a Hull City footballer. James Sizer, 39, of Boothferry Road, Hull, has been charged with a public order offence after reports of a verbal and physical altercation at The Empress Pub on Alfred Gelder Street on Sunday evening. Mr Sizer has been released on conditional bail and is due to appear at Hull Magistrates' Court at a later date. A video of the alleged incident involving captain Lewie Coyle was widely shared on social media. The club said it had launched an investigation.
