Dog owners have previously called for running water, permanent seating and shade at the Glen Willow off-leash park. 

Last week returned serviceman Sean Cavanagh penned a letter to the Mudgee Guardian describing how owners currently have to fill two heavy water jerries at the netball courts and take them back to the park via their vehicle. 

“All the dog owners are asking for is for the plumbing to be extended the ten metres from the water point into the park itself, have a concrete water trough that all sized dogs can drink from,” he wrote. 

Mr Cavanagh’s letter received an overwhelming response from readers. 

In an online poll 80 voters said on a scale of one to ten (one being bad, ten being amazing), Mudgee’s dog park rated as bad. Thirty-three others rated it as a two out of ten, the same amount for three out of ten. Just two people rated it as ten (amazing). 

“It’s like a little community here,” Mr Cavanagh said this week. 

“We’ve been talking about it for a while, I’ve only been here for three years but speaking to people who have been here longer they petitioned council and they’ve always said next financial year we’ll put it on the agenda but it’s the third financial year now and still not done.”

Mr Cavanagh said he was concerned older members of the group risked injury by carting the heavy water containers. 

“We have a lot of older people who, they can’t even lift that (full container).”

He said there can be up to 17 dogs and owners using the park at any one time, with just a small bowl for the dogs to share and half-a-dozen plastic outdoor chairs. 

“All the park people want is some chairs, some shade and water for the dogs,” Mr Cavanagh said. 

“You hear of other people going to dog parks and they’ve got obstacles for dogs to jump over and through, we’re not after that we’re just after the basics really. Anything else is a bonus for us.

“We all come down here just to socialise our dogs … but it’s for the people to socialise as well.”

A Community Plan Proposal for works at the Mudgee off-leash area at Glen Willow was put to council earlier in the 2016-17 budget process that is currently underway. 

At the time, councillors decided not to invest in additional improvements at the park.

A council spokesperson said the staff recommendation is for improvements including water access, changes to fencing, grassing and seating at the park. 

“Council is aware of the community’s support for such improvements and a number of residents have made submissions to the Operational Plan requesting these upgrades,” the spokesperson said. 

“Councillors will be asked to consider allocating $55,000 to the Mudgee off-leash area at their next meeting.”