Despite strenuous objections from one Kelowna Councillor, the city will move forward with a dog park survey in 2012 if sufficient budget can be found.

Councillor, Charlie Hodge vehemently opposed the idea of waiting another year before discussing the addition of more dog parks in the city, specifically areas with access to Okanagan Lake.

A staff report reviewed and passed by council Monday, recommended a city-wide survey on the potential of additional dog facilities on public parkland and that a city-wide Dog Impact Assessment be conducted to determine current patterns of use, issues, compliance rates and areas of conflicts.

Budget for the surveys would not be requested until 2012.

"I can't say I'm necessarily thrilled to see this report, I'm thrilled to see a report but it's not the report I was anticipating, or that I actually requested," says Hodge.

"I have a real difficulty with these recommendations because I am not exactly sure how I feel about a $25,000 plus assessment."

Hodge, a member of the Regional District Dog Committee, asked to at least have council defer a decision until he could discuss it with the committee.

"The dog committee represents a variety of the interests of the people in our community. While I recognize that a lot of the parks we are dealing with are city parks, they are still utilized by a number of people in our community and seen from a community perspective."

Hodge indicated he also wanted a chance to look at number of parks mentioned in the report.

The rest of council did not share his views.

"This is a very emotionally charged issue and I know every time it comes up there are definitely two camps," says Councillor Luke Stack.

"There's those who are very enthusiastic about opening all the parks up to dogs and then there are those who are quite strongly opposed. I am very interested in moving ahead with a statistically valid community survey."

Stack says there are usually people council never hears from, those in the middle of the issue.

"We hear from people that are immediately affected and then we hear from those really promoting it. I am interested in knowing what the general populous of the city wants to do. I am hoping we will be surprised at what we learn."

Parks and Public Places Manager, Terry Barton, told council Kelowna is one of the most dog friendly communities in North America with 76 on-leash parks, seven off-leash areas and two temporary off-leash areas.

"We have come a long way it the availability of dog parks in the city but I think we have to recognize that as the city grows, each new neighbourhood is going to engender people with dogs," says Councillor Robert Hobson.

"Each new neighbourhood is going to have to have access. It's no different than the location of playgrounds in my view. They have to be reasonably accessible to people."

Councillor Graham James meantime felt the survey and the issue were both a waste of time.

"I applaud the councillor to my right's dogged determination in this matter but I really think we've beat this to death," says James.

"We don't even have a facility out in Glenmore, a skating rink or anything and we're talking about water parks for dogs. I can understand this recommendation but how much are we going to spend on this issue. To spend all this money on what we already know...is just a little too much for me."

Hodge, who has been especially vocal at the lack of water parks and water access for dogs.

"I am very happy with a great amount of work staff has done. You have added extra on-leash dog parks and you have added extra off-leash dog parks. My concern is not a lack of dog parks, it's where those dog parks are or aren't," added Hodge.

"I absolutely have a problem that we have one water dog park. It's at Cedar Creek at the very edge of town and it happens to be the only nudist park in the area. Pardon the pun but, 'one small strip' of land at a nudist park is hardly what I would call addressing the needs of an entire community."

Council voted 6-2 in favour of going ahead with staff recommendations.

Councillors Hodge and Michele Rule cast dissenting votes.