The Teddy Bear Clinic at Headwaters Hospital Auxiliary is a long-standing annual event where young children can bring their teddy bears and dolls to the hospital for a medical “check up.”

Headwaters doctors and nurses kindly volunteer their time to help make the little ones feel comfortable with the hospital environment.

This year, for the first time there will be additional fun experiences for the young visitors. On the lawn at the hospital there will be pony rides and a petting zoo so the young patrons can also become familiar with animals in different ways.

The charge for a checkup is a toonie a patient. Pony rides are only $1 and the petting zoo is free though treats for the animals will be on sale. The event runs on May 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All funds raised at this event will help with equipment purchases for the hospital as do all the Hospital Auxiliary events. be unpredictable,” she wrote. “They get excited running and playing with other dogs. The gate is left open, a dog escapes and runs towards the people. It jumps and knocks down child or senior: a bruise or bite or even a concussion.

“Do we really want to wait until this happens before deciding this was the wrong choice for the park? I don’t think so.”

Lackey Drive’s rating is “fair to good.” Its drawbacks, as far as the committee is concerned, are that it would require fill and grading to create suitable site and parking, and that the grounds are wetter than others because the town uses the area to dump snow and leaves.

As far the as the reservoir is concerned, there is a potential issue with the narrow access lane between the houses. As well, the lack of parking is considered a major drawback.

Myr Morrow Park gets a “poor” rating. The committee says the site is good size, but there is street parking only and the site is in a very dense residential area. As well, there is no lighting or water.

The 11 criteria used by the committee revolve around location and size of area available for a dog park, the availability of parking, access for maintenance, density and closeness of the neighbouring residences and the perceived noise and safety issues.

One of the ways the committee has affirmed its commitment to safety is to suggest a double gate system to prevent the dogs in the park escaping when a new dog arrives. “Having a neutral area,” the committee says in a written report, “gives the dog owner time to remove or attach the leash on their way out.”

The report goes on to say that the gate should not be located in the corner of a park. A dog may feel cornered in this situation and the risk of aggressive behaviour increases. Ideally the entry will be along one side at the middle point, the committee says.