Trinity Bellwoods Park's off-leash area
Dogs: Off the leash in the OLA
Yes. Trinity Bellwoods has a dogs off-leash area, open 6 am to midnight, with a dog fountain. It has no fence, so your dog needs to come back when called. Everywhere else in the park, keep your dog on a leash.
Last checked 21 October 2026. Rules change, so read the signs at the entrance.
Rules for dogs
- Off-leash hours: 6 am to midnight. (City of Toronto, Dogs Off-Leash Areas list)
- It has no fence. The ground is grass and limestone screenings, about 15,700 square metres, with a dog fountain. (City of Toronto, Dogs Off-Leash Areas list) Our tip: With no fence, let your dog off only once it comes back when you call.
- Commercial dog walkers may use it. (City of Toronto, Dogs Off-Leash Areas list)
- Everywhere outside the off-leash area, keep your dog on a leash no longer than 2 metres. Letting it run loose elsewhere can cost up to $615: a $500 fine plus surcharges. (Toronto Municipal Code, ch. 349, § 349-12.1; City of Toronto, Responsible Dog Ownership; City of Toronto, Dogs Off-Leash)
- In every City park, dogs may not go into playgrounds, splash pads, wading pools, sports fields, tennis courts, rinks or toboggan hills, or anywhere posted to keep dogs out. (Toronto Municipal Code, ch. 608, § 608-1 and § 608-34)
- City rules in every off-leash area: your dog must be licensed and vaccinated, and stay in your sight and under your control; never leave it there alone. Dogs with a history of biting, pit bulls and females in heat may not go in, and no training or electronic devices. Pick up the poop: the City has Green Bins in its off-leash areas. (City of Toronto, Dogs Off-Leash; Toronto Municipal Code, ch. 608, § 608-34)
Why it's called the Dog Bowl
blogTO calls it Bellwoods' famous crater, "a.k.a. The Dog Bowl": a sunken space in the middle of the park with no fence, whose steep sides, it says, make leaving it unattractive to dogs. The park sits on top of Garrison Creek, which now runs underground. (blogTO, 16 Apr 2021; City of Toronto, Trinity Bellwoods Park page)
Where it is
Queen Street West at Strachan Avenue. The pin is where the City's off-leash map puts the area. Open in Google Maps (a rough pin, not the gate).
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Nearest places on this list
- Coronation Park, 1.9 km away in a straight line. Off the leash in the OLA
- Hair of the Dog, Church Street, 3.2 km away in a straight line. On the patio
- Allan Gardens, 3.6 km away in a straight line. Off the leash in the OLA
Related posts
Something here out of date? If the signs at the entrance say something different, tell us and we'll check it and update this page.
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