The site of Canberra's new off-leash dog park, narrowed down to a three-way contest from 20 possibilities, will be Weston Park.

Respondents to a community survey overwhelmingly voted for Weston Park (62 per cent), over Black Mountain Peninsula (19 per cent) and Grevillea Park (19 per cent).

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope announced the site decision last week, describing Weston Park as an ideal site because of its central location, availability of urban space, access to non-potable water for irrigation, and shade.

''The park will provide a fenced-off space for dogs and their owners to exercise and socialise in central Canberra. It will feature walking paths, seats, landscaped gardens, bubblers and water supplies for dogs,'' he said.

The site to be fenced off is the existing dog exercise area at Weston Park, between the Royal Canberra golf course and Yarralumla Nursery.

The ACT Government has committed $250,000 for the park, which will bring to three the number of fenced off-leash dog parks introduced by the ACT Government.

The park's project manager with TAMS, Lea Durie, said the existing off-leash parks at Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong, completed in the last 12 months, had been ''a huge hit'', and that demand was increasing all the time.

More than 100 Canberrans and their canine friends use the parks each weekend.

Ms Durie said respondents to the site survey had suggested improvements on the existing two off-leash parks which, budget permitting, would be incorporated into the new park.

''People wanted irrigation, to better maintain the grass, and a separate enclosure for small dogs, because there are some issues with big dogs being around small dogs,'' Ms Durie said.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times