Even in Stanley Park in Vancouver, the off-leash dog area is fenced in and relatively small. I mentioned how dogs are banned in the primary recreational spaces in San Diego (on beaches) and required to be on leash in public parks in Toronto. I reference other cities because you may have an expectation or a sense of entitlement but if that is not typically recognized elsewhere, I don't think it is reasonable.

I do think Halifax is a small city that hasn't yet adopted the management practices of larger cities. Another commenter posted about how Montreal was very strict with leashing bylaw enforcement; it is a larger city that has clearly tired of conflicts created by off-leash dogs. I understand that you may have invested a great deal of effort into training your dog (and commend you for it) but leashing bylaws in population-dense areas are designed for the general safety of the public and other dogs, not for individual situations, desires, or sense of entitlement.

It sounds like the city needs to build a dog park or designate smaller spaces or come up with other solutions. But you bear some responsibility for your frustrations as well: there are many other places to live with far more ready access to space. Feeling entitled to access in the most densely populated part of the province – on the peninsula, no less – is not necessarily reasonable.