After working hard to obtain the land, collect the supplies, and garner support for the first dog park in the United States, my colleagues and I celebrated its completion in 1979. Ohlone Dog Park in Berkeley was the first of its kind and the amenities were basic: One gate at one end, a water spigot with a tin pail beneath it, and a picnic table set near the gate. Plus lots of open room for dogs to run off-leash.
It was a much-needed resource in Berkeley, one that required many hours of getting petitions signed, talking to city officials and BART leaders (Ohlone Greenway is a strip of land running directly over the BART tunnel in Berkeley), and working with members of the local community. Finally a fence was erected and a wooden sign went up: “Experimental Dog Park.” Well, apparently the experiment worked. The park became a permanent refuge for dogs and their people and recently underwent a renovation.
Early this August, I received an email invitation to the Grand Opening of a new dog park in the East Bay. It was a park I had consulted on with city leaders months before, sharing ideas on safety and security and educating them on basic dog behavior. I was eager to attend the opening.
Parking was almost impossible. Twyla, my rescue Border Terrier mix, and I hiked a couple of blocks, and as we rounded the corner to the park I was amazed at what I saw. There were several vendor booths outside the park gates and a table bearing a large cake that was labeled “For People.” Volunteers were handing out printed and folded programs. A large ribbon was draped across the gate to the large dog play area. The Mayor of the Hercules spoke as Twyla and I waited outside the gate to the small dog area with other excited people and their dogs.
I was like a kid at a birthday. Count down, the gate opens, and Twyla and I are among the first dozen in the new park. I restrained my urge to elbow others out of the way and be the first one in. I am an adult, after all (at least most of the time).
Compared to Ohlone’s 1979 offerings, this park boasts astounding amenities that provided safety and comfort for both dogs and people.
Nowadays, new dog parks are being christened almost every month, and plans for the next “best park” are no doubt in the making as I write this. Some of the great features Twyla and I have recently found in new dog parks include:
- Special areas for small dogs, elderly dogs, shy dogs, and aggressive dogs;
- Fully accessibility for wheelchairs and mobility challenged people;
- A variety of fence types and heights;
- A wide variety of play structures, including agility equipment;
- Solar lighting and coin-operated night lighting (25¢ for 20 minutes of light);
- Wooden or mesh shade structures – in one park there is a button you can push for a mist of water on a hot day;
- Water fountains embedded into cement pads to prevent mud, and some parks have even built small wading pools into the cement pads.
Dog parks have become places of learning for new owners as well as old hands. There are obedience classes provided in some, educational events in others. Some dog park groups hold shot clinics and provide spay/neuter vans for the convenience of park patrons.
I look back again at our first dog park and realize how much has changed, how innovative people have become in providing safety, comfort, fun, and learning for dogs and people alike. We had no idea we were starting such a wonderful trend.
Not all dog people frequent dog parks, while others visit park once or twice a day, religiously. There are interesting conversations to be had between the two factions. The dogs are practically unanimous, however A vast majority leave the park panting, wagging, and drooling from their smiling faces.
New Dog Park in Hercules
The city of Hercules opened its first official dog park on Saturday, July 31, in Ohlone Park (not to be confused with the Berkeley park of the same name). Over 300 people and their canine companions joined the festivities, which included a ceremonial unleashing of the dogs. Ohlone Dog Park is approximately one acre in size and has separate play areas for small and large dogs. Other amenities are in the planning stages. Ohlone Dog Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. For more information, see www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=553.
Ohlone Dog Park
90 Turquoise Dr., Hercules
Hours: Daily from dawn to dusk
Gail S. Green is a freelance writer and author of Dog Parking It! A comprehensive guide to fenced dog parks in California, available at her website or at Amazon. Gail has been a dog trainer and behaviorist for over 40 years in the Bay Area. If you know of any dog parks under development or recently opened, please contact her through her website: www.berrygrovedogs.com.
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