dog park construction expected to see continued growth

A new report released by the San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land indicates that dog park construction continues to accelerate across the country.
In fact, according to the nonprofit group, such parks today make up the fastest growing segments inside the park departments of the country’s largest cities.
As of the end of 2018, there were 810 operational dog parks in the U.S. That number is up from 774 in 2017, and nearly twice what existed as recently as 2009 when there were 466 such parks nationally.
Cities in the West are among those who have seen the most significant dog park growth.
Portland, Oregon, now has 33 dog parks, followed closely by San Francisco with 32 and Las Vegas at 26.
Also leading the list is Boise and Henderson, Nevada with 15 dog parks each, and Albuquerque with 14 parks.
According to the New York-based Stanton Foundation, which focuses on canine welfare issues, such parks, mostly with dual-gate entrances, on average usually measure just under 33,000 square feet and cost at least $250,000 to build.
Says the magazine CityLab: “Off-leash parks lead the way among the fastest growing parks in America’s largest cities.”
The magazine also notes that such parks are often built in upper income urban and suburban neighborhoods, adding: “Ultimately, dog parks represent decisions about land use, which means they can benefit some to the detriment of others.”

By Garry Boulard

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