March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 42

DOG PARKS
Consider Registering Pet
Owners and/or Use Facility
Access Codes
For communities that restrict use
to residents or those with passes,
some form of an easy-to-monitor
control system can be used. Dog
tags, parking passes, card swipes,
electronic pay stations and radio
frequency identification (RFID)
tags have all been successful to
help monitor park users. Even
a nominal annual fee enhances
stewardship and encourages visitors
to take better care of facilities.
When residents are required to
purchase a dog park pass, the fees
should only be used for dog park
maintenance and improvements,
rather than going into the city's
general funds.
Some dog park owners install
video and/or trail cameras focused
on entrance areas. Cameras help
to record evidence when needed
for any incidents between pets, between
owners, or when there may
be cases of vandalism or damage
to facilities. Cameras also help to
capture usage and provide data for
success stories, which can be used
as justification for public promotion
and funding requests.
Entrance/Transition Area
Entrances to dog parks should include
separate transition areas before
accessing each off-leash area.
These 10-foot by 10-foot minimum
areas should use double-latched
gates to reduce the possibility of
dogs escaping unexpectedly while
taking leashes off and putting
them on. Each transition zone
should include two gates: a gate
for entering and exiting the fenced
zone, and a gate entering the offleash
area.
Additional design considerations
for entrances include:
* Using double-spring action hinges,
so gates can swing in either
direction and are self-closing
* Designing enough area to allow
for both gates to fully swing open
without interrupting the swing of
any other gate (i.e., they should
not open into each other)
Important
surfacing
is
not
considerations
for transition zones include:
* Turfgrass
ideal due to
high-traffic soil compaction. Plant
material will struggle or die, leaving
dusty conditions when hot and
muddy conditions when wet.
* Loose fill,
like wood chips or
rubber mulch, washes away or
breaks down, and requires regular
maintenance.
* Crushed stone or poured concrete
surfacing are resilient and
easy to maintain.
Surfacing
Accessibility for all entrances and
pathways leading to and throughout
the dog park is an important
design consideration. Besides paved
surfaces, other materials - such as
synthetic dog park turf - can help
make your dog park a place that
everyone can enjoy. While grass is
ideal for dog-run areas, it can become
worn out by enthusiastic canines.
This is the primary reason for
including multiuse areas on a rotation
schedule. Reinforcing high-use
areas with more durable surfacing
options also can help maintain existing
grass. The grass adjacent to
fence lines is especially susceptible
to damage; creating hard-surface
perimeters provides a walking track
and can reduce maintenance.
Tall fescue is an excellent turfgrass
species for dog parks because
it is tough and resilient during dry
seasons, and has cost-efficient seed.
Similar to sports
turf, dog park
turfgrass areas may require regular
cultural practices - like aeration,
overseeding and fertilization - to
reduce soil compaction, improve
plant health and maintain a safe
playing surface for users.
Water
Drinking fountains are essential for
the health of both dogs and people
after exercising. Without fountains,
users may be forced
to provide
bowls or buckets of standing water,
Dog park turfgrass areas may require
regular cultural practices - like aeration,
overseeding and fertilization - to reduce
soil compaction, improve plant health and
maintain a safe playing surface for users.
42 Parks & Recreation | MARCH 2 0 2 3
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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