Being a dog owner for the last 11 years of my life, what I’ve always enjoyed more than anything is to take my dog to our neighborhood park and watch him run free like Lassie. But, having other canine buddies to run, bark, and play alongside my pooch wouldn’t hurt…especially in an area where my dog not being on a leash for an hour kicks my anxiety into high gear. And there’s no gates or fences… anywhere. Let my anxiety kick into overdrive!
For all the dog owners out there looking for some designated (and fenced in) space to take your dog, there are two registered dog parks in Oak Park that you and your four-legged friend can enjoy with the obtainment of an Oak Park dog park pass. Soon enough, your dog will be running free like Lassie and your anxiety of letting your pooch run wild and free will hopefully lessen substantially.
Maple Park Dog Park – Located on Maple and Lexington
Opened in 2011, Maple Park Dog Park is a gated 12,000 square feet park with a crushed granite surface. Open sunrise to sunset, this park is available to those who have a dog park pass acquired through the Park District of Oak Park. Amenities include benches, doggie water fountains, electronic entry and exit system, waste bag dispensers, and bathrooms for humans in the surrounding park.
RCRC (Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex) Dog Park – Located south of Lake and Scoville Avenue
RDRC is the newer of the two dog parks in Oak Park. Recently opened in 2014, this park also offers a gated granite surface that covers 11,000 square feet. Available to Oak Park residents who obtain a dog park pass, this park also includes its assortment of amenities such as benches, and kindly enough doggie AND human water fountains.
Both parks require Dog Park passes, so the vaccinations of your dog and every other dog that comes into the park must be up to date. Passes are attainable through the park district and are only available to Oak Park Residents. There’s no catch, only that the passes are good for one year from date of purchase.
Also… If you and your dog are wanting to venture out of Oak Park for some puppy play time, Dogpark.com is a great website to locate dog parks across the country. Enter in any city, zip code, or state and the site will find all registered dog parks in that area. If you’re looking for even more insight on where to go with your canine, it doesn’t hurt to talk to other dogs owners in your area, local animal organizations, and veterinarians.
For more information on dog parks in Oak Park and how to obtain a dog park pass, visit the Park District of Oak Park’s website at http://www.pdop.org.
