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HARDY DOG PARK
QUICK FACTS:
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ONE BIG BALL OF FUR
The Three Amigos since puppyhood: Joey, Rex (on the ground) and Callie.
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1.; Location: Claremont and Hudson, Oakland (Rockridge
area).
2.; Open since the late '90s.
3.; Hardy Park Dog Owners Association: President, Nat
Hickerson.;
Email; contact: Mary Eisenhart, marye@yoyow.com
4.; City Council Representative: Jane Brunner, (510)238-7001, brunner@oaklandnet.com
DESCRIPTION; OF THE PARK:
Located; on Caltrans land, the Hardy Dog Park is the
first; legal, city-owned off-leash area in Oakland. It
is; part of a larger recreation area of basketball
courts;, a children's play structure and a creek. It is
quite; popular with dog owners from the surrounding
area; the Hardy Park Dog Owners Association estimates
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REX, COMPOSURE REGAINED
...at the feet of Nat and Kent.
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that; about 4-500 dogs use the park every week, with
about; 100 regular visitors.
The; park is approximately 60 x 25 yards, fenced, with
benches; and two water outlets. What it lacks in
aesthetics; (it's located under the BART tracks and the
24; freeway, and its surface is a mixture of asphalt,
crushed; rock, and dirt) it makes up for in security,
as; the fence keeps running dogs safely confined from
traffic; and other hazards. The overpass also protects
the; parkfrom rain, although some areas get muddy from
runoff; during the rainy
season.;
The; Hardy Park Dog Owners Association works with other
neighborhood; groups to ensure that the interests of
dog; park users are represented in any decisions
affecting; the surrounding park area.
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MOSSWOOD PARK
QUICK FACTS:
1. Proposed site: Mosswood Park (bordered by
Broadway, MacArthur, Webster and the 580 Freeway
2. Status: Neighborhood associations have given their
endorsements (see below). Next step: Caucusing with
the Mosswood Park Advisory Board.
3. Dog owner/contact info: kasakatz@yahoo.com
4. City Council Representative:
Nancy Nadel (510)238-7003.
5. Upcoming events/meetings: TBA (stay posted!)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
C.A.M.P. (Canines At Mosswood Park) is a cooperative
effort between Oakland dog lovers and neighborhood
groups to set aside a troubled area of Mosswood Park
as an enclosed off-leash run.
In city after city, when dog owners "claim" a forsaken
corner of a park, social ills such as prostitution,
drug dealing and homelessness disperse. Mosswood park
neighbors have long felt that the street corridors of
either of MacArthur Blvd. or Broadway could benefit
from the presence a dog park filled with family fidos
and their handlers.
Since 1998, O'DOG collected over 400 petition
signatures from Mosswood neighbors in support of the
idea, got key neighborhood endorsements from West
Oakland Neighbors (WON), Temescal Neighbors Together
(TNT), Kempton Avenue Group, Northlake Neighborhood
Group (NLNG), Merritt Lakesiders and The North Central
Oakland Neighborhood Council (NCONC), also known as
the Beat 8X Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC). Initial informational presentations have been
made to the Parks and Recreation Department, the Parks
and Recreation Commission and The Mosswood Park
Advisory Board.
If you are interested, please do contact
kasakatz@yahoo.com! The dog owners are eager to move
forward with this project and would love to have you involved.
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THE (WEST) OAKLAND OASIS (a working title!)
QUICK FACTS:
1. Proposed site: 32nd and Mandela Parkway in West
Oakland, around the corner from Petco in Emeryville
2. Status: PRE-PRE-design phase. Oakland owns the
property, Cal TRANS will be using it as a staging area
for a while (until 2004-ish). Dog owners got the
thumbs up from both Councilmember Nancy Nadel and the
local neighborhood association, West Oakland Neighbors
(WON). Local dog owners, along with other residents,
met with state staffers in 2002 to to talk about
future park plans. Dog owners have put the idea of a
dog run on the radar screen of the
State-Powers-That-Be.
3. Dog owner/contact info: E-mail:
michaelkeith@prodigy.net; phone: Musia Stagg (510)658-8438
4. City Council Representative: Nancy Nadel (510)238-7003.
5. Upcoming events/meetings: TBA (stay posted!)
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECTED PARK:
After the Loma Prieta earthquake, when the Cypress
Freeway was finally pulled down, neighbors suddenly
saw sunlight where there were once shadows. In the
midst of a crumbling concrete jungle, real live trees
were revealed. Dog owners took one look at the
"daylighted" turf and trees...and decided it would
make a great dog run. Rumor has it there maybe a
little underground spring beneath it all. A little
O'DOG oasis....just waiting for pups and their
humans.
DIRECTIONS:
Here's how to find it: From the Jack London Square
area: go down 7th Street, turn right on Mandela
Parkway, cruise down to where it intersects 32nd St.
and stop -- you are there! Or, if you are coming from
Emeryville, take the Mandela Parkway near Petco and
just drive a few blocks towards Oakland.
So, if you are a dog owner from either the Jack
London, West Oakland or Emeryville neighborhoods and
are interested in this site, please contact one of the
folks listed above (Musia or Michael) to let them know
you are interested. They will mobilize local dog
owners when the time is right.
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MOUNTAIN OF LOVE DOG PARK
QUICK FACTS:
1. Location: Across from 4444 Mountain Blvd. It';s a lovely little parkland "pocket" which meanders from the road entrance back towards the freeway.
2. Status: concept/signature gathering phase with potential support from Council members Desley Brooks and Jean Quan. Parks and Recreation and Public Works are looking at fencing options. Budgeting will be done in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Dept.
3. Dog owner contact: Loretta Strickland: lorvamp@hotmail.com
4. City Council contact: Desley Brooks 238-7006 (District 6) and Jean Quan 238-7004 (District 4's border is just a half mile from park)
5. Upcoming events/and meetings: Petition circulation every weekend, Picnic Saturday June 28,2025 and a Halloween Fundraiser Saturday October 28, 2003. Details of events TBA; to help with petition gathering
contact: lorvamp@hotmail.com
6. Volunteer opportunities: Dog Park supporters have already worked on cleaning up the area on the Fall 2002 Creek to Bay Clean Up Day sponsored by the Department of Public Works. {Emily to supply two photos}.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:
This will be a "natural" park, the basic design of a slightly varied terrain already provided by mother nature. Add in a few big rocks for dog play, paths to weave in and out of the trees and a natural surface composed of the existing soil and "stuff" made from the leaves and flowers of nearby trees and you got one great dog run. Dog park advocates have have been
working on developing this site with City Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works since 2002.
When both the plans and petitions are complete, dog owners will move forward to seek final permission from
City Council.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We can use 3-5 more neighbors to spend one hour circulating petitions. We'll also be looking for help with our picnic this June. Or, if you want to work on the "bigger picture", you can join up with O'DOG organizers when they meet with city departments in the future. It takes a lot of work to create dog parks throughout Oakland, but with your help we can do it. Make sure you have joined our as member on our web site so that you can receive the latest news and calls for action!
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LAKE MERRITT BUTTERDOG PARK
QUICK FACTS:
1. The Proposed Site: The freeway edge of "Library
Park" on Mac Arthur Blvd., between Grand and Lakeshore Avenues.
2. Status: in the design phase and Awaiting
funds.Basic concept and location approved by the city.
3. Dog owner/contact person: Nancy Rieser (510)465-0928
4. City Council Representative: Nancy Nandel (510) 238-7003.
5. Upcoming events/meetings: TBA (stay posted!)
6. Who can help us bring this into reality: Enthusiastic landscape archetects with a sense of whimsy; dog owners to attend design concept meetings; butterfly gardeners to impart knowledge and play in the dirt; eagle scouts who can tackle building a human/dog water fountain (we've already got the plans!) or a rain proof bulletin board; folks with a knack for hustling donations; and last, but not least, Oakland merchants who help enhance communities through material nuts 'n' bolts donations.
THE BUTTERDOG DESIGN CONCEPT:
A "butterdog park" will be an enclosed play area with
a pretty pergola-style entrance, the gate and the
surrounding fence will be draped with lush, butterfly
 and hummingbird-friendly flowers, trees and bushes. The overall aesthetic will please all who pass by or choose to enter -- with or without a pup in tow. Armed with imagination and savvy, designers will rise to the challenge of balancing beauty with the costs of initial planting and ongoing maintainance!
LOCATION:
The proposed site is a piece of parkland along Mac
Arthur Blvd., between Lakeshore and Grand Avenues.
It's centrally located between two council districts
 and is one block away from Splash Pad. (For those
interested in the Splash Pad "back story" -- the
earlier site choice -- see "BRIEF HISTORY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR A DOG PARK IN LAKE MERRITT AREA" section below.)
ADVANTAGES OF THIS SITE:
1. Ball barrier: The dog park's perimeter will serve double duty as a right field fence/ball barrier for the kid's play field, long overdue.
2. Sound: Residences are far away and the noisy freeway overpass will mask dog play noises.
3. Early morning amenities: dog owners who like to sip mocha lattes and work on crosswords puzzles while their pups frolic can swing by the coffee/latte shop and newspaper stands across the street on Grand.
4. Parking: Parking spaces abound under the overpass. Yes, Mac Arthur is a big, busy street but pedestrian crossings are well managed by stoplights and cross walks.
5. Bird issues: Although it's in Lake Merritt Park, it's far from the bird sanctuary.
THE SHAPE AND GENERAL LANDSCAPING OF THE OFF LEASH
AREA: The map above is conceptual at this point. However, once money is lined up, additional design/ brainstorming sessions will be scheduled. Amongst the ideas that could be included in the future: A circular area at one or both ends which could serve as a social gathering space(s)....dog bone shaped, if you will. Other elements on the wish list: a pretty garden gate, lush landscaping around the gate and fence, a few more shade trees, a drinking fountain, benches, pooper scooper bags, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Oh...and dogs!
BRIEF HISTORY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR A DOG PARK IN LAKE MERRITT AREA
Way back in 1998, sixty Lake Merritt dog owners formed the organization "Pooches for Parks" (now a charter organizational member of O'DOG.) It's mission: to help the City of Oakland identify underutilized properties suitable for dog parks. It was at those meetings that we first envisioned our Lake Merritt "butterdog park" concept. We looked at five possible sites near the lake, and decided that Splash Pad Park across from the theater (originally suggested to us by the Parks and Recreation Deptment) was the most ideal location. This sorely neglected No Man';s Land -- the central feature being a broken water fountain, out of commission for no less than three decades -- was a pretty doggone desirable location for dog owners. Little did we envision that this forgotten, little park was soon to be the center of a huge retail development vs. open space political hurricane...all of which had nothing to do with dogs. We were quickly blind sided by a political situation that 740 O'DOG petition signatures and the endorsement of three neighborhood groups could not change.
Long story short: the park was eventually saved from retail development. But after much ado, the city/citizen park design review task force suggested another place close by, but less hotly contested: Library Park. Neighbors participating in a completely different task force, District 3's Green Link Task Force (comprised of community design brainstormers for that particular area) agreed with the first task force and put it into their own preferred design. On September 12, 2025 the dog park concept was presented to the community during a final Grand Avenue commercial district "Community Comment" open house held at the Veterans' building. It was received enthusiastically by both dog owners and non-dog owners alike. Now all we need is the dough to make it happen!
Many, many thanks go out to all the team of dog owners who collected the over 740 signatures. Their calm, enduring patience over the past five years has finally paid off!
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