The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District has declared 2013 the "Year of the Dog" for the Beaverton area. And they're backing up the designation. With two new dog parks opening in four months, plus a couple of Doggie Paddle days at local swim centers, local dog owners have more options than ever for their pets to get out and about.
On Monday, the district opened its third dog park, located at the Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus. The 1.69-acre site features an all-season woodchip area with gravel pathways. The park's grassy areas will likely open in the spring. According to district spokesman Bob Wayt, the district spent about $150,000 on the new park.
In June, the district opened the Paul and Verna Winkelman Park near the Cooper Mountain Nature Park. Winkelman Park offers two acres on a lush hillside for dogs to romp, frolick and socialize with each other.
The district’s dog parks (it maintains three total) feature fenced-off areas to keep them out of harm’s way, and two of the parks offer dual water fountains – one at human height and one at dog height.
Trees – some grown, some still saplings – dot the parks, and dog waste stations are also available.
Wayt said the district gets requests for dog parks all the time.
"We've had plans in place for years, and now it's taking off," he said.
Wayt said the new park at PCC Rock Creek, north of U.S. 26, is an excellent addition because many families are moving into new homes in the area, but these homes often lack the yard space dogs need.
Lisa Novak, superintendent of programs and special activities for the park district, said that while most of the district's other parks allow leashed dogs, the dog parks' off-leash areas provide a special environment for pups. (The park district is considering a pilot project that would create specific hours in designated off-leash areas for dogs at parks that normally require dogs to wear leashes.)
Jesse Wagner, a 26-year-old student who lives in Beaverton, often brings his Irish terrier, Brazyl, to the off-leash area at Hazeldale Park in Aloha, the park district's third dog park. Wagner, who recently moved to Oregon, said the area's reputation as a dog-friendly place was a big factor in his decision.
He and Brazyl both enjoy dog parks, he said. He chats with other dog owners while she gets exercise and plays with other dogs.
Jim Van Osdell, 60, regularly brings his Siberian husky, Zora, to Winkelman Park, which is near his home. He loves the park, which he said offers lots of room for Zora to stretch her legs.
"This is the best dog park I've seen, and money well spent," he said.
-- Anna Marum
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