a neighbor-led idea for Liberty Park

A dog park
for the Valley.

A safe, fenced place for Valley dogs to play, run, and socialize off-leash — and for their owners to meet a few neighbors. Let dogs be dogs.

Sign On & Support →
~1
acre / requested footprint
0
off-leash parks in the upper Valley
100%
community-funded & stewarded
The idea

A small, well-built fenced dog park on the new Liberty Park land.

The Valley Bark Park Initiative is a community-organized proposal to include a thoughtfully designed dog park in the master plan for the newly acquired parcel at Liberty Park.

The Liberty Park board is considering several amenities for the new land. We believe a fenced dog park — sited carefully, built durably, and stewarded by the people who use it — belongs on that list.

This isn't a fight with the board. It's an offer: organized community support, design input from the people who'll use it most, and a real commitment to funding and upkeep.

  • About one acre, fenced, on the new Liberty Park parcel
  • Separate areas for small & large dogs
  • Double-gated entries for safety
  • Durable ground cover & proper drainage
  • Shade, seating, waste-disposal stations
  • Community fundraising & volunteer stewardship
Why it matters

What a good dog park does for the Valley.

01

Safe off-leash exercise

Many Valley homes don't have fenced yards, and busy roads make off-leash play unsafe elsewhere. A secure space gives dogs room to actually be dogs.

02

A real gap in the Valley

There is no dedicated off-leash dog area in the upper Valley. Residents currently drive to Big Dee Park, Fort Buenaventura, or further.

03

Neighbors meeting neighbors

Dog parks are one of the few amenities that bring residents of all ages together regularly — a low-key community gathering spot, no programming required.

Hearing both sides

Concerns raised — and how the plan addresses them.

Not everyone in the Valley is enthusiastic, and that's fair. Here are the concerns we've heard most often, and how a well-designed park can address each one head-on.

Noise & barking will bother neighbors.
Siting matters. Locating the park away from the nearest residences, with a vegetative buffer and reasonable hours of use, keeps sound levels modest. Well-exercised dogs are quieter dogs — most barking happens when animals are bored or confined, not when they're actively playing.
It'll be muddy, smelly, and poorly maintained.
Built-in stewardship is the answer. Plentiful waste-bag stations, durable ground cover (gravel, decomposed granite, or turf), proper drainage, and a volunteer stewardship group keep the park clean. The community using it is the community maintaining it.
Water access will create mud and standing water.
Proposed water stations at the dog park would be designed with proper drainage and durable ground material to help prevent muddy conditions. Options such as gravel, artificial turf, concrete pads, or drainage systems around water access points can minimize standing water and reduce mess while still providing a safe and convenient source of drinking water for dogs.
Dog fights, aggressive dogs, off-leash incidents.
Clear rules, posted signage, and separate areas for small and large dogs reduce incidents dramatically. Most well-designed dog parks have fewer issues than busy trailheads, where dogs from different households meet unleashed without structure.
It uses land that could go to something else.
We're asking for about one acre — a small portion of the new parcel. The dog park can coexist with other amenities the board is considering, not replace them. We want to be part of the master plan, not crowd it out.
Cost & ongoing maintenance burden.
Community fundraising covers capital costs. Volunteer stewardship covers day-to-day upkeep. The ask of the board and OVPSA is access to land and approval — not significant ongoing budget. RAMP funding and in-kind donations make this realistic.
Get involved

Add your name. Make the Valley's case.

The board listens to numbers. The more Valley residents who show their support — to volunteer, to donate, or just to be counted — the stronger the case.

Sign on below. You'll get occasional updates as the proposal moves through Liberty Park, OVPSA, and the public-comment stage. Nothing more.