South Richmond will soon have its first official dog park : Phideaux Field, currently a private dog park run by, and in front of, Forest Hill Presbyterian Church .
Why it matters: It’ll bring the total number of public dog parks in the city to four. That could help boost the city’s ParkScore , an annual measure of cities’ park systems by the Trust for Public Land nonprofit.
The big picture: Phideaux Field , a small fenced-in area where off-leash dogs can play on Forest Hill Avenue, was in danger of closing due to rising insurance costs for the church, City Council President Kristen Nye tells Axios.
- They asked if the city could help, and officials and the parks department were happy to answer the call, especially since the city’s latest Parkscore identified a need for more dog parks (and splash pads and playgrounds).
- “It was a unique opportunity to have a long-term lease on a dog park” without trying to find vacant land within the city’s 63 square miles, Nye says.
Plus, the church has long been a great community partner, Nye says, noting that in addition to the dog park, it offers a public meditation garden, free food pantry, serves as a polling place and allows neighborhood association meetings.