One of my favorite things to do is to take my family’s best friend – Scout, our Siberian Husky – to Irvine’s Central Bark Dog Park, located just off Sand Canyon Avenue at 6405 Oak Canyon Road, for off-leash running, playing, and socializing with other dogs.

How about meeting Scout – and me – at Central Bark this Saturday, March 29, at 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Scout Fox

Opened in 2000, Irvine’s Central Bark features almost three acres of open field for off-leash doggie play.  The park is funded and maintained by the City – under the supervision of the Community Services Department and the Community Services Commission.  It features water for dogs, bags for dog droppings, high-quality turf for off-leash running and playing, trees for shade, and shaded seating for human (and sometimes canine) visitors.  It is handicapped-accessible.  There are separate fenced areas for small (or frail) dogs and for large dogs – you will often see smaller dogs running the length of the fence barking at and “chasing” the bigger dogs from the safety of their side of the enclosure.

Central Bark also has its own parking lot for about 30 cars and parking on the street is easy and free.  The park’s lighting allows for longer operating hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except Wednesdays, when it is closed for maintenance.

Entrance is always free.

Central Bark isn’t just a great place for dogs to be social.  It’s also a great place for dog lovers to connect.  It is easy to start a conversation about your dogs, vet care, pet food, the best (and worst) things about Orange County’s dog parks, and the many glories (and the occasional problems) of living life with man’s best friend.

Let’s you and me and our best friends meet at Irvine’s Central Bark this Saturday, March 30.  I will bring Scout, and a short questionnaire that will provide you with the opportunity to let us know what you like and don’t like about the park and your ideas about how we might improve Central Bark for both dogs and people.

See you there!

What: Fox and Hounds – Meet Up with Commissioner Melissa Fox and Scout at Irvine’s Central Bark Dog Park
When: Saturday, March 29, 2014, at 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Where: Irvine’s Central Bark Dog Park, 6405 Oak Canyon Road, Irvine 92618

For park information and for info on closure due to weather, call 949-724-MUDD (6833).

If you have any questions, please contact me at 949-683-8855 or melissa@melissafoxlaw.com.

Update: Thank you to everyone who came to Irvine’s Central Bark yesterday and filled out a survey. We learned that people really love our dog park. There were also some terrific suggestions for making the park even better.  It was great talking with so many people who love their dogs and love our dog park!

Melissa