Bark Park make-over nearly done

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA--Dogs soon will be able to run free in a park that has been

renovated just for them.

City Manager Allan Roeder said Costa Mesa has completed its part of a

bargain struck with residents months ago to improve Bark Park in TeWinkle

Park on Arlington Drive at Newport Boulevard.

Parking has been added and walkways for handicapped access have been

laid. Once the Bark Park Committee plants grass in the park, the city

will be ready to reopen the gates to four-legged park users.

A temporary park for dogs has been set up next to Bark Park and will

be open for up to 90 days to give the committee time to plant grass and

give it time to grow.

A public-review process of the park renovations led to a heated debate

last year over the ground cover. Dog owners were adamant in their desire

for grass instead of wood chips.

But city officials feared the expense of maintaining a lawn that would

be trampled by dozens of dogs each day, Roeder said.

But the City Council approved a plan in October to allow Bark Park

volunteers to try to grow grass at the park, a project that should begin

any day.

“It will be interesting to see if, in fact, grass can be grown there

with so many dogs,” Roeder said.

“It was a challenge put to the committee and the park has been turned

over to the committee to let them try.

“If the committee can make grass grow, the dogs will have grass. If

not, it will remain dirt, which is OK with the dogs too.”

The city has operated Bark Park for years, drawing dog owners from

surrounding cities.

“The park is absolutely wonderful,” said Nalani van Ravenswaay of

Irvine, who visits the park regularly with her dog, Bogart.

“All the dogs get along and get to exercise and socialize. The dogs

like to run and play, and with all the leash laws they can’t do that at

other places. Here, they are allowed to be dogs.”

Sean Lovelace of Costa Mesa, who has two dogs, Buckley and Kaya, said

he looks forward to the reopening of Bark Park. He said his pets haven’t

been unhappy in their make-do quarters, however.

“The new one should look pretty good once it’s completed,” he said.

“What I like about this [temporary] one, even though it’s small, is the

grass and all the trees.”