My Rocky doesn't play well with dogs off leashes in dog parks, so there is no reason for me to take him to any dog park. I think dog parks are nice where properly located, and Astro Park is not the right location. It is in a busy pedestrian area with an adjacent play structure for small children, and the Canadian geese come chomp the grass. Now I suppose one could argue that the geese have plenty other grass by Lake Merritt to chomp, but I'd like to see someone get them to listen and cooperate.
The area is used happily as an outdoor gym across the street from Gold's Gym which some people might not have the money to utilize, or perhaps some people like to do their pull ups in the fresh air. Soccer games are played on the grass by groups of mentally disabled individuals, and small children take a soccer class in the same area.
What truly amazes me is something that I observe during the rainy season and no one mentions it as a problem. When the rain comes on strong, all you have to do is look out at that piece of field, and all little and various creeks that used t naturally drain into the Lake Merritt estuary area begin to surface despite all the urban build up. Over on the other side of the Lakeview branch of the Oakland Public Library, you can find the names of the various creeks, like Indian Gulch that ran out of the hills from the Trestle Glen area, recorded in the walkway area near the lake. Right about where you see the geese in the photo is where the outline of the creek begins to build up in winter.
Who wants their dog running in muddy water? Am I the only one who sees a problem with this?
When it's dry, do we really want to run off the grass until we have an eyesore? I don't think so, and I am glad other people aren't so keen on this dog park, either. There is a very nice dog park up Grand Avenue within maybe a mile away across the street from the Rose Garden, on the border of Oakland and Piedmont. We have enough going on with the Farmer's Market and all the weekend activity without adding a dog park to the mix.
You can try to take the country out of the city, but it just keeps trying to come back.
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