Barker Field

1/13/13:

                                                             Stars: 4.5 out of 5

                              Pros: Big, lots of seating, access to trash, lots of parking
                                 Cons: Entrance is tiny, hard to locate the first time

     One thing I missed about Blacksburg was the dog park. And I think my dog would agree with me. It was a great place to bring here to let her burn off a little (ok, a lot) of steam. So, upon arriving in Richmond, I searched for one. Apparently Richmond has had some issues creating them in the past, but due diligence allowed me to find one sorta close to home. So, Kamea and I headed out to Barker Field, Richmond's first dog park (Barker Field).

     Barker Field is located off Shirley Lane/Park Drive in Maymont/William Byrd Park. It was a touch confusing to find the first time, but now I just look for the giant tower by the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater. That's where the dog park is. A sign or two with an arrow wouldn't hurt either...

     The dog park was hopping by the time I got there. Granted, it was like 1 in the afternoon. I would say there were probably 15 dogs there, which is good. I don't mind an empty dog park some days, but I needed Kamea to run around so this was good. We went in through the double gate system, which is a great system. The only issue I had was that it was super small. There is hardly enough room for a person to get in, close the first gate and then open the second let alone a person and a dog. Even an extra 3 feet would have been great because having to keep the first gate open in order to open the second defeats the purpose. But, I understand that all the work and supplies here are donated and volunteered which means they did the best with what they had.

     The trash bins are right next to the entrance. They are giant bins that are fenced in so the dogs cant tip them over. Please make sure you clean up after your dog. Maybe even grab a little extra poo on the way to the bin. I understand that you come to the dog park partially to socialize, but please keep an eye on your dog. You should know when they have pooped. This is not a complaint against Barker as everyone I saw there cleaned up the poop. It's just a statement in general as I have seen it in the past. You wouldn't go to a playground and then not watch your kid... I'm very glad Barker and the City of Richmond provide such great access to poop disposal. Kudos. I also really like the message board. It allows not only for dog park related news, but also community info to be disseminated to the general public.

     The dog park itself is fairly large. There was a ton of room for Kamea to run and explore without being mobbed by dogs. She truly appreciates that. It's not overly convenient to bombing a tennis ball due to its layout, but I still found a place to toss her one. There is also a lot of seating, both covered and exposed. There were chairs, benches and picnic tables. One note on that, and this is directed ONLY to the stupid couple I saw doing this; DON'T BRING FOOD INTO THE DOG PARK!!! These two brought in sandwiches and then got annoyed that all the dogs swarmed them. YOU HAVE FOOD YOU IDIOTS!!! Sorry, I'm done now. I just can't abide stupid people. But, I digress. I appreciate the seating, especially the shaded seats. Sometimes the sun gets unbearable. And they are still open enough to allow a breeze. And there is enough so people aren't waiting on you to leave in order to snag your seat.

     For those of you with little dogs (why you would have a dog under 30 lbs. I'll never understand) don't you fret. There is a separate little dog area. It has it's own entrance and it's own seating. It's a good size for your little critter to run around with out being mistaken for a chew toy. And I have been to a park where this wasn't an option. Not good... You also have grass over there. Enjoy that, cause I wish we could. Wood chips are fine, but I'm a grass man.

     I will certainly take Kamea here in the future. Everyone there was extremely friendly and all the dogs seemed pretty well behaved. And the fact that there were so many and it still seemed empty and open is great. Less issues that way. So, if you're in the West End, take your pooch to Barker Field. They will thank you for it... after they wake-up from the 5 hour nap they'll take after leaving.