Both local island dogs and fur-ists (that’s tourists, with fur) let out a collective howl of appreciation last month with the opening of the all-new West End Dog Recreation Area, a massive undertaking that has filled a glaring absence among the amenities of Galveston. It is not the first dog park in Galveston, but it is the first on the west end, and the expansive facility easily dwarfs the other three located in town where large tracts of land necessary for a truly proper dog park are simply nonexistent.

Most remarkably, the project was not built by an expensive outside contractor or fancy design firm but developed entirely in-house by City of Galveston employees on a shoestring budget.

“From our city engineers, to our public works department, to our city surveyor, this was everybody’s brain child, assembled from a lot of data we collected from different dog parks in the area,” says current Parks Director Cesar Garcia. “It was a true team effort. We were able to complete a rather large project for a very moderate price considering all the factors that went into it.”

“The fencing was the most expensive thing we had to pay for, but everything else we pretty much did ourselves,” he explains.

City employee Jennifer Ramirez adds that the design elements of the park were assembled almost entirely from recycled materials that the city already possessed. “The culverts we used were from in house, just ones that we didn’t need, or they were picked up from prior jobs that were going to be disposed of,” she says.

The project was originally spearheaded by former city councilwoman Dr. Jackie Cole of Campeche Cove Animal Hospital who led the early collaborative discussions that resulted in Galveston ISD agreeing to allow the city to use the land on permanent loan. Shortly after Cole’s term ended last May, the city also lost their parks director, but staff working on the project did not let the lack of leadership derail their motivation to complete it.

“Our parks director that was here [overseeing the project] actually left, so there was a gap in between where we worked internally on the project until Cesar started,” says Ramirez.

“When we started the project, it was pretty much just a field full of trees, and we had to clear it all out,” she continues. “We were kind of mimicking the one that is League City on Bay Area Boulevard, called Bark Park. It’s a very big park, but I think our park is even bigger,” says Jennifer.

The park also features showers and water fountains placed alongside the entrance. “So when folks bring their furry friends in and they want to wash them before they take them home, they are more than welcome to do so,” says Garcia.

In total, the lot measures nearly four acres, and only a small fraction of that was set aside for a parking area. The remainder was subdivided into separate areas for small and large dogs.

“Ours will also be even nicer [than Bark Park] once all the trees grow in,” adds Cesar. “We have had a lot of requests for more shade, but we just have to be patient and give the trees a little time to grow.”

The trees on the lot are a story in themselves. Their placement was a joint effort with Moody Gardens and SFA Gardens of Stephen F. Austin University led by the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy (GITC) with contributions from the Mary Moody Northen Foundation.

The trees were taken from the SFA research lots at Moody Gardens where students observe the tolerance of certain plant species to wind, salt, and drought. Scattered around these lots were various shade and ornamental trees that needed to be removed to plant new test subjects.

Moody Gardens donated 61 trees, and GITC raised the money to fund moving them from the plots to the park along with three large trees from their contractor’s farm. GITC also installed a solar-powered drip irrigation system for the trees and designed the plan for their precise placement within the dog park. Nine groves were installed, each containing between 3-14 trees, strategically placed to allow for maximum shade in the summertime.

Although the park is fully functional in its present state, Cesar Garcia assures Galveston residents that it is not yet a finished project as staff seeks to add even more elements for doggie fun.

“One of the features we have added is an enclosed area where, in the future, we would like to add an area for doggie birthday parties, or possibly a splash pad, maybe even more trees.” says Garcia. “We’re not quite there yet,” he adds, but maintains that the park will continue to be improved and enhanced.

Galveston Dog Parks All Parks Open Dawn-Dusk

°West End Recreational Dog Area -- 2115 83rd Street
Lindale Dog Park and & Agility Course -- 400 Marine Drive in Fish Village
Gus Allen Sr. Park -- 2800 Church Street
Menard Park -- 28th & Seawall Boulevard (Next to McGuire Dent Recreation Center)

Off Leash Dog Park Rules Per the City of Galveston:

°All dogs must be on a leash while entering and exiting the dog park.
Dogs are not required to be on a leash while in the fenced area of the park. All dogs must be under the control of the owner/handler and there is a limit of two (2) dogs per owner/handler in the park at any time.
No dog may be left unattended in the park and must be within view of and within voice control of the owner/handler at all times. Dog owners/handlers must be physically capable of controlling their dogs and must prevent aggressive behavior, biting, fighting, and aggressive barking.
Dogs showing any aggression must be leashed and immediately removed from the park. Dogs with a known history of aggressive or dangerous behavior are prohibited from entering the park.
Dog owners/handlers must carry one leash per each dog under their control while in the park.
Dogs under four (4) months of age are not allowed in the park.
Dogs must have current vaccinations to enter the park.
Dogs must wear a collar with a current rabies tag and current city license tag while in the park.
Dogs must be healthy and free of contagious diseases and parasites while in the park.
Dogs in heat are not allowed in the park.
Appropriate dog toys are allowed in the park, but not toys that are edible such as rawhides and bones.
Dog owners/handlers are responsible for immediately picking up and disposing of all of their dog's waste in appropriate receptacles.
Dog owners/handlers must repair any damage caused by their dog (such as holes dug by the dog).
Animals other than dogs are not allowed in the park.
All children thirteen (13) years of age and younger must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times while in the dog park.
No food (dog or human), glass or metal containers, bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, scooters, strollers, carriages, smoking or alcohol are allowed in the dog park.
The park is subject to closure upon a determination by the city that there is a reason deemed to be in the public's interest or safety or for maintenance.
Any person who violates the dog park rules may be removed from the park and may be prohibited from returning to or using the park. Violations of these rules are punishable by a fine of up to $500.