Zeckendorf Plaza Dog Park

pilot dog park relocation map

May 1, 2024 Update:

Denver Parks and Recreation will be keeping the dog park in place and is planning to request funds through future city budget cycles to make it a permanent dog park. Thank you to everyone that has been visiting the “Zeckenbark” pilot dog park at Zeckendorf Plaza Park since it opened on May 1, 2023.

The pilot was open for one full year, allowing it to be observed through all seasons and a variety of usage patterns. Through community feedback collected from 311 calls, emails, and council office contacts, as well as park rangers and operations staff observations, we have learned that the use of Zeckendorf Plaza Park as a dog park is positively received. Providing off-leash dog areas in dense, urban areas of the city like Capitol Hill is an ongoing challenge, and this pilot has demonstrated that this location avoids the negative noise, smell, and dust impacts dog parks while providing the benefits of having enough space for dogs to run and creating a place for neighbors to meet.

Denver Parks and Recreation is planning to make Zeckendorf Plaza Park a permanent dog park location with future funding and with improvements based on community feedback received (ex. installing benches and dog park surface material). The dog park will continue to remain open for standard park hours of 5 am to 11 pm following regular dog park rules.

May 2023: Zeckendorf Plaza Pilot Dog Park Update

Beginning May 16, 2023: 
To better meet the needs of a dog park in this area of downtown, Denver Parks and Recreation relocated a pilot dog park from Quality Hill Park to Zeckendorf Plaza Park (7th Ave and Lincoln St). Zeckendorf Plaza Park is a 10-minute walk away from Quality Hill Park.

The relocated pilot dog park is larger and open longer, utilizing standard park hours of 5am to 11pm. In addition, this location has less noise impacts on those living nearby. The pilot will be open for an initial period of 12 months to observe the park’s usage across all seasons. The off-leash area at Quality Hill Park is closed as of 5/16/2023.

May 2023: Quality Hill Park Project Update

Quality Hill Neighbors: Thank you for your feedback throughout the 9-month pilot period for the dog park at Quality Hill Park (10th Ave and Pennsylvania St). Through a survey that included 771 responses, along with observation of park use and gathering feedback from community emails, phone calls, and in-person conversations, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) has learned:

  • The dog park is highly utilized day-to-day
  • There is a desire for early morning and later evening access
  • The dog park is used throughout all seasons.

We have also learned that having a dog park located in a dense urban residential neighborhood causes significant noise disturbance, especially for those living immediately adjacent to the park. Thank you to all who provided feedback!

What’s next for Quality Hill Park?

Temporary fencing will be installed to allow the soil to be rehabilitated with new ground cover plantings. Later this year, the project team will reach out to the community to gather feedback on what residents would like to see at Quality Hill to make it a safe and welcoming neighborhood space.

Project Background:

After the initial three-month pilot that kicked off at the end of July 2022, Denver Parks and Recreation decided to extend the pilot dog park by an additional 6 months (until May 1, 2023) in order to continue to evaluate the possibility of a permanent dog park in this location. The extension allowed Denver Parks and Recreation to evaluate the pilot dog park by observing maintenance conditions throughout seasonal changes; impacts to nearby residents based on hours of operation and educational signage, and if dog park visitors used the park in a way that is respectful and compatible with the urban neighborhood context.

Prior to the pilot dog park, Quality Hill Park was temporarily closed starting in late 2021 in response to safety concerns. 

Public Survey | CLOSED

Denver Parks & Recreation wants this park space to best serve the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Responses will be kept confidential. Survey closed September 6, 2022. 

Pilot Relocation Map:

pilot dog park relocation map

Location

675 Lincoln Street, Denver 80203  View Map

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