Dog owners are now welcome back to one of Davis’ most expansive dog parks
By PIPER AWEEKA — city@theaggie.org
Toad Hollow Dog Park, a two-and-a-half acre area in Davis, has been reopened to the public after being temporarily closed due to rain and flooding. Divided into two fields for dogs of different sizes, the park is a popular location for owners to spend time with their pets.
Some of the park’s features include a dog exercise area, fenced dog area and open field space, according to the city of Davis website. Though many of the park-goers stated they did not know the park had previously been closed to the public, some dog owners were able to provide a glimpse into the significance of Toad Hollow.
Jillian Lakey, a former Davis resident, explained why Toad Hollow is still special to her even after moving out of Davis.
“We started coming here in 2020,” Lakey said. “We were living at F Street at the time with a little park across the street, but the space to run and the culture of the people here was so much more inviting.”
Davis resident Andy Faletti explained that this was his first experience at Toad Hollow.
“It’s actually just my first time here,” Faletti said. “I visited once during the pandemic and it seemed so forlorn, […] now it’s all green and beautiful.”
After being closed for over a month due to severe flooding, the fields are green again and the community has returned. Given that the park holds a dual function as a retention basin and the lowest point in the city, flooding is not uncommon in wet months. Toad Hollow’s sunken geographical landscape means the park drains especially slowly when flooded, according to the city of Davis website.
“The park site is located within the Core Area Drainage Pond, a drainage basin that provides storage of stormwater runoff from the entire downtown area,” the website reads. “During and following heavy rain periods, when the pond holds stormwater runoff, it is necessary to close the Dog Park.”
One park-goer, Nick McKenna, re-emphasized the importance of the dog park.
“It’s kind of the biggest dog park that’s in the city of Davis,” McKenna said. “Because of that, there’s just a lot more dogs that come here, and I need something for [his dog] to chase around. Also, amenities. There’s not many that have a lot of benches and shade.”
With Davis’ largest dog park now reopened, residents of Davis and nearby areas can once again enjoy the company of other locals. For dog owners, or dog lovers who have yet to own one, check out the Toad Hollow Dog Park at 1919 2nd St. and visit the city of Davis website for more information on the park’s amenities and guidelines.
Written by: Piper Aweeka — city@theaggie.org
