Dogs of Leisure

Coronation Park

2010-03-06T13:17:00.006-05:00

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Terrain: Nice, fairly large treed area right on the lakeshore.

Safety: Fully fenced.

Water: None I could see.

Tips: Paid parking is available on Remembrance Dr. which is a one way going east.

Rating:

Sir Winston Churchill Park

2009-12-20T15:46:00.003-05:00

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Terrain: A large park overlooking the ravine.

Safety: Fully fenced.

Water: Water fountain with dog bowl available seasonally.

Tips: The off-leash area was very icy when we went but should be much nicer in the spring. Plenty of room to run and lots of nice dogs to play with.

Rating:

Cherry Beach

2009-12-19T15:40:00.002-05:00

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Terrain: Situated on Lake Ontario, this area features a mixture of sandy beach and well-treed terrain.

Safety: Fenced on the north side, bordered by the lake. Open on the eastern-most part by the parking lot, but you should have no worries about your dog escaping.

Water: Not sure (other than the lake).

Tips: Washrooms open seasonally. It can get quite a bit chillier along the lakeside, so dress appropriately in cold weather.

Rating:

Garnetwood Park

2009-12-09T11:11:00.004-05:00

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Terrain: A fair-sized off-leash area in a larger park. Mostly dirt with some mature trees.

Safety: Fully fenced.

Water: None.

Tips: The park is located on the north side of Burnhamthorpe right next to the Sheridan Nursuries. Due to the terrain, it can get quite messy after appreciable rainfall or in the early spring when the ground is thawing, so bring some towels for the car.

Rating:

Edit: After visiting the park today, I adjusted the rating to a 3/5 due to the poor drainage in the park which leads to muddy and/or icy conditions.
Thanks to Michael for the tip!

Cedarvale Park

2009-12-06T20:41:00.009-05:00

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Terrain: Situated in a beautiful ravine, there is one year-round off leash area, and a seasonal, snow-fenced area that is open from November to April.

Safety: Year-round area is full fenced in, seasonal area has two openings in the snow fence.

Water: None.

Tips: You can park on the side streets to the west of the park or at the arena. Not knowing exactly where the park was, we parked at a pay parking site at Bathurst and Heathdale and walked through the surrounding neighbourhood, which boasts some great architecture that spans from Georgian to metal-clad moderns.

Rating:

Rennie Park

2009-12-05T12:15:00.003-05:00

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Terrain: Just across the pond from High Park, Rennie Park is a picturesque, although small park.

Safety: Partially fenced with natural boundaries.

Water: None, other than the ponds

Tips: Due to it's size – possibly reduced by the current naturalization project – you and the dogs will probably quickly tire of this park. Will be nice in the summer when the dogs can swim.

Rating:

Trinity Bellwoods Dog Bowl

2009-12-03T18:48:00.002-05:00

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Terrain: A unique dog park situated in a grassy bowl in the middle of downtown Toronto's most popular park.

Safety: Not fenced, but the bowl is steep enough to keep your dog contained.

Water: Water fountains during the spring and summer only.

Tips: Plenty of street parking around the park. Directly across the street from the park on Queen, there is a great café called Clafouti where you can grab a coffee and French pastries. YUM.

Rating:

All Dog Parks Big and Small

2009-12-03T11:17:00.035-05:00

This blog was started with the intention of it being a one-stop resource for reliable information on dog parks all over the GTA. Having only 52 weekends a year to explore them, I can't possibly get to them all fast enough. That's where you come in! You can help build this network by submitting your own reviews!

WAG Dog Park

2009-12-02T18:56:00.001-05:00

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Terrain: Very large park with a great view of the lake and Burlington Skyway.

Safety: The park is fully fenced in.

Water: Not sure.

Tips: This fantastic park has all the amenities for humans, including a shelter for when the weather is fit only for dogs.

Rating:

Jack Darling

2009-12-02T18:44:00.002-05:00

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Terrain: Very nice, large park located by Lake Ontario in a quiet suburb.

Safety: The off-leash area is fully fenced in, with double access gates.

Water: None when we visited in October.

Tips: The easiest access is at the end of Contour Dr., but take note of the No Parking signs here and down the southern end of Parkland Ave. There is free street parking just north of Contour Dr. You can also access the park via the main parking lot, but locals tell me it fills up pretty fast on weekends. Note: When we were there, a bylaw enforcer was doing license spot-checks and handing out tickets, so make sure your pup's license is up-to-date and on it's collar!

Rating:

Wychwood Barns

2009-12-02T18:22:00.004-05:00

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Terrain: Nothing special. The off-leash area is fairly small, but for an urban dog park, it's quite nice. The barns themselves are worth a visit, especially on market day.

Safety: The dog run is fully fenced in.

Water: None when we visited in October.

Tips: There is plenty of parking along Christie St. For the humans, there's a Starbucks at Christie and St. Clair. Be sure to stop by The Stockyards around the corner on St. Clair for some amazing take-home BBQ.

Rating:

Don Valley Brickworks

2009-12-02T17:44:00.005-05:00

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Terrain: The off-leash area is wooded, but narrow, like a dog run. The off-leash areas surrounding the Brickworks are a combination of woods and marshlands. Very scenic.

Safety: The dog run is fully fenced in, the other areas are wide open. Take care when letting your dogs off-leash here.

Water: None when we visited in October.

Tips: While quite beautiful, the Brickworks are somewhat isolated and no washrooms were available when we went, so make sure you bring your coffee with you and hit the loo beforehand. Note: the dog run is directly west of the parking lot.

Rating:

High Park

2009-12-02T12:00:00.063-05:00

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Terrain: Combination of an open play area with benches for the humans, and a scenic wooded trail system.

Safety: Partially fenced, you'll have to keep an eye on your dog.

Water: Water supply on-site.

Tips: There are parking spots available directly west of the entrance to the off-leash area on Colborne Lodge Rd. The parking lot directly behind the Grenadier Cafe is usually full with many cars circling looking for a spot.

Rating: