We Built It
The dog park is inside Gateway Park, owned by Arlington County. Gateway Park has 2 sides, East and West. The East side hosts events like Rosslyn Jazz Fest, movie nights, and festivals. The West side was underused and avoided by many. Now dogs play and people walk by to watch them.
A group of neighbors had the idea to build a dog park in the West side. They surveyed the number of dogs within an 8 block radius, designed the concept, raised awareness, approached the County, and eventually earned approval. Then they raised private funds and used them to build the park.
Now the dogs have a place to go and neighbors have returned to the park.
Dog Parks: History and Fun Facts
First dog park built 1979 in Berkley, CA.
By 2015 National Parks and Recreation Association described dog parks as "the fastest growing segment of city parks.“
Dog parks encourage meeting neighbors with community atmosphere
2018 Trust for Public Land “more than 300 new dog parks opened in America's 100 largest cities between 2009 and 2018 a jump of 40%.”
Rosslyn today has over 400 dogs within four – five blocks of Gateway West
By 2022 more than 600 dogs expected within Rosslyn immediate area
