Groundbreaking is expected in the fall of 2024, pending Parks and City of St. Louis's final bids and design. The facility could be completed by year-end/beginning of 2025. We’ll continue to update all resource materials as we receive updates along the way.  

Parks anticipates water service to McDonald Park would be affected for a couple of days during construction, as the water line is run to the required water source within the dog park. 

The dog park process began in 2017 with Parks identifying the process to move forward. Committee work began in 2021. Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association adopted the Dog Park as a new standing committee in 2022. The Dog Park application was completed in the summer of 2022. 

The project is funded by the former 15th Ward Aldermanic Funds, voted on by neighbors in 2016 Participatory Budgeting, coupled with Metro Park funding. The dog park was ranked #5 of nine and is the only project yet to have been started or completed. The turf surface dog park is fully funded and shovel-ready.

Dog Park membership-based annual dues will allow access into the gated area for one or multiple dogs, similar to other dog parks in the area. More information coming soon.

Double gated entry; keypad accessed by paid members with proof of current vaccinations; approx. 5,000 sqft; located adjacent to existing pavilion structure in the northwest corner of the park; same space for all dog sizes. This is the last remaining budgeted improvement within McDonald Park, as part of the Aldermanic Funds appropriation, as voted on by the residents of our neighborhood. 

The City of St. Louis Parks, Recreation and Forestry is leading the installation of the dog park and has designated the approx. 5,000 sqft. area within McDonald Park. 

Once built, the Dog Park Committee, as a standing committee of the Tower Grove South Neighborhood Association, is in charge of maintaining the facility and being good stewards of the funds that will be needed to do general ongoing maintenance and eventual replacement of the canine-turf dog surface.

The proposed dog-specific turf surface is designed with maximum wear-and-tear for a dog park like this one. The turf has an average lifespan of 12-15 years under normal environmental and use conditions. 

There are no security cameras planned as a part of this project currently.

Hours of operation are expected to be in line with the Park’s ordinance of sun up to sun down, however, we’re working through membership guidelines regarding early morning quiet times, as well as special smaller dog hours. 

Parks will continue to service the trash cans in and around the park, weekly. Dog waste bags are the responsibility of each dog owner, as is cleaning up after your dog(s).

We’re working to obtain guidance from the city on any additional considerations regarding parking. We do not anticipate a significant amount of additional traffic/parking caused by the dog park, and local dog park research tells us that many neighborhood members will walk their dogs from home to visit.  

This is the first accessible dog park project in the City’s Park System and one of only three public parks in the City of St. Louis with any known accessible amenities. 

Current vaccinations, paid membership, liability waiver, and agree to park policies. Select times for small and shy dogs expected.

We’ll work through best practice guidance for new members on how to best introduce your dog to others. Every dog is unique.

After the initial build, neighborhood support, sponsors and memberships will continue to drive the dog park’s success and sustainability. Consider becoming a pre-construction founding sponsor today! Email dogpark@tgsna.org for more information.

We welcome anyone to become a part of the committee or to drop in on our Dog Park Committee calls. You can give as little as one hour a month to make a difference. We’re currently meeting at 5:30 p.m., the third Monday of each month. 

The Dog Park is intended to be a welcoming place for all who gather, even if you don’t own a dog. With inclusivity in mind, we welcome all to be a part of ongoing conversations on how we can make the dog park a success and welcome your constructive feedback. 

We anticipate overall park cleanup days to increase due to the efforts of the Dog Park committee and neighborhood volunteers, and Parks has added an additional trash can outside of the dog park as a part of the installation of the project.

We’re actively working to identify partnership opportunities that make sense for the sustainability and awareness of the dog park, intending to be a good neighbor and the community in which we serve.