THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
Be still my beating little heart!
I've got full Blogging Duty this morning - my Right Hand, Lil' Gracie Moss, is out getting her toenails done. A "pet-icure," - I think that's what she called it!
It's going to be nice in Chicago over the weekend - not too hot, and, hopefully, minimal rain. Doesn't it sound like a great weekend to take us to a Chicago Dog-Friendly Park?
According to UrbanHound.com, there are 8 dog-friendly parks around the North Side of Chicago. Here's a summary list, perfect for your humans to carry in their pocket or purse. You never know, the urge might strike you to take out your favorite canine at any time.
LAKEVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD
Challenger Bark, 1100 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago IL. Adjacent to the Red Line L Tracks and Graceland Cemetery, this little Pocket Park is modest, but still offers a doggie water fountain, a bench, and a clean concrete surface with good drainage. The Challenger Park Dog Area Council maintains the park well, and just planted two trees here, that will grow and give good shade.
Hamlin Park, 3035 N. Hoyne Avenue, Chicago IL. Tight quarters here, jammed up against the fence of the tennis courts, and L shaped. But every dark cloud has a silver lining - plenty of errant tennis balls find their way onto the dog-friendly grounds.
WICKER PARK NEIGHBORHOOD
Walsh Playground Park, 1722 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago IL. Tight quarters here, but a nice, long run to play fetch during off-peak hours.
Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago IL. Modest in size, this triangular stretch in a popular neighborhood park is often crowded, but provides large trees for lots of shade. The Local Alderman even supplied a special dispenser stocked with plastic bags - very handy for, well, you know!
UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
Margate Park/Puptown, 4921 N. Marine Drive, Chicago IL. ROOMY is the buzzword (or, more appropriately, the bark word) here! Plenty of room to stretch your legs, plus several benches under which you can rest your weary paws after a hard afternoon of play time. Bring over a few of those loose tennis balls from Hamlin Park!
LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD
Wiggly Field (Grace Noethling Park), 2645 N. Sheffield Avenue, Chicago IL. The Granddaddy of all Chicago Dog-Friendly Parks, Wiggly opened in 1997. It's also my favorite, because of its proximity to my Favorite National League Baseball Park, just over a mile away.
Ole' Wiggly has got a lot of space, great shade trees, and a bunch of benches where us smaller dogs can seek shelter from those over-sized Shepherds and Rotts. Near De Paul University, this dog park is usually crowded, but the "social scene" can't be beat here! And most of the dogs who frequent this park are pretty well educated.
SOUTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD
Coliseum Park, 1466 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago IL. Again, not another super-attractive dog park, but until the larger Grant Bark Park opened in 2006, this was the only off-leash option in the South Loop. A bit noisy because of the El trains above, but we dogs can adjust. Don't worry!
Grant Bark Park, Columbus Drive at Balbo Street, Chicago IL. The newest off-leash dog park in the City of Chicago opened in July, 2006. It's one of the nicest, with asphalt and gravel runs, shade trees, and plenty of space. There is also a great drinking fountain here which accommodates all of us dogs - big ones, and lil' ones.
You dogs - am I missing any? Please write to let me know!
To use any Dog-Friendly Area or Park in Cook County, the county in which the City of Chicago is located, humans must purchase a permit and registration tag - $5.00 - available from many vets. A current Dog License is REQUIRED, and all you dogs must be examined by a vet and be vaccinated against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, para-influenza, parvovirus, and bordetella. The permit must be renewed annually.
Want more info? Check out my post last night (after the Cubs Won!) @ BlogChicagoHomes.com. It links to Suburban Chicago Dog Friendly Areas via the UrbanHound.com website.
And - play safe, you dogs!
YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
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