Sunday in the park with dogs

We have a weekly routine at our house: Every Sunday afternoon, weather permitting, we load Song and Riggy into the Dreamcar and take them over to Joe Station Bark Park for a good run, then drive through McDonald’s and get them each a double cheeseburger off the dollar menu on the way home.

Joe Station is one of my favorite places in Tulsa, partly because our dogs enjoy it so much, and partly because it’s a terrific example of what can happen when dedicated volunteers decide to do something positive for their community. The city provided the land — an old baseball diamond about a mile west of downtown on Charles Page Boulevard — in 2008, and volunteers took care of the rest. It’s a great success story for anybody interested in grassroots community development.

The only time I’ve been out there when it wasn’t busy was during a Bedlam football game, and people are generally really good about keeping an eye on their dogs and following the park rules to keep everybody safe. It’s also a good educational resource, as you can observe all sorts of dogs (we’ve encountered everything from salukis to shiba inus romping with the more common Labs and pit bulls) and ask their owners questions about temperament, grooming, exercise, etc. Our trips to Joe Station will almost certainly influence our decision next time we adopt a dog.

Great, great resource, and just another reason Tulsa rocks.

Emily