Jackson Bark facts for kids

Jackson Bark stone sign created by sculptor James Lax [1], incorporated into an agility feature with stairs and slide.

A-frame and Tunnel in foreground with Tire-Hill in the background

Wheelchair and stroller access, one of three entrances/exits.

Pup Pub, one of three water stations

Bone Bench, one of six benches

7 foot tall hydrant sprays fresh water into three pools

'Lightning Bolt Walk' has two elevated tight turns; constructed of two construction horses and five rubber speed bumps.

"Fort Jackson Bark" is not only a place to get some shade but also to play 'hide and seek" and capture a photo-op. In the background, Little Free Library and one of two water stations

Stool Circle also doubles as sitting circle for pups and puparents a like.

Jackson Bark's first community art piece titled 'Jackson Paw-lock", every different colored paw is a pup/artist who participated. Inspired by contemporary artist Jackson Pollock

The Blues Brother's Dog Days Lounge inspired by contemporary artists George Rodrigue and Stephen Huneck

Photo-op signs inspired by contemporary artists Clet Abraham [2] and Izaac Zevalking [3]

Photo-op signs inspired by contemporary artists Clet Abraham [4] and Izaac Zevalking [5]

Jackson Bark is a community dog park located in and named after Jackson Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States. The dog park is an adaptive reuse of four abandoned tennis courts built with over 90% recycled materials, making it the largest 100% enclosed dog park in the city. Development began in the spring of 2014 and has been growing and evolving ever since. Jackson Bark is completely funded and maintained by the community and charges no entrance fee. With over 20 dog parks in Chicago, Jackson Bark is the first dog park on the southside, plus has more amenities, dog-friendly/safety features and photo-ops than any other community dog park in the state [6].

Amenities

Features include a free parking lot, lights, 3 canine drinking water stations, 3 double-gated entrances/exits (including wheelchair accessible), 1 first aid kit, 1 bunker, 1 fort, 4 toy baskets, 2 teeter-totters, 6 benches, 12 chairs, 5 tables, 3 garbage bins, 3 ramps, 20 bag dispensers, 15 cardboard scooper dispensers, 6 sun-shades, 7 wade-pools, 2 a-frames, 6 walks, 4 tunnels, 2 hurdles, 4 hoops, 2 time-outs, 2 weaves, 2 tire-hills, 1 shaded pup lounge, 1 spool-circle, 1 community board, 1 news board, 1 lost dog board, 2 tether-balls/poles, 2 pause tables, 1 middle fence/gate, 1 art gallery corner, 1 puparazzi/red-carpet, 1 giant fire hydrant, 1 K9 memorial photo-op feature, 1 website (plus a dozen social media sites) and a Little Free Library.

Accolades

Jackson Bark was named one of the best dog parks in the city by Chicago Reader (2016 & 2017), Chicago Magazine (2017), CBS News Chicago(2016), Foursquare (2017), TaskEasy (2017), Yelp (2017), Curbed Chicago (2018) and referred to as a "Woofworthy Spot" by RedEye (2017), a "Pup Paradise" by Southside Weekly (2016), as a "Best Dog-Friendly Vacation" spot by Minitime [7], a "much loved and much needed" dog park by Jackson Park Watch [8] and "Best Dog Park in Illinois" by Woof : The Dog Lover's Social and Dating App (2018), and one of the "Top 10 Dog Parks in America’s Biggest Cities" by Hellowdog (2018)

Inspiration

Jackson Bark is an accumulation of best practices in upcycling, inspired by unique dog park amenities, Wiggly Field's Time-Out and Dog Mountain's Dog Chapel, and by the work of contemporary artists George Rodrigue, Stephen Huneck and Clet Abraham [9], Izaac Zevalking [10], and Jackson Pollock.

Future

The fate of the Jackson Bark is uncertain. Despite all the dog park's accolades, the Chicago Park District endorsed the Tiger Woods Design proposal to expand [11] the Jackson Park Golf Driving Range to the north, in the direction of Jackson Bark. In reply, Jackson Bark has made a series of counter proposals [12] [13] all of which have been ignored by the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance [14], Chicago Park District and TGR Design [15]

Hollywood puparazzi board red-carpet photo-op feature