Naty K.
Yelp
This place has gone to the dogs. Literally! If you ever needed proof as to why a human park and a dog park cannot co-exist, this is the proof you need. Poop is everywhere, from the sidewalk to the grass. I think the only place where you may be lucky to not find poop is in the volleyball courts, only because there are always people there. It's quite a shame, this park has beautiful views, is huge, and has plenty of activities, from exercise equipment for the adults, a covered playground for the kids, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts and sometimes the occasional barbeque or capoeira class, but the inconsiderate dog owners always ruin everything.
I will spare you the pictures of all the dog poop I encountered upon visiting, but my point is, there are signs everywhere asking for owners to clean up and no one does so. I wish it would be enforced, or at least maybe they should have a portion of the park cordoned off and dedicated to being the locals' dog toilet and let THEM step in their own pet's crap. Why is it that humans are expected to clean up after their children but the same cannot be expected of parents of dogs (who are essentially like a child)? It's sad that children cannot walk barefoot on the grass, roll around, run, or sit on the grass without getting poop all over, thanks to these inconsiderate people.
Anyway...if this park did not have that problem, it would be amazing. There are beautiful mosaic throne-like chairs, sidewalks for rollerblading or bike riding, and plenty of options for both grown ups and kids to keep busy. The park is always full of people of all ages rollerblading, playing basketball, jogging, playing tennis or volleyball. They are mostly locals, although sometimes people come from other parts of town (as evidenced by some of the Yelpers who reviewed the park). I also want to mention that the homeless problem seems to have been remedied, thanks to more of a local park presence, more people moving to the area, the opening of Bottega on the Bay, as well as an increased police presence (the person who mentioned that police = crime obviously isn't very smart, it's the presence of police patrolling that DETERS crime). The no panhandling zones created in the area have also probably contributed to the homeless population relocating, as I was there last night until 8 pm and did not see any homeless people.
I do think that the park could afford some better maintenance though. The bathrooms were mostly lacking in toilet paper, except for 2 stalls, and there was no soap left. I am not sure who needs to be contacted for soap and toilet paper to be re-stocked and if they even do so, but if they had someone hosing down the dog poop and replenishing bathroom essentials, this park could be a 5-star park. I also wish there was more parking, this seems to be a bit of a problem since the park is always full. I found parking about 3 blocks away, but only after circling around a few times.
There are interesting crowds, everything from lawyers to housewives, to students, to artists. People are generally friendly, and because I don't know of many parks with volleyballs courts, basketball courts, exercise equipment for adults, a COVERED playground, and tennis plus views, all in one, I give it 3 stars. Hopefully, dog owners will eventually get a clue and start caring about the park, which is for everyone's use, not just dogs.