Orinda Oaks Park – on Moraga Way between Hall Drive and Ivy Drive – is now fully fenced so dogs and their owners can abandon their leashes. The $108,000 project has been in the works since 2024.
“Off leash, free to roam. Unbound and bounding. Joy on four legs.”
– Mary Oliver
Dogs and dog lovers know just what poet Mary Oliver was writing about, and that’s why they’re more than excited about the new off-leash dog park at Orinda Oaks.
“People have been asking for this,” said Orinda Mayor Brandyn Iverson, and at a “leash-cutting” ceremony on May 16, the fully fenced new park officially opened.
The leash-cutting culminated a process that began in 2024, and included a successful pilot program and construction of perimeter fencing, entry areas and gates, poop bag dispensers and signage.
The key insight learned from a city survey and the year-long pilot program was that a fence was mandatory.
“You can’t use it unless you have a fence,” said Iverson, which became clear during the unfenced part of the pilot program.
Previously a trail head and staging area for hikers, Orinda Oaks Park included amenities such as parking, restrooms, water fountains, trash receptacles, dog waste bag station and picnic tables (available for community reservations).
The hilly and tree-lined 12-acre park also offers a playing field, a horseshoe pit and a barbecue area.
Iverson said its central location – 485 Moraga Way, between Hall Drive and Ivy Drive – was an important factor as well.
The City Council discussed the issue during multiple meetings in 2024, leading the Parks and Recreation Commission to recommend Orinda Oaks Park as the most feasible location for an off-leash dog park.
The mayor said using the existing park was chosen in part because of the estimated $400,000 to $500,000 cost associated with designing and building a completely new facility.
Modifying Orinda Oaks was a more cost-efficient option, with the expenses coming in at $108,000, and the park also includes separate small dog and large dog areas to protect smaller dogs.
Prior to the new park opening, the nearest official dedicated off-leash areas were in Walnut Creek, Danville and San Ramon, since none of the six Orinda city parks included a designated off-leash area.
The off-leash area in Moraga, however, is a shared park with off-leash use allowed during certain times of the day and does not include complete perimeter fencing.
Still, the project is not without some risks.
“Allowing off-leash use could also result in increased wear and tear of the meadow, potential negative interactions between dogs and dog owners, as well as concerns for dogs running out of the designated areas towards populated areas – such as the parking lot and busy Moraga Way,” stated city documents.
But the benefits – including doggie joy, an opportunity for dog owners to socialize and an opportunity to encourage sanitary practices, licensing and vaccination – far outweigh the risks.
Iverson added that the council felt the park was needed for Orinda residents who like to take their dog on a long walk, but who live on a hill, have a small or no yard at all.
For more up to date information visit: orindaready.com/623/Off-leash-Dog-Area.