{"id":2307,"date":"2023-07-08T22:17:57","date_gmt":"2023-07-09T05:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/partofthething.com\/thoughts\/?p=2307"},"modified":"2023-07-21T07:14:30","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T14:14:30","slug":"seattles-i-5-colonnade-off-leash-dog-park-in-eastlake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/partofthething.com\/thoughts\/seattles-i-5-colonnade-off-leash-dog-park-in-eastlake\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle’s I-5 colonnade off-leash dog park in Eastlake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There’s a dog park under the I-5 interstate in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood. It’s here on a map<\/a>. Many dog lovers hate it. It’s been called sketchy, dystopian, horrifying, and so on. But it’s not all bad. This post describes it a bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Entering from the Eastlake side, at Franklin and Blaine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you’re entering you’ll see a bit of graffiti, ripped up Amazon boxes, and assorted garbage. This has come and gone over the last few years but is fairly common today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
Art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a brief climb, you’ll find the entrance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Picture<\/a>
The north entrance to the dog park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has a gravel surface that gets a bit dusty, and it’s also fully covered by I-5. So it does stay dry in the rain!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
The North entrance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Golden<\/a>
Ready for fun<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It has a weird shape that pinches in a number of times, making it really inconvenient for e.g. frisbee throwing and long running for active dogs. I cannot tell you how many times my frisbee has hit a column and then fallen outside of the fence range, causing me to have to climb the fence and hop over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Used<\/a>
Watch out for needles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are rarely any other dogs here, but when there are, it gets fairly dusty quickly. The neighbors have formed a whatsapp group that is used specifically for coordinating when people are going to this park, because it’s less fun with no other dogs, and many people don’t feel safe here alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Distant<\/a>
Run and a dust cloud<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is a little pavilion with some info<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sign<\/a>
The busted-up sign in the dog park pointing to www.coladog.org<\/a>, which btw is a totally dead URL \ud83d\ude06. I think the new URL is https:\/\/seattlecola.org\/olaoverview\/i-5-colonnade\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a bowl with water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pic<\/a>
Water spigot and bowl in park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The park is long and skinny and goes on for a while with different terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
I guess this is where the ravers go?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are occupied tents near the south side of the park, including some within the fences of the dog park itself. I’ve never had any trouble with people living in them. The lady in the one in the dog park just zipped up her tent as the dog and I went by today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dusty<\/a>
View of tent amongst the mountain bike terrain from the dog park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Dog<\/a>
The tent in the top right is inside the dog park itself. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the south entrance\/exit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Big<\/a>
A nice sign really, but messed up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At least it says they like dogs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Graffiti<\/a>
Another welcome message<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall an interesting park. Better than nothing, but it could use improvements, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n