There’s a park near my office that we’ve been meaning to check out. We driven by the area a few times and we’ve seen the signs and the park from a distance, but we never had Markus with us. On this particular day, Markus came to work with me and since we were in the area already, we decided to check the park out. There's so much packed into New Brighton Park in Vancouver and this week, we're breaking it all down for you.

About New Brighton Park

• Type: Park

• Length: 1 km (around the outer perimeter of the park)

• Traffic: Moderate

• Route Type: Loop

Towards the end of Renfrew St., tucked in behind the PNE, New Brighton Park is a bit hidden, but it is a very popular park. Located towards the water next to some really big ports and terminals, it’s not an area where you would expect to be a park. At least for me, when I was in that park, there was a little bit of an industrial feel because of what’s around it, but the actual park is pretty nice and there are plenty of things to do.

If you’re one of the lucky ones to get parking along New Brighton Rd., which is right on the edge of the park, you’re at the entrance already (if not, there’s excess parking). From here, you can just follow the path into the park where you’ll find lots of people sitting or lying on the grassy fields, rocky beach areas that lead to water, a public pool, a playground and much more. 

Some dog owners will bring their dogs to the beach area, which is to the right of the park. This area is wide enough, but it’s not very big for a beach. Your dog will be able to play freely there, but there are often a lot of off-leash dogs playing too, so just be aware of that if your dog is reactive. Aside from the beach, the thing that really draws dog owners to New Brighton Park is the Off-Leash Enclosure.

The Off-Leash Enclosure

• Type: Off-Leash Dog Park

• Size: Medium to Large

• Enclosed: Yes

• Doors: Two sets of double doors

• Traffic: Moderate

The Off-Leash Enclosure at New Brighton Park is one of the bigger enclosed dog parks in Vancouver. The size of the park allowed us to go in and out of the park without being crowded because the rest of the dogs were scattered around playing throughout. There two entrances into the park and all these things are great for Markus, who generally takes a bit of time to warm up at a dog park and doesn’t like to be bombarded at the door.

The fact that the Off-Leash Enclosure is so spread out is really good for a reactive dog like Markus. He likes to enter parks in his terms and when there’s a crowd waiting for him, it tends to put him on guard really quickly. What’s great is that there’s plenty of room for Markus to go and explore a little bit when he needs to retreat from playing with the other dogs.

One thing we did see (and someone had also told us about) were these blocks at one end of the park. While this didn't happen while we were there, we have heard of dogs using the blocks to hop over the fence. If your dog is busy playing with the other dogs, this is unlikely to happen, but if your dog's an escape artist and loves to explore, it's worth keeping this in mind.

What we liked

• There are so many things to do at the park that are fit for both humans and dogs. You’re sure to have a good time here.

• The Off-Leash Enclosure is very big, giving a ton of open space for your dog to run around. The size of the park makes sure that the entrances aren't crowed, which is important for a reactive dog like Markus.

• There's beach access into the water, but it is not enclosed.

What we didn't like

• The blocks inside the park that look like dogs could jump off it to get over the fence. It's unlikely to happen, but apparently it's happened before.

• Parking could be difficult depending on the time of day or week you come.

Our Recommendation For Reactive Dogs

Most of the dogs are leashed throughout the park and though the paths are narrow, you can always to step off onto the grass to avoid the other dogs if you needed to. We didn't have any issues with other dogs where we felt uneasy with how they were approaching Markus at the park.

If your dog is reactive and you’re hoping to train them off-leash, the New Brighton Park Off-Leash Enclosure is a decent place to try it because of the park’s size. As mentioned, the open space keep the two entrances from being too crowded and your dog can move in to play with the other dogs bit by bit so they’re integrated at their pace comfortably.

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.