Inner city living for dogs is one thing, inner metropolitan life is another…read more It's seriously difficult for a dog to find somewhere to go these days what with the world going mad every time a bad owner lets their bad dog bite some child or elderly person. Everyone who owns a dog needs to find ways of socialising their animal, it's a natural thing to do because they are pack animals after all, and living a life of solitude does not suit them. Well here's a nice dog friendly spot you can bring the pooch in order for it to get out and have a bit of time to relax in a fresh environment as well as sniff the bottoms of peers. Bottom sniffing is one activity dogs can not get enough of. The second best thing to do is leave your mark. Widdle somewhere; preferably somewhere that other dogs have widdled, in order to play a kind of 'membership' game. Make yourself a member of the in crowd by leaving your mark. All of these things and more can be done at Pooch Park. It's provided by the West Torrens Council, and they keep it well lit into the evening, and make sure it is reasonably well looked after. It is a fenced off area, with two gate entrances so you can get the dog in, close the gate, then go that next step deeper... this way there can be fewer surprises involved. It's a great thing to have a nice sized dog park available in a heavily built up area with few outdoor spaces making dogs actually welcome like this.

Tedder Pooch Park (or you may, as I was, be told it's Findon Pooch Park) has to be the urban dog's…read moreidea of paradise. The day Leaf and I went there was light rain, that lovely Soft Irish Rain, so before entering the enclosed off leash area we took a walk around the park. I would imagine on a hot day this would be 'the' place to take a promenade with your pooch. Beautiful tall trees and a wide boulevarde where dogs have plenty of room to pass in the approved doggy manner, by arcing around each other not face to face as they have to on city side walks, this is truly a good long walk. By completing the circuit, we came back to the doubled gated off leash area. Being double gated it gives you a chance to 'suss' out who's who's, before entering. The off leash area is just perfect for City Pooches who are not able to really meet and greet other dogs in approved doggy style, so be prepared for lots of butt sniffing and general 'howdy doodys'. It's also a grand time for them to sniff and sniff some more, heaven only knows how many grand smells abound, and no chance of them picking up and eating anything totally undesirable as can happen on the urban streets. The park is very well equipped too with plenty of Agility Equipment for the fitness conscious dog to have a grand work out, or for those pooches who just 'wanna have fun'. A cutie little white gal was having a wonderful time trying to emulate the big guys, jumping over the tunnel. Plus there are bins, just in case of accidents, which is great no more having to walk miles carrying a bag of doggy doo! And for the humans, there's a great shade area, though please do watch your dog at all times! Plus the car park is a really decent size, so parking isn't a problem either. I understand the park is also well lit at night, so no excuses for not allowing your urban dog a little fun time in true doggy style. Leaf and I will definitely be back we had a real blast!

This morning it was the venue for an Italian Greyhound meetup, everyone found it a fantastic park…read moreand really handy for those with smaller breeds who'd had issues with attacks from larger dogs at some of the nearby parks. Still super clean, it doesn't shut either so coming back at night we take Dallas for runs in the dark (the only downside is the lack of lighting at night, hopefully they follow North adelaide parks lead with that, get it, lead ).

Firstly the map on here does not show the correct location for this park. It is further away from…read moreRichmond Rd than this. Have a look at my pictures for the correct location of this park. This park is great. Not as big as our local but has some great features. * It is broken into 2 sections for different dogs * it has ample water with a dog bowl and tap,water fountain and a dog shower! In both sections * there is shade and shelter for hot or rainy days * lots of benches to sit at * fully fenced with double gates for doggy safety * poo bags and bins * lots of area to explore. This park has lots of newly planted trees. In a year or so this place will be even more lovey and have extra shade and character. A good effort by the council!

I am definitely a fan of this playground but something held me back from giving it five stars…read more Perhaps it was the dated equipment, perhaps it was the lack of equipment designed for the much older children, perhaps it's the lack of shade over the playground, or perhaps it was the long distance to the toilets, I'm not sure but let me tell you what's great about this place. This playground is fully fenced and the entire space has a rubber flooring. There is a drinking fountain, tap, table/chair and BBQ all within close proximity to the playground. Unfortunately there isn't any shelter/shade over the table but with the massive gum trees in the park, there is some shade depending on the time you visit. This is a great place to come but for me, it slightly falls short of my 'destination' playground status. Maybe I'm having a bad day lol. There's PLENTY of space to kick a ball or throw a frisbee outside of the fenced playground area. *Dogs allowed* *Drinking fountain and tap* *Table/chair area (not sheltered)* *BBQ* *Toilets (walking distance)*

Finally! A park with toilets. I think I'd give a park three stars simply for having a toilet, and…read moreeverything else on top of that is a bonus. My kind of park is one that has a great moat of green protecting a toilet right in the middle. Nothing else actually matter. And a drinking fountain too? Benissimo! There's a wide area and plenty of space to play with balls. There's your usual playground. There's a barbecue. And that's about it. But there's nothing more you need. Of course, there could, perhaps, be a little more shade. We're in Australia, after all, not Siberia. But, regardless, this is a nice park. If it's your local park, it's worth being proud of.

If you didn't know what to look for, you would walk, ride or drive straight past this little…read moreplayground. It's a pretty little place and the park extends back a lot further than the fenced toddler playground in my photos. This playground is definitely one for the toddlers but it's purely just playground...no swings. There is a BBQ and table/chair area right beside the playground. Apart from the trees, there isn't a lot in the way of shade depending on what time of day you visit. Check out my photos for the dog park rules/times. *Dogs allowed (not in playground)* *Table/chair area* *BBQ*

Harold my 8 month old puppy and I just love heading to this dog park! Generally friendly pooches…read morewith owners who don't mind a chat. Doggy poop bags are readily available from all entrances however that doesn't mean that people always use them so keep an eye out as you walk around. There is a cafe truck that usually rocks up in the late afternoon on Wednesday and Saturdays, a great way to warm the hands in the cold winter months. The downside to this park is the lack of lighting at night. In winter it's a struggle for the 9-5 workers to get home, pick up their pooches and then get to the park before darkness kicks in. Overall a nice dog park with lots of space for your four legged friend!

Bring the four legged members of your family here. The more the merrier, I say! On the corner of…read moreHazelmere Rd and Oaklands Rd there's a fantastic oval which turns into a dog park when sport isn't being played. It was so lovely to watch all the four-footed family members running around, enjoying the sun. One mother (of children and dogs) was walking the dog around the while the children played on the playground. The two areas are fenced off from each other but there's easy access from one to the other via child-proof gates. The playground obviously is a hit as you can tell from the photos. While it looks like the playground is more suited for younger children, there is a large climbing frame and a rubber hammock that proves to be a nice place to 'hang out' with your friends and chat....as older children do ;-) There are sheltered table/chair areas, a BBQ, and a drinking fountain but these are a little distance from the playground area. I was quite baffled by this. I would have thought there would be some shaded seating closer to the playground. Electronic toilets are closer to the playground than seating! hehehe The playground itself doesn't get a lot of shade so make sure you Slip, Slop, Slap. *Dogs allowed in dog park* *Working drinking fountains in both the oval and playground areas* *Sheltered table/chair areas* *BBQ* *Electronic toilets*

Ok, firstly let me tell you that if you want to use the playground specifically, park along Eliza…read morePlace, around Bligh St. This is a big park land! Secondly, this was more of a three and a half star playground in my books but I can't rate it as a three, it feels wrong :-) For a small area, they have actually done a good job of adding equipment for a few age groups, the only issue I have is that there aren't steps for the littler ones to climb up to the slide. There's a table/chair area to the right of the playground. I couldn't take a photos as there was a family enjoying some morning tea. Got to love a playground that gets used to it's full capacity. Unfortunately I didn't see a drinking fountain, but I'm sure that there had to be one somewhere. Surely even the Mitcham City Council would put in a drinking fountain or at least a tap for the awesome, fenced dog park that's also here. *Dogs allowed* *Table/chair*

The dog park is great. I have taken Hudson (golden retriever) to the park three times and believe…read morethe facility is great. It has tunnels (for the dogs to run through), poles (for the dogs to weave through) and finally it has jumps. This park is fully enclosed with high fences and a double gate. (to ensure that your dog will not run away). the park has taps with bowls (so the dogs can have a drink of water when needed) and it has poopy bags to keep the park clean. this park is great in dryer weather conditions but in winter it gets muddy as the park is not entirely covered with grass and bark (watch out for muddy puddles). If it is raining there are shelters with benches under neath and a concrete floor. The enclosed park is a 24/7 off leash dog park but the rest of the reserve requires the dogs to be on-leash most of the time. for more info on where dogs can and can't be of-leash I suggest checking the website. if you scroll down on the website you will see where you can and can't have your dog off-leash. (http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/dogs) over all my dog had fun and thats all that mattered.

When I first checked out Kings Reserve, I thought the playground was the one on the other side of…read morethe oval, along Ashley Street. Then when I checked out the actual KINGS RESERVE I became excited! There's parking down Meyer Street, down near the Thebarton Aquatic Centre and it's the closest you will be able to get the car to the playground. There's a lot of equipment for a variety of age groups and abilities.There's also a skate park and basketball hoop not too far from the playground. Bring some sausages and use the BBQ....your children will be here for quite a while! There are toilets, a drinking fountain, table/chairs and more than enough space to do any sort of activity you would like (provided there aren't sporting groups using the space). Lots of fun to be had here! Perhaps the only thing missing that would make me feel more comfortable about staying here for a long time is that there isn't a great deal of shade. I burn so easily and while the table/chair area is under a tree, some solid shade for parents not chasing their children all over the place would be great. *Dogs allowed (not near playground)* *Drinking fountains* *BBQ* *Basketball hoop* *Skate Park* *Table/chair* *Toilet*

King's Reserve is a pleasant park in Thebarton, perfect for kids, barbecues, skating, playing…read moresoccer or having a picnic. It doesn't exactly go above and beyond, but it serves the local community well. My main gripe is that the local football team put chains over the goal posts so they can be used by the community - despite the fact that our rates pay for the field! I like to come and kick around a bit with friends occasionally and it would be nice to actually use the posts. Conveniently the reserve is just across the road from the Brickies, so we pop over there for a beer after the game. Other than this, I'm pretty satisfied. There is bubblers and shady spots (could be a few more of these, but not a big problem), a kid's playground and a skateboarding bit.

Yay! What a pleasant playground this is. The whole playground is fenced but there is a park (also…read morefenced to the road) where dogs can frollick during certain times of the day (See photos). This is quite a fun playground which would entertain quite a few age groups. There is a drinking fountain in the lawn park (where dogs are allowed). One of the biggest pluses for me is that the playground is under shade cloth sails!!!! Woohoo!! I love your work City of Unley!! *Dogs allowed in dog park, not in playground* *Drinking fountain in dog park*

This park is tucked out of the way, away from Greenhill Road, and is a bit of a secret find for…read moremany - even locals. I was a regular here with my kids for several years when we were living at Frewville, giving my wife a chance to study and giving the girls a run around in the fresh air, and we got a huge surprise when we returned not so long ago, just before Christmas, and found the fantastic renovations that had been done. McLeary Park always was a nice, safe, shady playground, with a quite elaborate climbing frame, almost a fort on stilts with a slide and netting to climb, and the spirit of that structure has been maintained with the more modern equipment in place now. There is still plentiful shade from the trees however the additional shade cloth is brilliant - I notice Unley and Burnside councils have made significant upgrades to a number of parks with shade and newer equipment. So, yet again, my kids had a ball here - three years older now, but just as enraptured. The only downside here is that there's no public convenience, so we had to pack up and head off to the nearby KFC for toilets. Other than that, beautiful place for a family picnic.

This park is really quite extensive and I'm sure everyone will find some aspect of it that they…read morereally like. It's a very well set up place; toilets, ovals, tennis courts, playground and the list goes on. With my playground reviews, I always consider it a good sign if I can't take a lot of photos because people are enjoying the area. This is the case with this playground. There's so much to explore here. The only piece of advice I can give you is that the playground is behind the Scout Hall.

What I like about Ridge Park at Myrtle Bank is that despite its location in a super heavy traffic…read morearea the park itself remains incredibly quiet. Ridge Park is just down from the end of the freeway so there's never any shortage of traffic whizzing by. Amazingly, step just a few metres into the park and the traffic noise disappears. You can actually hear the birds chirping. This is both a dog friendly and people friendly park and there's no shortage of users. I love the open spaces for the pooches to run around and the plentiful facilities on offer here. Also in the park on the corner of Glen Osmond Road and Barr Smith Avenue is a memorial listing the names of fallen soldiers from World War I. From history buffs to boy scouts to four legged people, Ridge Park has something for everyone.

Located in the upmarket and affluent Northgate in Unley, Heywood Park is absolutely gorgeous as it…read moreis surrounded by greenery, huge shady trees and every kids favourite, a thick trunked tree for all to climb and conquer. With a huge area of playground equipment, and a towering cubby house housing a flying fox, swings, a teeter totter and best of all, plenty of trees to climb and hide during a game of hide and seek. There is enormous shade available here and they have great BBQ facilities, seating benches, toilets with a changing table and a drinking fountain. We love coming here. Throw a picnic rug, walk bare foot on the mulch or soft grass, twirl, run, dance or jump. So much of fun and pleasure as you soak up nature's beautiful aroma, sights and sounds.

If you love nature (as I do) and playgrounds (as I do) then you will love this place (as I do). The…read moreone thing you will notice it space. There is room here to set up a picnic and not feel like the other people in the park can hear every word you say or are checking out the types of sandwiches you made. There are toilets, BBQs, taps and from memory there was a drinking fountain near the toilet block. There isn't any sheltered table/chair areas, this park is more a 'throw out a blanket or bring a chair' park. The playground is rubber floored and there's more than enough here to entertain a wide variety of ages. I can imagine this park would get a lot of traffic so if you want a certain spot, I'd get here early. *Dogs allowed* *Drinking fountain* *Toilet block* *BBQ*