Medford Parks Commission tables Barry Park dog park proposal

Parks Commission · Meeting of August 18, 2026

Medford Parks Commission tables Hillside neighborhood's dog park proposal, seeks more data. Petition organizer Ben Wright presented plans for the city's first dedicated off-leash dog park to serve an estimated 3,900 to 5,000 Hillside-neighborhood residents, backed by more than 230 Change.org signatures. Planning Department staffer Amanda Santrella told commissioners comparable dog parks at Riverbend Park and Carr Park cost roughly $200,000 and $150,000.

Resident Alison Kripke pushed back on claims that Barry Park lacks room, saying the park sits "completely empty" up to 95 percent of the time. Commissioners voted to table the request, asking organizers to pin down an exact size and help revive the city's inactive dog commission. The board separately fielded resident complaints about portable lighting at Cobb Park's pickleball courts running past the posted 8 p.m. closing and heard that a survey on adding docks at Wright's Pond has drawn more than 500 responses ahead of its September 6 close.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,335 words

Source: the Parks Commission meeting of August 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.