By David Markham

All of the Heritage Park Dog Off-Leash Areas are now open, including a new small-dog area and the recently renovated larger dog area. Heritage Park is located at 16000 Pflumm Road in Olathe.

Previously there was one 27-acre off-leash area located near the northwest corner of the park. It has been divided into a 2.9-acre small-dog area and a 24.1-acre larger dog area.

The small-dog off-leash area features a paved ADA compliant walking trail, several seating areas, drinking fountain, several pet waste stations and access to restrooms.

Like JCPRD’s other small dog area in Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park, 12500 W. 119th St., Overland Park, the Heritage Park small-dog area is limited to dogs 25 pounds or under and/or 14 inches in height. Conformity with these limitations is on the honor system as no enforcement is planned.

Heritage Park’s Off-Leash Area for larger dogs also received recent improvements, including ADA compliant 7-foot-wide concrete walking trails, “Air locks” (secure enclosures to safely leash and unleash dog between the parking lot and off-leash areas), new drinking fountains and new concrete accessible parking stalls.

A fence partitioning the large-dog off-leash area into a west and east portion was installed. It will allow at least a portion of the large-dog off-leash area to remain open and user access to the restrooms and ADA parking when one side or the other is closed for maintenance or construction projects.

JCPRD also offers off-leash areas at Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee and Lenexa, and at the Kill Creek Streamway Park access point on 95th Street south of Kansas 10 Highway off Kill Creek Road.

Off-leash areas have the same hours as the parks where they are located.

Stoll Park and Kill Creek Streamway Park are open year-round from dawn to dusk. Beginning on Nov. 1 and continuing through Feb. 28, Shawnee Mission Park is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Heritage Park will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more about off-leash areas, visit JCPRD.com/1748/Dog-Off-Leash-Areas.

David Markham is a communications specialist at the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.