A public service that some municipalities do a better job of providing than others, city parks can be havens for free and fun entertainment in a fresh outdoor setting. Thankfully for residents of AMLI Spanish Hills and other living communities in Camarillo, Calif., the city offers some pretty awesome parks, including three dog parks!
If you haven’t used them and need a brief guide of the parks, you’ve come to the right place.
Friends of Camarillo Dog Parks
A very pet-friendly community, Camarillo has an organization called Friends of Camarillo Dog Parks that strives to support and meet the needs of dogs and pet owners in the community. Three dog parks lie within the city’s relatively small borders: Springville Park, Camarillo Grove Park, and Mission Oaks Park. Springville Park, the only park zoned almost entirely for dogs and their owners, is just a ten-minute walk from AMLI Spanish Hills. Opened in October 2012, Springville Park is still a work in progress but already a great spot for dogs to play. Several new trees were recently planted after a donation drive was held, giving the park shade and more of a nature retreat feel. Additional improvements are planned for the near future. On September 20, Springville Dog Park will host the 2nd annual Dogtoberfest.
Further east in town, Mission Oaks and Camarillo Grove are two other beautiful parks with designated dog areas. Mission Oaks has weekday off-leash hours from 4PM until dusk. On Saturdays and Sundays, your dog can roam leash-free in a safe and fun environment from dawn until 2PM and again from 4PM until dusk. An abundance of shaded and special doggie drinking fountains make the Camarillo Grove Dog Park especially amenable to pets and owners who live in the area. On Saturdays and Sundays, dogs are allowed on the park’s beautiful hiking trails leash-free. If one-mile hikes sound a little too easy for you or your pet, keep an eye out for trail expansion projects in the works.
Freedom Park
A 34-acre multipurpose park located near AMLI Spanish Hills but across Ventura Freeway, Freedom Park deserves to be housed under its own category for a few reasons. The park is huge and has amenities people of all ages and persuasions can enjoy. These include an in-line hockey rink, a remote control race car track, horseshoe pits, picnic areas complete with grills for barbecuing, and a playground. Most of the areas can be rented out by those interested in hosting tournaments or throwing festive outdoor celebrations.
The one major facility left out of that first paragraph is a reason to visit Freedom Park in its own right. A five-field baseball complex was recently constructed and opened for play this past February. Held on February 2, the grand opening was a major event attended by several prominent members of the Camarillo community and five former MLB players. Four of the baseball fields are designed for youth and one is a full-sized adult field.
Other Family Friendly Camarillo Parks
Other family friendly parks in Camarillo include Bob Kildee Community Park and Valle Lindo Park. Formerly known as Pleasant Valley Park, Bob Kildee Community Park is the oldest and one of the most popular parks in Camarillo. It’s home to the Pleasant Valley Aquatic Center, Pleasant Valley Skate Park, handball courts, soccer fields, a snack bar, and plenty of fun playground equipment for children. Valle Lindo Park, another park located within walking distance of AMLI Spanish Hills, is ten-acres with a massive playground and amphitheater.
Camarillo has plenty of great places to hang out. Its parks, however, are especially well-suited to the pet-owning or family-oriented apartment resident. Thanks to the ideal, temperate climate with which we are blessed, you can enjoy these parks all year long! If you want to get involved with the Friends of Camarillo Dog Parks, visit the organization’s websites to learn about upcoming events, fundraisers, and other volunteer opportunities.
What is your favorite park in Camarillo?
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst