No More Leashes!
The Save Our Dog Area committee of Marymoor Park began its work in June of 1987. That was when we learned the King County Parks Division planned to close the off-leash dog area. This area of approximately 40 acres included open fields, several hundred feet of river access and numerous walking paths.

Our goal was to get an official document from the Parks Department clearly stating that the Marymoor Off-Leash Dog Area would remain open. This would make the off-leash exercising of dogs recognized as a legitimate use of public recreation areas.

On June 19, 1995 the King County Council voted to adopt the new Marymoor Master Plan which called for keeping the dog area open and operating in its present size and location for a seven year period. Once the park was established as an off-leash area, S.O.D.A. modified its name to keep with its mission.

S.O.D.A. Today
S.O.D.A. is a non-profit, 501c3 approved organization. Our stated goals are to support the off-leash area at Marymoor Park and to aid and encourage the opening of additional off-leash recreation areas throughout the World. As such, we have offered aid and encouragement to a Seattle group C.O.L.A. (Citizens for Off-Leash Areas) who succeeded in opening test off-leash areas in seven City Parks.

We have responded to inquiries from many government and private groups, sharing with them the methods they might use to open off-leash recreation areas.

S.O.D.A. South
The S.O.D.A.-South Task Force was formed in early 2001, in response to requests from South King County residents for an off-leash dog park similar to Marymoor's off-leash dog park. Task force members initially considered locations in Black Diamond and Ravensdale, but these were unsatisfactory for various reasons.

However, partly as a result of these requests for an off-leash area, a municipal off-leash task force was formed. This task force was comprised of members of King County Parks, south county cities, and Animal Control. After meeting for over two years, this group wrote an issue paper with recommendations for creating an off-leash area in South King County. Among their recommendations, they identified Grandview Park in Seatac, nearly 40 acres, as a potential off-leash site.

The cities of Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seatac, and Tukwila have been participating in this task force. Together with S.O.D.A., these two organizations have worked with King County to open a regional off-leash dog park for South County residents. Sponsoring cities and King County have contributed start-up funding to transform Grandview from a closed park to a fully operational off-leash area. S.O.D.A. will run and maintain the park as an Adopt-a-Park program.

Adopt-a-Park
S.O.D.A. is proud to have adopted the Marymoor Off-Leash Area through the King County Parks Department "Adopt a Park Program" ( view/download a sample copy ). During these times of spending cut-backs this program makes it possible for the public to directly support those areas they most prize, while enjoying a feeling of ownership. Learn more about King County Parks and Programs.

In the same spirit, S.O.D.A. has adopted Grandview from the City of SeaTac, the deed holder. S.O.D.A. takes particular pride in helping open a previously closed park when many regional parks are being closed or moth-balled.

The S.O.D.A. board now works closely with park personnel to determine park needs. This is a partnership that is proving to be of considerable value to both sides!

S.O.D.A. is proud of past accomplishments and has plans for the future as well. Signs of S.O.D.A. at work are all over Marymoor and Grandview Off-Leash Parks.

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