Town of Danville and Contra Costa County Reopen Renovated Canine Corrals at Hap Magee Ranch Park

Park maintenance crews from the Town of Danville and Contra Costa County Public Works reopened both the Large Dog and Small Dog off-leash enclosures at Hap Magee Ranch Park at 1025 La Gonda Way on Saturday morning following a six-week autumn turf, drainage, and agility renovation. Jointly operated by the town and county along the western boundary of Danville, the 17-acre historic ranch park hosts more than 600 canine visits daily across its two-acre shaded valley oak corrals.

To eliminate muddy standing water that previously forced multi-day closures after winter rainstorms, contractors excavated eight inches of compacted clay across the high-traffic entry aprons and installed 950 linear feet of perforated PVC French drain lines wrapped in washed pea gravel. Crews then topped the main play zones with antimicrobial crushed angular granite and laid 4,200 square feet of permeable K9 synthetic turf around the shaded perimeter seating benches.

Each enclosure now features a widened double-gated concrete airlock vestibule with ADA-compliant self-closing latches, two frost-resistant stainless-steel dual-height drinking fountains with ground-level dog bowls, and a low-splash exterior paw-washing station near the La Gonda Way parking lot. Local Eagle Scout volunteers also fabricated four natural western red cedar agility obstacles—including an A-frame ramp, weave poles, and low-impact stepping platforms—specifically scaled for both miniature breeds under twenty-five pounds and larger working dogs.

The $215,000 renovation was funded equally through the Town of Danville Capital Improvement Program and Contra Costa County Livable Communities parkland fees. Dog owners can review off-leash park hours, vaccination tag requirements, and scheduled Tuesday morning maintenance windows on the Town of Danville Hap Magee Dog Park Page.