Laurel Canyon Dog Park Gets a Makeover

City National Bank, LA Parks Foundation and LA Department of Recreation and Parks team up to renovate oldest off-leash dog park in Los Angeles

Laurel Canyon Dog Park, the oldest off-leash dog park in LA, got a welcoming makeover just in time for warmer weather, thanks to the efforts of the LA Department of Recreation and Parks, the LA Parks Foundation and City National Bank.

LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman, District 4, joined the bank and foundation officials at a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated park that now has new benches, a dog wash station and a pergola that provides better shade for dogs and their owners. The enhancements also feature new wheelchair-accessible seating, making it easier for pet owners with disabilities to enjoy the park.

Prior to the refurbishment, the Laurel Canyon Dog Park, established in 1988, featured limited shade and seating. The renovation provides the community with an improved setting where pets can play.

“Supporting our community is a big part of who we are at City National Bank, and we are honored to work with the Los Angeles Parks Foundation to help restore such a historic park,” said Debora Vrana, senior vice president and chief communications officer of City National Bank, and board member of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. “Our parks are the jewels of our communities, and efforts like these ensure that generations to come are able to enjoy these open spaces.”

“We’re thrilled to bring the relief of shade to the iconic Laurel Canyon Dog Park, which is much-needed, especially as temperatures rise. We are also debuting a dog wash station and new seating,” said Carolyn Ramsay, executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. “Now dogs can play while their human companions can rest comfortably and, at the end of the play date, everyone goes home clean and refreshed. City National Bank has been supporting us for more than a decade on new ways to improve city parks for the diverse people of LA, and we’re incredibly grateful for their collaboration and vision.”

“Every Angeleno deserves the environmental, recreational, and wellness benefits of having a park in their community,” said Councilmember Nithya Raman. “I’m so appreciative of the generosity and efforts of City National Bank and the LA Park Foundation in renovating the Laurel Canyon Dog Park to ensure it is a welcoming space that all people — and pets — can access and enjoy.”

Laurel Canyon is one of the many parks supported by the LA Parks Foundation, a not-for-profit organization formed in 2008 that raises money from private donors to preserve, enhance and promote the more than 450 parks in LA. To date, the LA Parks Foundation has raised over $45 million to support city parks. City National has donated more than $320,000 since the foundation’s inception in 2008.