Clark Park's $360,000 off-leash dog area has become the anchor of Everett's dog park network, a year after the downtown space shed its reputation as a high-crime zone.

The park is the centerpiece of a new Sound & Summit guide published Sept. 7 in The Daily Herald's quarterly magazine. Writer Julia-Grace Sanders, who has lived in Everett on and off for eight years, cataloged the city's dog-friendly parks and breweries she explored with her Bernedoodle puppy, Lucy.

"Talk about a glow-up," Sanders wrote. "Clark Park has gone from a space widely known for drug use and violence to a welcoming and friendly park to let pups play off-leash."

The park's turnaround was years in the making. Clark Park, at 2400 Lombard Ave., is Everett's oldest park, purchased by the city in 1894. It was added to the city's high drug crime zone list in 2017. A stabbing occurred there in 2022.

Planning for an off-leash area began in 2019. The Everett City Council voted in June 2024 to remove a 103-year-old gazebo to make room for it. Construction started in November 2024 and wrapped in summer 2025. The Bayside Neighborhood Association partnered with the city on the project, which also upgraded the park's playground lighting, My Everett News reported.

"Clark Park has long been a cherished part of Everett's history, and today we're proud to add a new chapter to that legacy," then-Everett Parks Director Bob Leonard said at the ribbon-cutting in late July 2025.

The gazebo's story isn't over. The city plans to recreate architect Benjamin Turnbull's 1921 design at Harborview Park along Mukilteo Boulevard. Construction could begin in summer 2027, according to the Snohomish County Tribune.

The 2.4-acre Clark Park off-leash area features mature tree canopy, a secure sally-port entry and seating. It opens at 6 a.m. and closes at dusk.

Sanders' guide highlights four other off-leash spots across the city. Lowell Riverfront Park, at 4605 S. Third Ave., pairs a nearly one-acre fenced dog area with a 1.75-mile paved trail along the Snohomish River. Howarth Park, at 1127 Olympic Blvd., offers an unfenced off-leash beach on Possession Sound suited for dogs with reliable recall.

For the post-walk crowd, Sanders pointed to several dog-friendly taprooms. At-Large Brewery at 2730 W. Marine View Dr. welcomes dogs inside and out, with Sound views and a weekend taco truck. Scuttlebutt Taproom at 3314 Cedar St. and Obsidian at 1420 Hewitt Ave. both allow dogs inside. The full guide covers additional parks and breweries in Sound & Summit's fall issue.