High Park Residents Transform Dog Walks Into Group Fitness Classes

High Park's dog owners logged 4,200 group fitness sessions across local parks in the first half of 2026, according to records from the city's Parks Department tracking app.

The spike tracks with warmer evenings and a city push to expand free outdoor programming after last year's indoor gym closures. Residents cite lower costs and built-in accountability from neighbors and their pets as reasons they keep returning.

Two spots drawing daily crowds

Maple Grove Park at the corner of Elm Street and Willow Avenue hosts a 7 a.m. circuit class every Tuesday and Thursday where participants run intervals between the fenced dog area and the open field. The same park runs a weekend meet-up organized by the High Park Pet Partners group that combines 30-minute walks with body-weight drills. A few blocks east, the Oakwood Meadow off Central Boulevard added a new agility course last month that dogs and handlers use together during the 6 p.m. social run started by the local running club.

Both locations sit within a 10-minute walk of the 14th Street transit stop, making them reachable for shift workers and parents. The city installed additional water stations and waste-bag dispensers at each site in April after complaints about midday crowds.

Numbers behind the trend

A 2025 resident survey by the High Park Health Coalition found 68 percent of dog-owning households use parks for exercise at least three times a week, up from 41 percent in 2023. Drop-in classes at Maple Grove cost nothing, while the Oakwood Meadow sessions charge $8 for non-members to cover insurance. The same survey showed participants who attended regularly cut solo gym visits by an average of two per week.

Check the Parks Department website for updated schedules before heading out, and bring a leash and water bowl. Local clinics recommend a quick vet check for any dog new to group activity.