The dog park in Barrington will close later this month and stay closed for a while.

Barrington officials announced recently that the Kimberly Perrott Dog Park located in Haines Park will close on Tuesday, April 15, when work is expected to begin on an athletic field renovation/reconfiguration project. Officials said the dog park will remain closed until November. 

It had been unclear whether the dog park would be closed during the field work. At a Barrington Park and Recreation Commission meeting in late February, there was a brief discussion about whether the dog park would stay open or be closed. Commission member Tom Rimoshytus said he spoke with the contractor hired to complete the field renovations who said he wanted the dog park closed during construction. Rimoshytus said the contractor did not want people and dogs walking through the worksite in order to access the fully fenced-in dog park.

Ashlee Cabral, a frequenter of the dog park, pushed back on that message. She said the town had posted a message stating the park would remain open during construction.

A day later, on Feb. 28, Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey said officials were going to re-evaluate the dog park situation. 

More recently, officials posted a message on the town’s website: “The dog park will be closed until November, and the athletic fields will remain closed through 2026 due to the necessary grass establishment process.”

A recent email from an official with the Barrington Department of Public Works stated that “Dog Park Closed” signs will be positioned at the main entrance to Haines Park and within the dog park itself.  

The Haines Park athletic fields will be closed longer than the dog park. The email from the DPW official stated that the renovated athletic fields will remain closed through 2026 for the “necessary grass establishment process.” The email provided a general timeline for growing a durable grass playing surface:

• Initial germination (2-3 weeks): New grass sprouts but remains fragile.

• Early root development (2-3 months): Roots begin anchoring into the soil, but the turf is still susceptible to damage.

• Full establishment (12-plus months): The grass matures, creating a durable and resilient playing surface capable of supporting athletic activities.

“Opening the fields too soon could compromise the integrity of the turf, leading to uneven surfaces and long-term maintenance issues. By keeping the fields closed through the 2026 growing season, we ensure a strong, healthy playing surface for years to come,” stated the email. 

Town officials plan to close, repair and rest other athletic fields once the new Haines Park fields are opened. They expect the Haines Park fields will see heavy utilization.