After nearly 10 months of closure, Santa Clara has reopened Nuevo Dog Park, releasing a report that shows the park is clear of hazardous materials. 

The city closed the park, located at Ryder Street at La Rambla Avenue, last summer following reports that several dogs had fallen ill and two died after visiting the park. An environmental investigation, released by the city June 12, found no evidence the park’s turf, soil, landscaping or drinking water caused the illnesses.

The city retained Essel Environmental & Emergency Response to conduct environmental testing, with water samples sent separately to five state-certified laboratories. The resulting 625-page report found that all materials tested were well below California’s hazardous-materials thresholds.

“Based on the results of the investigation, we are confident the park is safe to reopen,” according to a city statement.

What the Tests Found

Essel’s inspectors sampled material from five locations: artificial turf with its stone and sand underlayment, fallen plant debris, common landscaping plants, soil and drinking water from the fountain in the large-dog area. 

Nuevo Dog Park, according to the test results, “… did not show any contaminants at levels of concern and were found to be well within drinking water standards for the chemicals measured.”

City employees collected water samples between August and October 2025, testing for a slew of toxins, including lead, copper, barium, nitrates, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, herbicides and E. coli. Every result came in below its maximum contaminant level. No bacteria or parasites were detected.

Although the city reopened the park June 15, the report was unable to conclude the cause of the illnesses.

“The symptoms reported by owners varied significantly and did not show a clear pattern that would point to a specific toxin,” according to the report. “Based on the data, no items were identified that would be expected to cause harm from exposures incurred during park usage.” 

A Drawn-Out Process

The reopening belied a process that lumbered along largely in silence. After closing the park last year, the city provided no public timeline or regular updates on the investigation.

In December last year, Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez, whose district includes the park, wrote in a text message that nothing suspicious had been found and that the park would reopen once the report was made “easier to read for the public.” In response to a follow-up inquiry in May — nine months after the closure — Gonzalez wrote that the consultant had delivered a draft report and that “several questions were identified.” 

A subsequent inquiry asking what those questions were and how much the city had paid the consultant went unanswered.

Further, the city also failed to disclose records it had from Los Angeles County that flagged the closure because of its similarity to one in LA County. Those records only appeared in the city’s public records portal after The Weekly published that report’s findings. 

This spring, the Nuevo investigation’s pace drew an implicit contrast. On May 11, a dog got sick at Jenny Strand Park, located at 250 Howard Drive. The city investigated, discovered rat poison, closed the park and reopened it — all in 10 days.

Meanwhile, the city kept Nuevo Dog Park closed for nearly 10 months.

Physical Upgrades

Along with clearing the park to reopen, the city made several physical changes. The entry gate has been replaced with a higher fence to limit access to park hours — sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. To reduce noise when people enter and exit, the city also removed and relocated signs along the fence and entry gate.

But a visit to the park on June 26 during operation hours revealed the large dog park was still closed.

The Weekly witnessed one couple attempt to use the large dog park and then leave when they could not gain access.

Another man who attempted to use the park, Srikant, called it a “nice-to-have,” adding that it was an “eyesore” that it was closed.

“I wouldn’t say it is inconvenient, but it is a disappointment, I would put it that way,” he said. “It is just a shame that it’s not open.”

The city doesn’t use pesticides at any of its dog parks and cleans them with pet-and-eco-friendly products.

Residents with questions or concerns about city-operated dog parks can call (408) 615-3144 or submit a report through the MySantaClara app.

Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com