Pelican Bark Park

On the other side of Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans is the town of Mandeville, Louisiana. Mandeville is a small town, but it's been so much more than a suburb of New Orleans. The town has been around since the 1830's and has been the home of many prominent jazz musicians and important jazz venues. It's a nice little town with a lot of heart and soul.

Mandeville is a small town, with a population of just over 12,000. But you wouldn't know it from the spirit of the people. The town, like much of southern Louisiana, was strongly affected by Hurricane Katrina. Nevertheless, the people came back and re-built, making Mandeville stronger than it was before. It was during the rebuilding of the town that the people of Mandeville got together and built the Pelican Bark Park. 

Pelican Bark Park is over three acres of fenced, off-leash play area for dogs over twenty-five pounds, with a smaller enclosure for dogs under twenty-five pounds. The park is covered with grass and sandy soil. There are several trees and benches. The park also is well-equipped with poop bags, as well as fountains for dogs and people. There is a dog washing station just outside the bark park double gates, and the Pelican Bark Park volunteers provide kiddie pools in the summer for dogs who like to play in the water, or just want to cool off.

Pelican Bark Park is open every day from 7:00 AM until 9:00 PM. However, the city has a strict maintenance schedule for the park. The park is closed every Tuesday and Friday from 10:00 AM until noon for mowing and other maintenance. The park is closed all day on the first Wednesday of every month for flea treatment. Because of the town's history, the park closes whenever there's a risk of flooding.