Phoenix, a mini golden doodle, happily zoomed around the new Jack E. Cook Dog Park in Elgin at breakneck speed but his efforts to make a new friend in Annie were rebuffed.
That didn’t stop Annie, a mix of Staffordshire bull terrier, black mouth cur and Siberian husky, from sharing in the treats being handed out by Phoenix’s owner Maribel Gonzalez.
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Meanwhile, Debbie O’Dell’s two black mouth cur pooches — a mother-and-daughter duo named Honey and Hazel — were also trying to find new pals as they greeted new guests at the 7.5-acre canine park that opened this month as part of the Jack E. Cook Park and Forest Preserve at 12N442 Spitzer Road.
The site is shared by the city of Elgin and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, with the city owning 91 acres and the remaining 128 acres part of the forest preserve district. It’s Elgin’s first regional park on the city’s far west side, with amenities that include a playground, basketball and tennis courts, multiuse fields, walking paths — and now a dog park.
O’Dell said she heard about the new facility on social media and decided to check it out with her dogs, whom she adopted from Project Hope in Gilberts about a year and a half ago.
“I love it. They love it,” said O’Dell as she watched Honey and Hazelnut greet every dog and owner who walked through the gate.
O’Dell used to go to the dog park at Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve in West Dundee, but this is much closer to her home in Pingree Grove, she said.
“I’m definitely going to switch over,” O’Dell said.
The park/forest preserve is named for Jack Cook, an Elgin native who served on the Kane County Board and was president of the Kane County Forest Preserve Board from 1994 to 2002. He died in 2011.
The dog park that also bears his name was completed in fall 2025 but not opened this month to allow enough time for newly planted grass to take root, said Josie Beecher-Crotty, Elgin’s communications and engagement manager.
“Dog parks need several acres so dogs have enough space to run, with separate areas for large and small dogs,” Beecher-Crotty said. “During planning, this location was identified as a good fit because it offers a large open space, has parking available, is not directly connected to a major roadway, and has limited impact on nearby residents.”
The response from the public has been very positive so far, she said.
“We’ve seen a lot of excitement on the city’s social media posts, with residents tagging friends and sharing the news,” Beecher-Crotty said. “It’s apparent the community has been looking forward to having a dedicated space to bring their dogs to run and play.”
Jonathan and Yeo Eun Kim, South Elgin residents who adopted medium-sized Annie from Anderson Humane in South Elgin last year, said they initially took their pet to the side for large dogs but found the section for smaller animals a better fit.
Annie was such a hit that she even posed for pictures. They’ll be back, the couple said.
The dog park is open from dawn to dusk from March through November. Dog park rules can be found online at elginil.gov/2915/Jack-Cook-Dog-Park.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.