USMC CPL David M. Sonka Dog Park

USMC Cpl David M. Sonka Dog Park is Parker's first dedicated dog park, named for Corporal David M. Sonka, a Chaparral High School graduate who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013 along with his military working dog, Flex. The park sits south of E-470 along the Cherry Creek Trail, and the naming isn't a footnote; the dedication signage explains who Sonka was and why this park exists, and Marines and Marine families occasionally visit specifically for that reason.

The park itself is roughly five acres of fully fenced off-leash space with a few features that put it above the typical municipal dog park. A separate small-dog area with its own gate (the divider is real, not a polite suggestion). An agility-obstacle course that includes A-frames, weave poles, and tunnels. Multiple drinking fountains for dogs and humans. Picnic tables in shade structures. Sandy-gravel ground that drains fast after rain (no mud-pit problem common at HR's grass dog parks). A double-gated entry that prevents the off-leash chaos at the gate when someone arrives.

The park is unlit and operates dawn to dusk; in winter that's a tight window. Free parking adjacent. Parking is shared with the Westcreek Disc Golf Course, which on disc-golf-tournament weekends fills the lot. There's no charge to use the park, no permit required, no waiver to sign. Free.

The trade-offs vs. Cherry Creek DOLA and Chatfield Dog Park: this one is fenced, which is the right call for dogs with bad recall, but it's much smaller (5 vs. 70-107 acres) and there's no creek access. For high-energy breeds that need miles of running room, Cherry Creek is the call; for safety-fenced training and socialization, Sonka is the better fit.