Sanders Reserve

Overview

This is a fenced off-leash dog area within a small neighbourhood park managed by Burwood Council. The area is open 24 hours, 7 days. The park sits on the corner of Oxford and Norwood Streets with on-street parking nearby.

Getting In — Gates and Entry

Strathfield Station is 16 min away by stroll.

The dog area uses a double-gate (airlock) system for safety, with bright yellow gates set into the black perimeter fence.

- The gates are self-closing manual swing gates with a latch that requires hand strength and grip to operate. There is no automatic or button-operated option.

- The entry pathway between gates is a firm concrete and compacted dirt surface generally level and wide enough for a standard wheelchair, though the dirt sections may be uneven and can become soft or muddy after rain.

- One gate latch sits at roughly standard height, possibly reachable from a seated position, but the spring tension can make these gates hard to push open and hold while moving through.

Ground Surfaces Inside

- The main dog area is flat, well-maintained grass — open and spacious. Grass can be soft and slow-going for manual wheelchair users, and boggy in places after rain.

- Sections near the gates and trees have patchy, worn dirt and exposed roots, creating uneven ground.

- The adjacent children's playground has a soft rubber soft-fall surface (firmer and smoother than grass) plus loose bark mulch under the zip-line equipment. The rubber surfacing is the most wheelchair-friendly ground in the park; the bark mulch is not.

Paths and Footpaths

- A concrete footpath runs along the street side of the park, mostly level with some cracking and slight lifts at slab joins — usable but worth approaching with care.

- There is a kerb ramp / driveway crossover connecting the footpath to the road at the park frontage.

Seating and Shade

- Bench seats are located inside the fence line and near the playground.

- The playground has a large shade sail overhead. The dog area itself relies on tree shade, limited in the open grassed section.

Things to Be Aware Of

- This is an off-leash area, so loose dogs of all sizes may approach — relevant if you use a wheelchair or mobility aids a dog might jump at.

- Bins are provided for dog waste; signage reminds owners to clean up ("there is no Poo Fairy").

- The surrounding streets are residential with a STOP-controlled intersection and a marked pedestrian/children's crossing nearby.