A
park is an area of natural, semi-natural, or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and
recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of
grassy areas,
rocks,
soil, and
trees, but may also contain buildings and other artifacts such as
monuments,
fountains or
playground structures. In North America, many parks have fields for playing sports such as
soccer,
baseball and
football, and paved areas for games such as
basketball. Many parks have trails for walking, biking and other activities. Some parks are built adjacent to bodies of water or watercourses, and these parks may comprise a beach or boat dock area. Often, the smallest parks are in urban areas, where a park may take up only a city block or less. Urban parks often have benches for sitting and they may contain
picnic tables and
barbecue grills. Parks have differing rules regarding whether dogs can be brought into the park: some parks prohibit dogs; some parks allow them with restrictions (e.g., use of a leash); and some parks, which may be called "
dog parks," permit dogs to run off-leash.