This week, the news sniffin’ canine is departing from the normal weekly rantings against government waste and political minutia and taking a tail-wagging look at a new concept doggie park down by the river.

This nosey news-hound was on a noon-time constitutional in Berkeley Riverfront Park recently when a structure made of shipping containers caught our eye on some found land under the super structure of the Heart of America Bridge. After some initial sniffing around, this inquisitive pup asked a worker there who indicated the new uber-cool structure was going to be the permanent location of Bar K Lab, currently located at Liberty Street and Woodswether Road in the fashionable West Bottoms. The dog put in a call to business partners Leib Dodell and Dave Hensley and got the straight skinny on the concept – and the new digs – that is set for a mid to late July opening.

The business model, almost five years in the making, will feature some pretty cool eats for the beer n’ burger crowd as well as the kale smoothie crowd; although kale, fibrous though it may be, just doesn’t belong in this hefty dog’s daily diet. Three different bars will be available as well, including a juice bar, a coffee bar and a cocktail bar where everything from craft cocktails featuring locally distilled spirits to ice-cold cans of Schlitz will be available. You can even order up a tasty sidecar of healthy pooch eats for the canine crowd. All of this makes this thirsty news-writing doggie very happy.

Bar K will be the name of the Berkeley Riverfront Park location when it opens mid summer, and it will feature a tail-waggin 2-acre, fully-fenced dog park for members and non-members alike. The play area will feature indoor and outdoor seating as well as full time, highly-trained pet-play supervisors to oversee the safe play of the pooches on site. The fenced area has been carefully designed with no corners so as to not incite the fight or flee instinct of the doggie guests, making for a much more productive and stress-free play experience. There will be a ton of co-branded features inside the play area, too, like a climbing wall for us canine types designed by the folks up at ROKC climbing gym in North Kansas City. The fenced area will be protected from the elements as well, given it’s mostly under the Heart of America Bridge.

We’re told the view from atop the bar is unparalleled, with the impressive Bond Bridge to the east and the hulking, century-old, iron-framed ASB Bridge directly to the East. This dog is certain when the bridge deck is lifted and those cables start to sing, the park will be a howling good time.

This Newsdog doesn’t normally get to pen columns about fellow canine entrepreneurs but in this case, this little teaser of a column was a toy-tuggin, kibble-eatin’ pleasure to put together, and we can’t wait until the new Bar K gets opened up in July. This Newsdog will be on hand for the formal opening.