Inspiration
As a lifelong dog owner in a busy urban area, I’d often waste time driving to overcrowded dog parks or miss out on connecting with other pet parents. I wanted a simple, no-fuss tool that solved these pain points—something accessible to every dog owner, no sign-ups required.
What it does
DogPark Finder lets users discover nearby dog parks with live crowd level indicators, view park amenities/reviews, connect with local dog owners, and access lost/found dog alerts—all in one intuitive, mobile-first interface.
How we built it
We started with wireframing core pages (map, park details, social feed) in Figma, then built the frontend with React for responsiveness. We integrated Mapbox for location mapping, used Firebase to host static data, and added real-time update logic with JavaScript for crowd level refresh.
Challenges we ran into
The biggest hurdle was balancing real-time data updates with smooth mobile performance—we had to optimize the 60-second crowd level refresh to avoid lag. We also struggled with making the map view user-friendly for outdoor, on-the-go use (e.g., bright lighting readability).
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We created a fully functional, mobile-responsive tool that delivers on all core user needs without login barriers. The color-coded crowd system is intuitive, and users love the seamless switch between map/list park views.
What we learned
We mastered balancing simplicity with functionality—avoiding overcomplicating the UI while still delivering robust features. We also learned how to design for outdoor usability (high contrast, readable fonts) and simulate real-time data effectively for demo use.
What's next for this project
We plan to add push notifications for lost/found dogs, integrate real park occupancy data from local municipalities, and build in-app messaging to let dog owners connect directly. We also want to expand support for more urban/suburban areas across the country.
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