KIRKLAND, Wash. – The Park Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber to receive public comment on a final draft master plan for 132nd Square Park.
The evening will begin with a brief overview of the master planning process and the plans components including lighting and an all-weather field. The final preferred concept reflects the feedback and data collected from the community during three previously held community events and an online survey. The priority issues shared by the community included additional parking, park character, tree maintenance, small scale park improvements such as expanded paths, and an improved restroom.
“We’ve had excellent participation from the community throughout the master planning process,” said Parks and Community Services Director Lynn Zwaagstra. “We’ve been able to take the input we’ve received and synthesize it into a preferred concept. We hope that the community will attend the public hearing and continue to be engaged in this planning process.”
Over the past few months the City has been meeting with community members to develop a master plan that would include improvements such as lighting, all-weather turf fields and parking. Located in the Evergreen Hill neighborhood, 132nd Square Park is one of Kirkland’s seven community parks. The park is approximately 10 acres and is currently comprised of two ball fields, a playground, a parking lot, restrooms, a small picnic shelter, some pathways and a sledding hill. The master plan is a requirement of Kirkland’s Zoning Code when park infrastructure improvements are considered.
More information can be found on the project website.
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About 132nd Square Park: In 2015 the Parks and Community Services Capital Improvement Program (CIP) included a playfield renovation project for 132nd Square Park. This project was consistent with priorities in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (PROS Plan) and recommended by the Park Board. Public Works simultaneously applied for a State Department of Ecology (DOE) grant for stormwater improvements at 132nd Square Park and was given a contingent grant award of $2.5 million. Heavy rains and snowmelt can overwhelm the Totem Lake and Juanita Basin drainage system, resulting in flooded streets, sidewalks, and homes. The 132nd Square stormwater project aims to reduce the amount of stormwater that flows into Totem Lake, and to filter out many of the pollutants that drain with it.
In January 2018, the stormwater grant funding became available and staff began analyzing the opportunity to combine that project with playfield renovation. Combining the projects would create economies of scale and cost savings because the stormwater project requires extensive excavation and restoration of the entire field area. Since the stormwater project also involves the installation of an underground vault, the impervious surface calculations and vault construction could also meet the stormwater requirements for the synthetic turf. Permitting, bidding, construction and administration could all be combined for a more efficient project while addressing multiple infrastructure needs. The stormwater project is scheduled to begin construction in spring of 2020.