Lake Stevens Community Park

Posted by James Monroe 
 
Our featured speaker January 15, 2010 was Tom Tiegen, Director of the Snohomish County Parks & Recreation Department. He provided an update to the new park, located on N. Machias Rd at 16th St NE, which will open this spring with the Little League baseball season.

The Park has two Little league sized baseball fields and one full size field in addition to four soccer/football fields, a small playground and sport court. There are almost 300 parking stalls and a walking trail. Many members commented that they have already used the trail.

However, there aren't any restroom facilities. The initial plans for the Park included a restroom/concession building, but, this was removed from the plans at the request of the Lake Stevens Junior Athletic Association (LSJAA). They wanted the funding to go into the infrastructure of the fields. They field areas are ready to have turf put on them if a decision was ever made to do that. Currerntly, they are grass. The turf project alone would cost $4.5 million. The bathroom/concession building is about $300,000.

The County is partnering with the Klahaya District of the Boy Scouts of America to have a big celebration at the Park on Saturday, May 1. On that day, hundreds of Cub Scouts (including our own Pack 88), Boy Scouts and Venturing Scouts will be doing their annual sprucing up of the Centennial Trail. It is anticipated that many dignitaries and local civic leaders will be in attendance.

The LSJAA will manage the scheduling of the fields and has the opportunity to raise some revenue by renting out the fields to other leagues. The Association and the County are finalizing the terms of the facility use agreement.

Tom also updated the members on the new off-leash park on top of Cavelero Hill. He is excited about the Boy Scouts adopting the Park because there are many things that can be done as service projects.