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News and Notes
Attention cyclists, runners and fans of Point Defiance Park’s Zoo, Fort and other attractions: If you’ve missed the first two meetings to talk about parking and traffic issues in the park, you won’t want to miss the third. Project manager Tom Dargan will present possible changes in traffic flow, including two-way traffic to the
Zoo,
Owen Beach and
Fort Nisqually.
These changes are
not set in stone. They’re options as we consider ways to improve safety and efficient flow of traffic to the park’s most popular places. If you have an opinion, we want to hear it. The public meeting will be at
6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in the park’s
Pagoda.
You’ll also have the option of weighing in online at at
DestinationPointDefiance.org or by contacting Tom directly (call him at 305-1017 or email him at
tomd@tacomaparks.com). But attending in person and contributing to the dialogue will be very much appreciated. You’ll also get a preview of the
roundabout going in at the park’s Pearl Street entrance later this year.
Find the ‘missing link’ trail across from the bowl
If you’re an early morning runner or cyclist at Point Defiance Park – or someone out searching for
Monkeyshines orbs there as I was before dawn in late January – you’ve probably had some gorgeous sunrise views of a new bridge taking shape across the Vashon ferry lanes:
Wilson Way.
Named after the district’s longtime executive director Jack C. Wilson, who retired last year, the bridge is a 600-foot-long, 18-foot-wide “missing link” trail that finally will be a permanent connection between the park’s trail network and Point Ruston’s trail, and from there to Ruston Way and beyond.
The bridge’s importance to pedestrian access in the city will be reason enough to celebrate this fall when Metro Parks opens the bridge. However, the bridge will not only be functional, but also fun.
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As
reported recently in The News Tribune, the plan is to install stairs down the hillside on the bridge’s triangle side to give people easy access to the waterfront. But next to those stairs, Metro Parks plans to install slides that offer a quicker way down.
It has been done elsewhere in the world but apparently would be a first for Metro Parks. Right now, we can only show where the slides would go; take a look.
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If you stand across from the bowl parking area close to the ferry lanes, you can follow the columns of concrete and see the path of Wilson Way. In the next month, the first girders will be lifted into place, and the bridge will start to look like a bridge.
Wilson Way is on track, but it’s just one of many improvements coming to Point Defiance Park. You can stay up to date by signing up for email updates at
DestinationPointDefiance.org. In the next few weeks, we plan to increase their frequency to help you keep up with activity, impacts and next steps. You also can look on
DestinationPointDefiance.org (we update construction details at least weekly), and we’re looking into some more options for communications. Meanwhile, the park is OPEN, along with all its attractions. Check out our events page to find out what’s happening, or go directly to the websites for
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium,
Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and the
Point Defiance Marina.
Here’s a recap of projects. You can read about all of them at DestinationPointDefiance.org
- Wilson Way, the pedestrian bridge linking Point Defiance Park with Ruston Way. Opening late this year.
- Roundabout at the park’s Pearl Street entrance, beginning construction and opening later this year.
- Environmental Learning Center, under construction by Tacoma Public Schools inside Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and opening this fall.
- Pacific Seas Aquarium, under construction at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, opening in 2018.
- Park on the peninsula, opening in 2018.
- Owen Beach improvements, going through a public review process now.
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Later this year, park staff will begin a public visioning process to help determine the future of the park’s "Triangle," and some more public outreach for other topics is planned.
More planning, more dialogue
Point Defiance Park is the largest park in the district, but it’s far from the only one.
Later this year, expect to hear more about plans for Titlow Park, Swan Creek Park and, of course, Eastside Community Center.
Sign up for email updates to keep up to date, or keep reading Metro Parks Today.
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Michael Thompson is
public information manager
of Metro Parks Tacoma. Contact
him at
(253) 305-1092 or
michaelt@tacomaparks.com
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Practicing inclusiveness in real life
Welcome one, welcome all. If you are here in our community, then Metro Parks welcomes you to participate in all the district has to offer. Inclusiveness is not only one of the district’s eight core values, it’s also part of the social equity pillar honored by Metro Parks and the National Recreation and Park Association.
NRPA calls social equity “ensuring all people have access to the benefits of local parks and recreation.” Metro Parks takes many approaches to further social equity.
- We offer programming throughout the park district.
- We manage specialized and adaptive recreation programs for people with special needs.
- We offer scholarships – and recently increased the fund for scholarships – to ensure people with lower incomes can participate in fee-supported programs.
- We are partnering with Tacoma Public Schools, the YMCA, and the Boys & Girls Clubs to provide an elementary school sports program that gives young children throughout the city access to recreational sports at their neighborhood school.
- The pillar of social equity even shows up in the placement of spraygrounds and pools throughout the district so that more residents have access to them.
I can tell these actions have a positive influence when I visit Metro Parks facilities and hear different languages and see people from different cultures. But sometimes an organization's values are also expressed by what it does not do.
We do not track our participants’ citizenship status. We do not track their country of origin. We certainly do not question anyone’s religion. We may ask whether you are a district resident, but how you came to be living in the park district is not our concern. We are a safe place of sanctuary.
Like equity and inclusiveness, safety is one our district’s eight core values. The access our park district provides to residents contributes to community safety, according to the National Recreation and Park Association. The association says parks provide more physical activity for youth and adults, for example. So when you see people out using parks, spraygrounds and community centers, you’re seeing some of our contributions to safe neighborhoods.
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We agree with NRPA when it says “it is a right, not just a privilege, for people nationwide to have safe, healthful access to parks and recreation.” Metro Parks staff are trained to provide positive, fun, engaging experiences for people.
For all people.
Aaron Pointer became a Park Board commissioner in 2001 after careers as a professional baseball player, NFL and Pac-10 referee, and Pierce County Parks Athletics Supervisor. His fellow commissioners elected him as Board Clerk on Jan. 9, 2017.
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Aaron Pointer, Clerk
Metro Parks
Tacoma
B
oard
of Commissioners
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- Two-way traffic under consideration for parts of Point Defiance Park Read more >
- Titlow Park shoreline restoration just about complete Read more >
- Operation Shark Dive: New program offers unique therapy for soldiers copingwith the trauma of combat Read more >
- All-outdoor option added to Tacoma Nature Center preschool
offerings Read more >
- Fall, winter are best times to plant trees, and other tips from the Metro Parks Tacoma Urban Forester Read more >
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Upcoming Events & Public Meetings
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Saturday, February 18
Sunday, February 19
Monday, February 20
Wednesday, February 22
Thursday, February 23
Friday, February 24
Saturday, February 25
Sunday, February 26
Saturday, March 4
Wednesday, March 8
Friday, March 10
Saturday, March 11
Sunday, March 12
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Board of Park Commissioners Meeting
Capital Improvement Committee
Board of Park Commissioners Retreat
Friday, Feb. 24; 5:30 pm
Read more >
Point Defiance Traffic Circulation Meeting
Thursday, Feb. 23; 6:00 pm
Read more >
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Metro Parks Tacoma | (253) 305-1000 | metroparkstacoma.org
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