Si View Metro Parks Comprehensive Parks Plan I March 2017 Page Left Intentionally Blank
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Si View Metro Parks Comprehensive Parks Plan i March 2017 Page left intentionally blank ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Board of Commissioners Bud Raisio, President of the Commission Susan Kelly, Clerk of the Commission Linda Grez, Commissioner Mark Joselyn, Commissioner Amy McGhee, Commissioner District Staff Travis Stombaugh, Executive Director Minna Rudd, Recreation Manager Bridget Verhei, Recreation Supervisor David Dembeck, Operations Manager Consultant Team iii Page left intentionally blank iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ......................................................................................................vii Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................1 Chapter 2: Community Profile ........................................................................................9 Chapter 3: Community Engagement ............................................................................19 Chapter 4: Park & Open Space Inventory .....................................................................27 Chapter 5: Needs Assessment ......................................................................................47 Chapter 6: Goals & Objectives .....................................................................................83 Chapter 7: Capital Planning .........................................................................................95 Chapter 8: Action Strategies .......................................................................................101 Appendix A: A Short History of the Si View MPD ........................................................105 Appendix B: MPD Survey Summary............................................................................109 Appendix C: Snoqualmie Survey Summary ...............................................................131 Appendix D: Community Meeting Notes ....................................................................147 Appendix E: Stakeholder Discussion Summaries ......................................................157 Appendix F: Online Engagement Comments .............................................................177 Appendix G: Funding & Implementation Tools ..........................................................183 v vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This District Comprehensive Plan is a six-year guide and strategic plan for managing and enhancing park, trail and recreation services within the Si View Metropolitan Park District. It establishes a path forward for enabling and enhancing high quality, community-driven parks, trails, open spaces and recreational opportunities. This Plan provides a vision for the District’s park and recreation system and addresses goals, objectives and other management considerations toward the continuation of high-quality recreation opportunities to benefit residents of the upper Snoqualmie Valley. This Plan was developed with the input and direction of District residents. The Plan inventories and evaluates existing park and recreation areas, assesses the needs for acquisition, site development and operations, and offers specific policies and recommendations to achieve the community’s goals. MISSION The mission of the Si View Metropolitan Park District is to work in partnership with the community to preserve historic Si View Park and provide opportunities to enhance the quality of life through the facilitation of recreation programs and parks in the Snoqualmie Valley. vii SI VIEW’S RECREATION GOALS & POLICIES This Plan includes a series of goals SYSTEM intended to guide District decision- making to ensure the parks and The Si View Metropolitan Park District recreation system meets the needs of the (Si View MPD) owns 11 acres of Valley for years to come. parkland and opererates the Si View Pool and Community Center, but the These goals and policies were based on District’s influence is so much greater. community input and technical analysis. Through partnerships and cooperative They include: arrangements, the District actively manages, operates and schedules Community Engagement & approximately 890 acres of parkland Communications: Encourage across the City of North Bend. In all, this meaningful public involvement in park and recreation planning and system of parks and trails supports a inform residents through District range of active and passive recreation communications. experiences. Recreation Programs: Provide a Si View MPD’s shining star is the Si variety of recreational services and programs that promote the health and View Pool and Community Center. well-being of residents of all ages and Local community members and visitors abilities. from around the region enjoy the pool, Events: Foster community gymnasium, playground and sports field interaction and enhance the quality that are offered. The District operates of life of Valley residents through the an extensive recreation program from promotion of events and festivals. this facility and connects with residents Recreation Facilities: Maintain and of all abilities. For each of the past enhance the District's facilities to two years, Si View MPD has hosted provide recreational opportunities, recreation programs and events that have community services and opportunities attracted more than 150,000 participants for residents to connect, learn and – that’s equivalent to six times the entire play. population of the District! Park Planning & Design: Maintain existing parks and amenities at levels The Snoqualmie Valley is preparing for an that meet or exceed the public’s desire uptick in growth due to its high quality for safety, cleanliness and utility. of life and access to outdoor recreation. Develop new parks and facilities to As the District’s population grows, new meet the current and future needs of investments in parks and recreation will Snoqualmie Valley residents. be necessary to meet the needs of the Trail Network: Actively encourage community, support youth development, the collaboration of local jurisdictions, provide options for residents to lead King County, and state and federal healthy, active lives and foster greater land managers to help address the social and community connections. viii gaps in trails and public lands for a also proposes smaller improvements more coordinated and connected throughout the park system to enhance system. ADA accessibility, safety and usability of Administration: Provide leadership park amenities. and management of parks, facilities and recreation programs throughout The Plan includes documentation to the District. support a coordinated land acquisition Staff Resources: Grow the program with municipal partners to professional staffing of the District ensure sufficient land is available for to meet requested services and outdoor recreation as the population leadership roles. grows. It identifies target acquisition Funding: Use traditional and new areas to secure community parkland, gain funding sources to adequately and access rights along key trail corridors and cost-effectively maintain and enhance fill gaps in park access. the quality of the District's park and recreation system. Interest and participation in the District’s recreation programs have been increasing annually. However, the number and types of activities the District can offer in its facility is limited FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS by a lack of facility capacity. To meet the strong demand for aquatics and The Si View MPD is anticipated to grow indoor recreation programming, this to approximately 33,000 residents by Plan considers the construction of and 2035 – representing a 30% increase staffing for a new, multi-use aquatic and over the coming 20 years. Serving recreation center. Such a facility would existing and future residents will allow the District to control programming, require improvements to existing parks, scheduling and fees to more effectively expansion of the park system, expansion meet community needs. A close look at of the trail network and development financing alternatives and partnership of recreation facilities. The 6-year opportunities will be necessary to offset Capital Facilities Plan recommends development and operational costs. approximately $3.4 million of investment in acquisition, development and renovation of the parks system over the next six years and identifies additional investment priorities for the future. To ensure existing parks provide desired recreational amenities and offer safe and accessible opportunities to play and gather, the Plan includes investments in the development and improvement of parks within the District. The Plan ix x INTRODUCTION Si View Metro Parks - Your Best Backyard!1 BACKGROUND The Si View Community Center and Pool was constructed in 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project for King County and has since served as the recreation hub for the community. In 2002 King County closed several recreation facilities due to budget constraints, including Si View. The local community quickly took action to re-open Si View by running a local ballot measure to form a Metropolitan Park District, which passed with overwhelming support. 72% of residents favored the transfer of ownership to the local community and creation of a local taxing district to support the much needed repairs and operational funding for the community center and pool. After the MPD was formed, its first comprehensive planning effort resulted in the preparation of the The 2006-2011 Comprehensive Plan, which included a recommended capital improvement program