By Abby Murdock
Photo from Skagit Breaking
Now that we are on the final stretch of the school year, many adventures await us. Finals, summer, warm weather, vacations, seeing friends, and bumming around at the local…at the local what? At the local splash park of course! You might be thinking, “but wait, Sedro-Woolley doesn’t have a splash park.” Well not yet at least!
Remember that old park in between the community center, library, and senior center? With the big slide that as kids we were all too afraid to go on? That park is also known as Memorial Park and soon will be transformed into a fun filled splash park.
For a few years now, the city of Sedro-Woolley has been trying to find the perfect location for a splash park. With much discussion and counseling, the city council decided on Memorial Park.
In the last several years both of our neighbors, Mount Vernon and Burlington, have put in splash as well as water parks. Burlington has their facility located at Maiben Park, also the location of their senior and community center. Kiwanis Park in Mount Vernon is home to a playground, basketball courts, soccer fields and a spray park. Both are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The city of Sedro-Woolley has made the transformation open to the community by having a City Works Day on Tuesday April 19th. Anyone was able show up and see the most recent plans for the park as well give their input. There will be a proposal about the upcoming plans and what the future holds for Memorial Park. On top of the water park there will also be a new playground, picnic tables, and other park amenities.
On April 19th the latest draft of the park was opened to the public. This draft includes new walkways, a playground, more trees, restrooms, and a new open area connected to the senior center.
The plans for the park vary a lot but for right now if everything goes well, the park will open spring of 2018. The total cost of the park is $682,423 but depending on donations that number could change. On April 27th, the council will review the final plans as well as make the changes necessary after the city work day. After that they will submit and apply the plans to RCO for funding. In 2017 the final plans will be made and a park will be born.
