The Cromwell Park Grand Opening!

Cromwell Park is new "jewel in the crown" of Shoreline Parks!

Hundreds of neighbors, staff and celebrants gathered at Grand Opening
photo credit-Janet Way

And a good time was had by all........

Permanent plaque will be mounted and displayed

KC Councilmember Bob Ferguson congratulates Dick Deal and City of Shoreline
on completing this long term goal of refurbishing a former KC Park

Cromwell Park is a delight and a wonderful addition to central Shoreline.  Monday, August 30th was the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening. Hundreds of visitors and celebrants participated. The weather was perfect for the evening celebration. A "blues" band, "Miles from Chicago" entertained the guests and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening thoroughly.

The Cromwell Park Project was undertaken after voters approved the 2006 Parks Bond.  Shoreline City Council approved the project after and extensive public process in 2007. It is a  combined projected for Parks and Public Works with funding from both budgets and grant funding as well. The intention was to improve the park which had previously been home to Cromwell Elementary School and then King County Courthouse, which also created the Park. For many years it was a "bifurcated" site, with the Courthouse (including an ugly detention pond with a chain link fence), a very dry and neglected ballfield, and a disconnected wetland and wooded section. The wetland and bog site had long ago been filled to create the site for the school. It is located between Meridian Ave N and Corliss Ave at 179th N. Parking is available all around.

Budget

• $1 million Park Bond Levy
• $650,000 Surface Water Utility Fund
• $50,000 King County
  Youth Sports Facility Grant
• $60,000 King County Waterworks Grant
• Additional Repair and Replacement Funds
• Additional Trail Corridor Funds
• 1% for the Arts

Since this is one of the most upstream headwaters of Thornton Creek where flooding is a common problem, the site was selected for a park makeover which would include restored wetlands with infiltration ponds.

Parks Director Dick Deal and designer Peggy Gaynor congratulate each other

Parks Project Director, Maureen Collaizi  congratulates Susan Black and Peg Gaynor
who headed up the design team. Peggy Gaynor has extensive experience with watershed
restorations, including the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel and
Ravenna and Madrona Creek
Daylighting projects

Parks Director Dick Deal stated that over 400 trees were planted in the project and over 2.5 acre feet of wetland detention was provided by the project. Ronald Bog will benefit from this detention capacity when in large storm events. 

The project provided a vast improvement in "wetland function, with infiltration ponds which are all planted with thousands of native wetland plants, such as hard stem bullrush, red osier dogwood, native ash, cedar and even lupine, which will bloom even more next summer.

lupine planted around pond

Infiltration ponds are planted with an array of native wetland plants such as ask, red osier dogwood,
bullrush and lupine (view looking S towards church next door)

The Park also features an amphitheater, gazebo, ball field, basketball court, playground, picnic areas

and walking trails, which provide passive and active recreation opportunities for many residents of all ages.

playground and sports fields are clustered together
for families' convenience

City Staff awarded Manager Bob Olander a commemorative photo collage of all of the 2006 Parks Bond Projects completed to date. The Parks bond for about 19 million has been a huge success with many
projects around town now completed

Young soccer teams watch the presentation anxious to get playin'!

The event was attended by many elected officials, present and past and parks board members 

and city staff.

Souvenir Ribbon pieces from the ribbon cutting displayed
by l to r - Rep Maralyn Chase, former Mayor Cindy Ryu,
Norma Mayfield, Parks Bdmbr Boni Biery, former Clmbr Janet Way

Officials unveil commemorative plaque for Cromwell Park at ceremony