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Town of Washougal is launching a challenge to rework its Schmid Household Park.
On March 24, the Washougal Metropolis Council accepted a $124,963 contract with Vancouver-based MacKay Sposito to supply planning providers for town’s Schmid Park Conceptual Design Challenge.
“It’s a park we’re really excited about because there’s a lot of land to do stuff, and we’re also really excited about the stormwater educational piece, to bring something like that into the community,” mentioned Scott Collins, a metropolis engineer.
In accordance with metropolis paperwork, Schmid Household Park, 1407 thirty second St., close to the Washougal River, consists of about 13 acres of river floodway land appropriate for extra “low-intensity” park makes use of and 5 acres of “upland” property close to thirty second Road that would seemingly accommodate “higher impact and more dynamic recreation features.”
Town plans to transform the river floodway right into a restored wetland with raised pathways and integrated academic facilities, permitting the upland park property to assist “active recreational features.”
“The city has discussed whether it (might be) an outdoor concert area, with a concert-in-the-park kind of feel, or recreational, like a soccer facility or something like that,” Collins mentioned.
In accordance with town’s contract with MacKay Sposito, “the project seeks to transform an ecologically sensitive site into a vibrant recreational space for the city of Washougal,” with the aim of aligning with Washougal’s “broader vision of expanding public green spaces, protecting local habitats, connecting people to the waterfront, and enhancing recreational opportunities for residents of all ages and abilities.”
The contract states that the challenge will align the park’s entry factors and path methods with close by faculties, neighborhoods and regional greenways to create a “cohesive network of recreational opportunities.”
“Anytime you can divert a creek and create a wetland piece, it’s great for the habitat and the wildlife, so there are definitely environmental benefits to converting into a wetland,” Collins mentioned. “Obviously, that’s our hope and intent.”
As a part of group engagement efforts, in keeping with the contract, MacKay Sposito will revisit historic suggestions, facilitate public conferences and summarize group enter.
Collins mentioned the challenge will seemingly begin later this yr.
“Now that the contract is signed, we’ll probably start doing some initial site analysis, getting some survey work done, things like that, and start putting together some concepts that we can start doing some public outreach on,” he mentioned.
