City is going to ruin a great local park | Letters | June 4

Published 11:08 am Friday, June 4, 2010

Tell us it isn’t so! Nearly $1 million to lose a great park! Without City Council action, July 15 could be the beginning of the end of Strawberry Cannery Park.

Unless the council decides to listen to the wishes of its citizens, bulldozers will arrive this summer to remove and remodel all the usable waterfront land at Strawberry Cannery Park.

When people arrive at the park, typically they head straight for the scenic highlight – the land spits that offer a beautiful view of Eagle Harbor. The city’s plan is to excavate these land spits and the shoreline meadow – from the water’s edge to the parking lot. The parking area will be removed with the 50 feet adjacent to the new shoreline planted as a riparian zone.

The excavated material will be mounded onto the former parking area. The only part of the park that will be recognizable will be the entrance road (or path) from Shepard Way through the existing fir trees.

Now it is a favorite site for swimming, small boat launching, tourists, bicyclists, dog-walking, bird-watching, or enjoying a beautiful view of Eagle Harbor. Students can walk to the park from 10 neighboring public and private schools and there is easy access for disabled visitors. Instead the new landscape will have very limited access and does not include any of the features requested during the opportunities for citizen input. In fact the design appears to discourage any human visitors.

The park, located on the shore of Eagle Harbor at the south end of Weaver Road, is an internationally known historic site as well as a frequently used park for immediate neighbors, other islanders and tourists.

If you enjoy the Park as it is, let the City Council know!

Kathryn Keve

Bainbridge Island