Visiting a historic site full of information and heartache can be overwhelming — which is why the Bainbridge Island Metro Parks and Recreation District is seeking to ease the process.
Parks staff may soon be available for visitor support at the BI Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, provided the three entities that govern the site can reach an agreement.
The National Parks Service will fund a seasonal or permanent interpretive services staff position at the memorial. That person will host visitors, answer questions, lead tours and more under a draft agreement between the federal agency, the local parks district and the BIJAEM Association, a nonprofit historical preservation group.
“Together, we are laying the foundation for how the memorial will be managed and sustained for years to come,” said Val Tollefson, president of BIJAEMA.
Dan Hamlin, executive director of the parks district, said board members discussed the proposal at a recent meeting.
At the memorial, the land and visitor facilities belong to the parks district, but because it’s a federal historic site, the NPS has administrative responsibility. However, BIJAEMA created the memorial through fundraising, planning and construction, and now manages most of its programming.
A formal agreement would allow the NPS and the parks district to manage on-site interpretive services, but also conduct historical research, develop exhibits and informational materials, and create online and social media content pertaining to the memorial. The nonprofit would hire staff with funds from the parks district, via the NPS.
BIJAEMA is working on a design for a visitor center, where the interpretive staff member would work.
“We’ve experienced a roller-coaster ride navigating the often-elusive permitting process and securing public water service for the site. City officials have been highly responsive to our needs, but it ain’t easy,” Tollefson said. “Given the current economic climate, pinning down the final cost of a project like this has been no small feat, but we are confident that we are in good shape moving forward.”
