With warm summer weather finally here, many Western students flock to one of Bellingham’s many parks to soak up the sun and scenery.  But this summer, park visitors will have to change their plans to accommodate maintenance and construction projects starting at the end of May.

The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department plans to close sections of Big Rock Trail, Cornwall Park and Whatcom Falls Park in addition to other popular park areas to build new playground structures, maintain worn-down trails and add parking spaces and restroom facilities.

Bellingham Parks and Recreation engineer Terry Gobo and landscape architect Jonathan Schilk are coordinating the eight-park project.  Gobo said the closures will only affect a portion of the parks, and detours will be provided to ensure the easiest public access.  

“Besides being a place to play, Bellingham parks are popular for people holding special events,” Gobo said.  “Before people’s plans are underway, we want them to know there will be construction that they may have to plan ahead for.”

Schilk is overseeing playground construction at Cornwall and Carl Lobe Parks and trail construction in Big Rock Trail Park.  He said the eight-park project started in 2004, working its way through permit processes, public discussion and land-use committees.  The project received funding through the city in 2006, and now that designs have been finalized, construction can commence.

Schilk is a landscape architect trained in playground design and said much of the construction will center on new playgrounds.  Even though some patrons use the park to take a stroll or play with their pooch, playgrounds are the heart of Bellingham parks, he said.

“Playgrounds are where families congregate and build community, so it is important to the city that we have fun, safe and colorful play structures that are universally accessible for kids and creatively challenging,” Schilk said.

Gobo is overseeing projects in Boulevard, Whatcom Creek Trail and Whatcom Falls Parks as well as Civic Field and Joe Martin Stadium.  

While the summer construction may pose an inconvenience, patrons will still be able to be active in the park without feeling constrained, she said.

Gobo said she anticipates the biggest impact on students will be the closures in popular Boulevard and Cornwall Parks because of their proximity to campus, beautiful scenery and numerous biking and jogging trails.

Northern access to Boulevard Park will be closed from August to October as crews construct a wooden patio structure.  Traffic delays are expected and residents living in nearby apartments should expect construction noise between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. while building is underway.

Western student Hope Rietzen said she likes to go to Boulevard Park for the view of the bay and it's close location to her apartment.  She said she hopes she will not have to go a great distance for the same experience.

“I don’t have a car, so it is nice having a park so close,” she said.  “Instead of driving all the way to Lake Padden, I will probably just find another area of Boulevard Park to spend time in.”

Portions of Cornwall will also be closed from August to October to install a new playground as well as landscape grading and to demolish existing structures, Schilk said.  

He said the construction will affect the horseshoe-throwing pit, but the popular disc-golf course will remain open and unaffected by the construction work.

Brandon Biggs said nothing, including playground construction, could keep him from playing disc golf in Cornwall Park on a nice day.  As he watched his disc soar above Cornwall’s central playfield to the next hole on the course, he said he could always find another place to play if need be.

“There are so many great parks around the area, a couple of closures won’t change things for me,” Biggs said.  “If anything, the construction will mean a more beautiful place to play.”

Schilk said the park projects this summer will be fairly simple, requiring crews of a maximum of five people and should not affect visitors’ plans too much; however, if community members frequent the park for peace and solitude, they should keep the construction in mind and maybe explore one of the other 13 public parks in Bellingham.

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