Draft master plans ready

Draft master plans for Lake Tye Park and a future park site on property currently owned by Cadman Inc., have been released.

Seattle-based HBB Landscape Architecture, the company hired by the city of Monroe to head the concurrent projects, built outlines based on public comments received at open houses, during popup studios and through surveys conducted this fall.

“I really feel kind of proud for our community,” said Monroe Parks and Recreation director Mike Farrell. “I had hoped for this, and I wanted to expect that we were going to have really good community engagement. The community did not let me down.”

A range of viewpoints was represented throughout the process. Safety, making the parks family friendly, promoting the environment and emphasizing water-related activities were suggested for incorporation into both master plans.

Many participants were hopeful for the development of the nearly 140-acre Cadman site. Some said they wanted to see bike trails, boardwalks, interpretive displays and especially river access.

“I am open to seeing anything and everything in this space,” one person wrote. “If there was a chance to camp near the river, that might be amazing!”

At the 64-acre Lake Tye Park, the city asked how the public felt about the importance of promoting it as a regional destination.

Some residents said they were worried about marketing the park on a larger scale because of the increased traffic to Fryelands Boulevard, which would require more infrastructure to meet the demand. Others said they thought parking should be expanded.

“Lake Tye is a crown jewel for the local residents of Monroe,” one comment reads. “It should not be developed to attract tourism or for profit partners.”

Increased use coupled with the popularity of new activities, such as paddle boarding and the amount of regional events being hosted at the site, and a growing list of potential renovations prompted the city to start the master planning process for the 64-acre Lake Tye Park this fall.  

The Cadman site is essentially a blank slate for Monroe, according to Farrell. The last time the city adopted a new facility was about eight years ago. The Monroe Rotary Park opened after the Monroe Rotary Club led fundraising efforts to pay for the ADA-accessible, all-weather youth baseball fields.

A master plan for the property was prepared in 1998 by Cadman Inc. Once mining was complete, the Redmond-based company would convey the land to the city, per the terms of their use permit. Farrell said the city will start talks about the transfer with the company in January.

Creating the two master plans was scheduled to cost no more than $130,000. The expenses were included in the 2017 budget. The money was taken from the parks capital improvement project fund.

The Monroe City Council and Monroe Parks and Recreation Board had two joint meetings to discuss the direction of the master planning during the process. They received the draft earlier this month.

For the Cadman site, seven areas and phases of development have been identified. Projects include a loop around the roughly 15-acre pond, camping and a riverfront walkway, according to council documents. Potential funding sources were identified for each. City money, grants and volunteer labor were suggested. Altogether, the phases will cost about $32 million to complete.

Lake Tye Park, which was built in the early 1990s, has multiple opportunities for visitors to try out different sports and offers a peaceful environment.

Fishing ponds, an entry water fountain and picnic plaza have been proposed as additions to the site. Eight areas and phases were outlined for Lake Tye Park, which are estimated to total about $31 million.

Sky to Sound Water Trail concepts have been incorporated into the Cadman master plan, Farrell said. According to council documents, the same is true for Lake Tye Park and development of Centennial Trail, which will eventually extend from Snohomish to Monroe and Monroe to Duvall. 

Farrell said the draft will go before the parks board for review in January. If the board makes a recommendation, the city council will weigh in next. Once approved the documents will become a part of the city’s 2015-2035 comprehensive plan.

One project is already scheduled to begin next year. Design for the Lake Tye Park synthetic turf upgrades has been budgeted for 2018.