Lake Tye Park ballfields going synthetic

Designs are almost complete for the long-awaited conversion of two Lake Tye Park natural fields to synthetic turf.

The City of Monroe unveiled the plans to the public last month, and has sought feedback since talks began in 2014. Dozens of residents weighed in on drafts at the annual National Night Out, and the city has received input from people involved in the different sports organizations that will use the new fields.

Parks Department director Mike Farrell said the goal is to start construction in 2019 or 2020. In the meantime, staff is looking for ways to fund the rest of the $2.5 million project. 

“After 22 years of play, the existing natural turf fields are worn and have limited accessibility features,” according to Farrell. “The City’s comprehensive park plan has identified this project as a high-priority and received strong public support during the recently adopted 2017 Lake Tye Master Plan process.”

The updated facilities will be used by kids and adults, and for regional tournaments, which will also draw visitors who will stay at the city’s hotels, eat at local restaurants, and patronize shops and gas stations.

The Monroe City Council authorized Mayor Geoffrey Thomas, whom Farrell reports has been a major proponent since the beginning, to sign a contract in May with Seattle-based D.A. Hogan & Associates, Inc., according to council documents.

The consulting firm has completed around 400 projects, including at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium and Washington State University. 

Farrell said the firm was the most qualified applicant. The city issued its request for proposals in March, and he went before the council for the contract’s approval in May.

The total price for the engineering and landscape architectural services is capped at $231,515, per the agreement. The city had already budgeted $300,000 for the initial costs, according to council documents.

Another $800,000 was awarded by the state during the last legislative session. The funds had been stalled for an additional year due to the Legislature’s inability to pass a capital budget. The city had lobbied for the funds for three years, according to Farrell — while the legislature hashed out the details of its response to the Hirst Decision.

The result of the 2016 court ruling shifted the responsibility for permitting wells on private property from the Washington Department of Ecology to the counties. Passage of the state’s $4.3 billion capital construction budget was tied to its success.

The holdup received its fair share of criticism, including from Gov. Jay Inslee.

“It is, however, extremely unfortunate and, frankly, irresponsible, that for nearly a year Republicans stalled those projects and refused to vote on the $4.2 billion capital budget by linking it to passage of an unrelated effort to address the Supreme Court’s Hirst ruling on water rights,” he said in a Jan. 18 news release. “Their delay in passing the capital budget comes with many costs, monetary and otherwise.”

This year legislators were able to fix 98 percent of the issue. Homeowners in Snohomish County and a portion of King County were granted the ability to tap new wells, while a slew of Skagit County property owners were left out.

About 6,000 parcels of land are useless because those property owners cannot drill, said Sen. Keith Wagoner in June.

Lake Tye Park encompasses 64 acres, and many events are hosted on the property that have brought its facilities international attention, including the 42-acre lake used for multiple recreational activities and competitions. A number of its features have undergone multiple renovations in the past few years.

City staff has started applications for more state funding for the turf fields for the next budget cycle, according to council documents. That includes a $500,000 Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Local Parks grant and $350,000 Youth Athletic Facilities grant.

If both are funded, the city would need to cover nearly $500,000 in remaining project costs, according to council documents. If not, a $1.35 million gap will have to be bridged.

Both fields will be lighted, and the scope of the project includes the existing soccer field and south ball field.

Lake Tye’s skate park was remodeled about three years ago. The park’s playground reopened after an overhaul that began a few months earlier, just in time for the 2017 summer season. Its 20-year-old equipment had reached the end of its life, had outdated features and lacked inclusivity. In 2016, the Monroe City Council authorized nearly $317,550 for the project, which had been planned for in the Parks Capital Improvement Project fund.

The new playground was partially funded by revenue from new construction and home sales in Monroe. The city council adopted a new master plan for the park in February, along with another for a future park site that’s currently owned by Cadman Inc. 

Creating the two master plans cost $130,000, and the expense was included in the 2017 budget. Funding came from the parks capital improvement project fund, the revenue of which is generated through the Real Estate Excise Tax, as well.

Farrell reports plans and specifications for the turf fields are expected to be finalized by this winter.