Never boring Monroe Parks Board

Out of all Monroe's boards and commissions, the Monroe Parks Board might be one of the most enjoyable. Not only does the board focus on matters related to Monroe's lush network of parks, every year members take a guided tour of each local park, reviewing its assets and assessing its needs.

The parks board is a seven-member board charged with advising the city council on matters pertaining to the management, supervision, improvement and budgeting for the city's parks and recreational facilities. The parks board conducts in-depth discussion on key parks issues at the request of the council, reporting back with recommendations. Parks board meetings are similar to city council meetings, except discussion is limited to parks-related issues.

The board is made up of five community members, one member of the Monroe Planning Commission and a representative from the Monroe School District. Regular parks board members serve four-year terms, while the planning commission liaison and school district representative serve two-year terms.

Last Thursday's parks board meeting included planning for a future, council-driven discussion about smoking and vaping regulations in Monroe parks and a staff report. The staff report, given by Monroe Parks and Recreation Director Mike Farrell, highlighted the final phase of the spring flower planting program recently completed by minimum-security inmates from the Washington State Department of Corrections.

Inmates in the medium-security unit grew more than 3,000 begonias from seed, which were planted in the traffic islands on Main and Lewis streets.

"It saves the city about $900 every year,GÇ¥ Farrell said. "We've been doing this for several years, and it's a great partnership between the city and the DOC.GÇ¥

After the meeting adjourned, parks board members headed over for a tour of Al Borlin Park, to review damage to the riverside trail from last winter's heavy flooding and discuss ways to increase the park's use.

East of Monroe's downtown core at 615 Simons Road, the 90-acre park is Monroe's largest and one of the oldest. The park is named after Al Borlin, a former city councilmember and Monroe teacher who was passionate about parks and environmental education.

Park amenities include a 1.2-mile trail system, parking area, barbecues, picnic tables and river frontage.

Monroe Planning Commissioner Bridgette Tuttle thought it was important to begin this season's park tour with Al Borlin, to coincide with ongoing planning commission discussion about zoning and allowable uses in the vicinity of the park. It's one of the reasons the liaison position is important, she said, because it brings cohesion among groups tasked with guiding decisions about the city.

Al Borlin has earned a somewhat dubious reputation in recent years, due to issues with homeless individuals illegally camping in the area. A young man and member of the Monroe community killed himself in Al Borlin last May, and shortly after that, the Monroe Police Department conducted a massive sweep to evict those that had taken up residence in the park. Officers were alerted to the homeless situation there, in part, by arrestees who would give the park as their address during officer contact.

Despite frequent patrols by Monroe police officers and an ongoing effort to keep the park safe and litter free, the park's bad reputation has lingered. Parks board members strategized ways to encourage the park's use by local residents and families.

"The more people that are down here, the fewer homeless people are going to be hanging out,GÇ¥ Tuttle said. -á -á

The park truly is a gem, Farrell said, and is unique among Monroe parks because of its natural, forested state. The trail system winding through the heavily wooded area is teeming with edible and medicinal plants, boasting impressive views of the Skykomish River along the way. The parks department has plans to reroute a section of trail that has become particularly precarious after floodwaters carried away a portion of the bank, hoping to complete the work in August.

The trail's edge is sudden and jagged in that particular area, as the water raced through last November, tearing away chunks of earth.-á -á

"This just happened this last winter,GÇ¥ Farrell said. "It's all just silt, so there's nothing that's going to stop it from doing that unless the river changes course.GÇ¥

The parks department plans to construct a new section of trail west of the existing trail, and will subsequently close off the flood-damaged portion.-á

"We're just so lucky to have this beautiful spot,GÇ¥ Farrell said.

Click here for-ámore information about Al Borlin Park.-á