Juanita Beach Park plan would polish a "jewel"
Ninety years ago, construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal caused the water to drop nearly nine feet. While most residents wrestled with gooey black mud that appeared in their back yards, a vast expanse of fine white sand revealed itself on Alicia and Leslie Forbes' Kirkland waterfront.
And thus a community beach was born.
Knowing economic potential when they saw it, the couple opened a concession stand and then added a dance hall and bath house. For decades, visitors crossed the lake for weekend getaways.
In 1957 the couple sold the site to King County, which gave it its current name, Juanita Beach Park. But in the 1990s the beach languished in disrepair, and a budget shortfall forced the county to transfer ownership to Kirkland in 2002.
After years of discussion, the Kirkland City Council recently approved an extensive master plan for the 30-acre park that could return it to its former glory.
All they need now is $14 million.
"It is one of the jewels in the city," said Marianna Hanefeld, who is on the board of Juanita Neighborhoods, an association of residents in the area. "We're thrilled it was approved. The question is when is it going to be built?"
Hanefeld walks to the park nearly every day and has been working to improve it for seven years, including pushing city ownership and sharing ideas for the master plan.
The plan calls for a community plaza with an amphitheater; a waterfront promenade that connects to the existing pedestrian pier; a skate park; more sports fields; boat-rental facilities; picnic shelters; improved water quality; new vegetation and garden areas; and restoration of the Forbes House, which has been nominated for historical designation by the city.
The newly built Juanita Village added apartments, retail shops and restaurants across from the park, creating a community core that will connect with the revitalized park, city officials said.
If the city annexes the Finn Hill and Kingsgate areas north of its current border, as is currently under discussion, the park will be an even more prominent part of the city, neighbors said.
"Once annexation takes place, it will be the dead center of Kirkland," said Greg Butler, a board member of the Juanita neighborhood association. "Historically, it's one of the destinations that really make Kirkland what it is."
Funding options
The city has set aside $1 million from its capital-improvement program and is applying for an additional $1 million in state and federal grants to begin work on the first phase of the $15 million project.
"We'll do as much as we can based on how much we can pull together," said Kirkland park-planning manager Michael Cogle, who added that the city is exploring additional grant options.
Other funding options might include a parks bond, neighbors said. Parks officials confirm there have been initial talks about a possible parks bond in the next few years, and Juanita Beach Park could be a part of that.
The first phase will cost about $5 million to $6 million and will include improvements south of Juanita Drive, including improving water quality and building the amphitheater and promenade. Construction is set to start around 2008 and, if fully funded, could be finished within a year to 16 months, Cogle said.
Nearly $2 million of the first-phase funding will go to water restoration. For years the beach has faced seasonal closures due to high levels of bacteria from goose droppings combined with poor water circulation in the swimming area.
The city will also regrade the site to make the lawn less inviting for geese, Cogle said.
It will also improve water circulation in the enclosed swimming area by getting rid of bulkheads along the concrete pier that can create stagnant water.
There are also sediment and pollution problems where Juanita Creek empties into Juanita Bay at the west end of the beach. The city is working to improve water quality upstream to prevent pollution and stabilize the banks of the creek to alleviate sediment buildup.
Wildlife habitats
The East Lake Washington Audubon Society had raised concerns that the plan, which allowed for motorized and nonmotorized boat rentals off the pier, would threaten wildlife.
The bay is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including herons, turtles, Canada geese, salmon and trout. In response, the City Council modified the plan to take into consideration wildlife habitats when boating plans are implemented.
The beach park complements nearby Juanita Bay Park, also owned by the city. Juanita Bay Park is a natural wildlife area, offering walking and bird-watching tours. The beach park is more of an active community and recreation park.
Neighbors say that the beach park has been a gathering place for the community and site of such popular events as the city's centennial, the Christmas ships parade and the Fourth of July fireworks show.
Kirkland Mayor James Lauinger said the city put a lot of work into improving the park after it took over ownership from the county but there's a lot more to be done.
"I'm confident I'll see it [completed] in my lifetime," said Lauinger, 65.
Lisa Chiu: 206-464-3347 or lchiu@seattletimes.com
