Norman Helgason / [email protected]
Although the Battle Ground City Council last week approved a master plan for four city parks, residents should not expect any new developments anytime soon as officials review funding options for the projects included in it.
The approved parks master plan will outline how the various park properties will be developed, but the timing and details of those developments will be determined later based on available project funding.
Among the four park lots, the 35-acre Durkee lot was originally slated for a sports complex due to its compatible size, but the final plan did not reflect that proposal, although the idea was not completely abandoned.
Located one mile east of the city limits, the Durkee property was originally deeded to Clark County in 1997 by Dorothy and Virginia Durkee to create a walking park. It was later donated to Battle Ground. Last year, however, consultants from MIG, a company working with city staff on the project, proposed converting the property into a sports complex with four ball fields.
After numerous neighbors protested in May that the proposal contradicted the wishes of the donors, the city’s planning commission revised the development plan and planned an outdoor hiking park instead.
After the City Council approved the parks master plan last week, Susan Tripp, a distant relative of the Durkees, expressed her satisfaction with the decision to respect the original intent of the property’s previous owners.
“Her children are still alive. They are in their 80s and are watching this very closely and are very hopeful that it will open and that it will be what their mother wanted,” Tripp said. “The family is still very, very excited to see this property that she grew up on…”
The recent approval ensures that the Durkee property will be developed into a walking park if funding is secured. For several members of the City Council, including Mayor Troy McCoy, creating a sports complex remains a priority if a suitable site is found.
McCoy noted that the city currently has $2.7 million available for park projects, but additional funds may be needed to complete the projects in the parks master plan. Some projects may require park bonds or levies, which would lead to a public vote if grants are not sufficient. The total cost for the four park projects is estimated at $36.1 million, while a sports field complex alone is estimated to cost around $25 million.
“I don’t want to give the impression that the city council just spent $36.1 million and there’s going to be a lot of new parks next year. It’s going to be a long road,” McCoy said.
The adopted Parks Master Plan outlines projects for the entire city.
Remy Real Estate
The 80.2-acre Remy Property is west of Battle Ground’s Walmart Supercenter and features wetlands, limiting development to the southern portion. The adopted plan, estimated to cost $9.4 million, includes fitness stations, an open lawn/informal sports field, a bird-watching area, a picnic area, a dog park and several trails with bike racks. Two parking lots, one on Southwest 20th Avenue and the other on Southwest Scotton Way, provide 31 spaces. The City Council required that a planned bicycle pump track be expanded to include basketball courts before the plan is approved.
Gardner Oaks
East of the Walmart Supercenter, Gardner Oaks’ 13-acre property is divided by a drainage canal. The $7.7 million plan calls for trails, including two pedestrian bridges over the canal, and a nature-based playground. The park will also include a nine-hole disc golf course south of the drainage canal. A parking lot for the park, estimated to include 25 spaces, will be accessible by a future road that has yet to be built on the east side.
Exhibition Park
This existing park north of Main Street will retain its skate park and current parking lot and will be complemented by a new 25-space parking lot accessible from Fairground Avenue. The $15.1 million plan calls for a transformation of the northern portion of the 8.6-acre property. The existing little league ball fields will be replaced with a pump track facility and specialty gardens surrounded by new trails. The facility also includes a splash pad and play area for children, picnic areas and sports courts for basketball, tennis and possibly pickleball. The City Council has determined that no projects will be approved until new little league ball fields are built elsewhere.
Durkee property
The 35-acre Durkee property is to be developed as a trail park with a 25-space parking lot and trailhead. The $3.9 million plan includes two overlooks overlooking an existing creek, as well as additional overlooks overlooking the northern wetlands and a valley. A forest maze, utilizing existing trees on the northwest side of the park, will provide a maze experience for children.
