Planners to present draft Master Plan update for Point Defiance Park
Public meeting set for Thursday, April 23; open house planned for May 28
After several months of talking with the public about Point Defiance Park and refining a 2008 Concept Plan, Metro Parks Tacoma planners will present a draft Master Plan update to the public at6 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Education Building.
The draft plan will be an update to the 1911 “Hare & Hare” plan, named after the design firm that created it. Even though it was written a century ago, the plan has held up well, even anticipating parking needs. Metro Parks planners also have scheduled an open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28, in the Point Defiance Pagoda, to give the public more time to review the draft and talk further with planners.
Several years ago, Metro Parks Tacoma planners engaged the public in discussions about the future of Point Defiance Park. Their work culminated in a 2008 Concept Plan that captured a wealth of public input about the direction the park should take. Since that time Metro Parks staff continued working with the public, advisory groups and foundations to advance the Plan and to refine programs within the park including feasibility and pre-design for the zoo & aquarium projects.
“We’ve kept the community engaged from the start, and now we’re ready to bring the process to a conclusion,” Park Board President Tim Reid said in January as this year’s phase began. “We’re looking to ensure the Master Plan meets the public’s needs and desires.”
The Master Plan process in the first half of 2015 has been meant to affirm the shared vision and direction for the park established in 2008 and to refine the Concept Plan in light of the 2014 bond and other developments.
The district provided multiple ways for citizens to provide input. Nearly 200 people attended the first public meeting on Jan. 29, and conversation took place on social media; through emails, surveys and phone calls; and directly online with an interactive forum reached throughDestinationPointDefiance.org.
The 2014 Capital Bond was the catalyst to advance additional improvements within the park, including an update to the 1911 Master Plan. The effort is directly tied to a unique opportunity for Metro Parks to enter into a Development Regulation Agreement (DRA) with the City of Tacoma that will streamline the process of undertaking multiple projects in the park for years to come and save costs. Once the Park Board reviews the updated Master Plan, a version will be incorporated into a DRA proposal that will be forwarded to the City of Tacoma. It is hoped that the City will approve the DRA this fall.
Point Defiance Park Master Plan public meeting
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23
Where: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Education Building (Meeting attendees do not need to pay zoo admission.)
Point Defiance Park Master Plan open house
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28
Where: Point Defiance Pagoda
Projects throughout Point Defiance Park
The Point Defiance Park Master Plan update is under the umbrella of Destination Point Defiance, a long-term comprehensive planning initiative to enhance the experience and honor the character of Point Defiance Park through preservation and stewardship, access enhancements and year-round activities. In addition to the Master Plan, Destination Point Defiance has three other major project areas:
- Infrastructure improvements throughout the park
- Waterfront Phase 1, which will lead to a new 11-acre park on a peninsula with stunning views of Mount Rainier and Vashon Island (image by Site Workshop at right); a bike and pedestrian bridge that will link the Point Defiance trail system to Ruston Way; and a City of Tacoma-led stormwater filtration facility
- Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium capital projects, including a new Pacific Rim aquarium, renovation of the Rocky Shores exhibit and a collaboration with Tacoma Public Schools’ Science and Math Institute (SAMI) on an environmental learning center to serve SAMI students and staff as well as Zoo visitors and staff
More project information, including maps and drawings, can be found atDestinationPointDefiance.org.