Dog park? Rock climbing wall? What toys would you pick for Chambers Creek Regional Park
Pierce County parks planners are floating two concepts for how to develop the southern section of Chambers Creek Regional Park.
One includes active uses, such as a rock climbing wall and eight sand volleyball courts, the other a network of 2.5 miles of trails, hilltop lookout and native plant garden.
County residents will help decide what is built.
More than 1,300 comments already have been received as planners work to update the Chambers Creek Regional Park master site plan. The comments, combined with the results of an online survey, shaped the preliminary plans for how the 930-acre park should be developed over the next decade.
Plans to build a resort-style hotel, meeting space and golf training facility also are part of the update. But an open house Wednesday in University Place focused instead on public amenities.
“We try to show contrasting styles,” said county park planner Joseph Coppo of the two concepts displayed at the open house.
The final plan presented to the County Council for approval likely will incorporate elements from each plan, Coppo said.
“It’s not one or the other,” he said. “We can pick and choose and merge part of each.”
What’s proposed:
CONCEPT ONE
▪ 3 miles of trails, including connection to north area of park
▪ Picnic pavilions with parking
▪ Eight sand volleyball courts
▪ Playground
▪ Parkour and adventure fitness area
▪ Rock climbing wall
▪ Overlook of Puget Sound using existing mining “relics”
▪ Sloped path to top of existing mining relic and sound overlook
▪ Stairway
▪ Multipurpose deck
▪ Lookout tower
▪ Event plaza and space for food truck parking and seating
▪ Off-leash dog park
▪ Nonmotorized boat launch and boardwalk
▪ Tunnel to the beach under railroad
▪ Native plant gardens
▪ Lawn
▪ 425 parking stalls
CONCEPT TWO
▪ Trail connection to north area of park and 2.5 miles of trails
▪ Ornamental planting bed
▪ Multiuse plaza
▪ Picnic pavilions and parking
▪ Viewpoint from hilltop with winding walking path
▪ Food truck parking and seating
▪ Bridge to beach over railway
▪ Spiral ramp access to beach
▪ Open lawn
▪ Nonmotorized boat launch and boardwalk
▪ Remove portion of concrete quarry relic to create passageway
▪ Tree-lined boulevard
▪ Native demonstration garden
▪ Off-leash dog park
▪ Lookout tower
▪ Restroom
▪ Buffer planting
▪ 275 parking stalls
WHAT’S NEXT?
The next step for planners is to create a draft proposal for how to develop the southern end of the park.
County staff will use commenters’ likes and dislikes to develop a draft proposal that will be unveiled to the public this fall. Staff members will take feedback on that draft to make additional tweaks to the plan before presenting it to the Pierce County Council and University Place City Council.
Ultimately the County Council will vote on the plan.
Information on the update can be found at chamberscreekupdate.com. The most recent proposals should be online by next week at the latest.
Brynn Grimley: 253-597-8467, @bgrimley
This story was originally published October 6, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Dog park? Rock climbing wall? What toys would you pick for Chambers Creek Regional Park."