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Parks board readies summer events, StoryWalks and art installation as community engagement ramps up
Summary
Advisory board members and staff discussed upcoming summer activities including a rotating bilingual StoryWalk program, a Horizon View art installation expected this summer, the community garage sale, concerts, and volunteer restoration planning.
Park staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed several community and arts programs slated for summer including a StoryWalk rollout in multiple parks, plans for a public art installation at Horizon View, and routine summertime events.
The board heard that the city will install six sets of bilingual StoryWalk panels (English and Spanish) that will rotate across parks through the summer; staff said each set will remain in a park for about four weeks and that panels would include a QR code for feedback and engagement.
Why it matters: these programs are low-cost ways to increase park use, reach families and support bilingual access. Staff said the StoryWalk rollout will begin in late June or early July and that the city will track participation via QR-code responses for future grant applications.
Key program items
- StoryWalks: Staff said six bilingual StoryWalk sets (English/Spanish) are ready; each installation includes 16 story panels plus a cover panel with City logo and a QR code. The panels will rotate among parks including Animal Acres, Horizon View, Wild Lake and others; staff expect installations to begin in July and asked for volunteer help with installation and coordination with existing volunteer work parties.
- Horizon View Earth art installation: Board members heard a brief update that the public art piece remains in design and that the likely installation location will be near the tennis/pickleball court area; staff said the artist hopes for installation this summer and plans a community design day involving elements of the work.
- Summer events: Staff outlined the calendar items that will return this year — in-park concerts, Art in the Park, Picnic in the Park and a community garage-sale day planned for July 13 (a mapped neighborhood event where residents host their own sales). The board said they will use social media and posters to promote participation.
- Volunteer and restoration projects: Board members discussed restarting longer-term restoration planning at a local park (previous volunteer efforts and a stewardship foundation volunteer noted invasive plants and restoration needs). Scouts and local volunteers were suggested as potential partners for restoration and planting projects; board members discussed creating a defined plan so volunteer efforts can support ongoing stewardship rather than one-off cleanups.
- Fundraising and incentives: staff said they plan to add small local-donor incentives — merchant vouchers or small prizes — for StoryWalk feedback respondents, consistent with city gift limits.
Quotes from the meeting
Corey (City staff): “We will be installing this summer. Each set of the StoryWalk will be installed in a park for about 4 weeks, and then we'll switch them with another story.”
Art and volunteer coordination
Board members suggested working with the Lake Forest Park library, local schools and arts organizations for outreach and to widen participation; Corey and Amber offered to coordinate with partner organizations and with the city’s small-works roster if commissioned artists or vendors are needed for fabrication. Several board members volunteered to help with installation and neighborhood mapping for the garage sale.
Ending
Staff asked for volunteer help with installations and plans to track engagement through QR codes and grant-supported printing in future seasons. The board will continue to coordinate installation logistics and outreach for the summer events series.
