Kent mayor previews summer events, park upgrades and farmers market opening

Mayor Dana Ralph used her weekly update to outline a string of community events and park updates in Kent, Washington, and urged residents to take part. Highlights included recent pet-adoption events, graduation traffic at Accesso ShoWare Center, a limited Town Square Plaza fountain schedule, the opening of the Kent Farmers Market on June 14 and a Riverbend Bar and Grill ribbon cutting the same day.

The announcements are aimed at helping residents plan for traffic and participation this summer. Ralph said the city has multiple volunteer and family-oriented opportunities coming up and thanked staff and residents for recent event participation.

Ralph led with a recap of “pet week,” noting two adoption events—Kent Kitty Hall for cats and Pawfest for dogs—that she said resulted in multiple adoptions. She congratulated families taking home new pets and thanked communications staff and city employees who helped run the events.

She also warned residents that graduation weekend at Accesso ShoWare Center, used by Kent high schools for commencements, will increase downtown traffic and asked drivers and families to plan accordingly.

Ralph addressed mechanical issues with the fountain in Town Square Plaza, across from the library, and said the city will run the fountain on a limited schedule. “It has some issues. It's an aging structure. The, the mechanicals, there's only 1 person in the entire country that still works on them,” Ralph said. She added that the fountain requires continuous staff monitoring while operating and said the city plans to have it on Friday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., with flexibility for extreme heat.

The mayor highlighted Springwood Park in the city’s southeast corner as a newly renovated facility with picnic shelters, lawn space, a hill slide, swings, a playground structure, a zip line and sports courts, and encouraged residents to visit. She also noted ongoing summer programs through Kent Parks and provided the city registration site for classes and pop-up parks.

Ralph announced that the Kent Farmers Market will run Saturdays from June 14 to Sept. 13, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Second Avenue between Smith and Gough; she said she will attend the ribbon cutting for the market’s opening on Saturday. She also promoted the Riverbend Bar and Grill at Riverbend Golf Course, noting a ribbon cutting June 14 at 5 p.m. and encouraging the public to try the restaurant.

As part of the city’s equity and inclusion speaker series, Ralph said Terrence Roberts of the Little Rock Nine will speak on Wednesday, June 18, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; information is available on the city events page. She closed by inviting volunteers to the Green Kent work party on June 21, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Green River Natural Resources Area near Van Dorn's Landing to remove invasive blackberries.

Ralph thanked residents and city staff for participating in recent events and encouraged continued community involvement.