Lakewood Parks advisory board outlines 2025 work plan, schedules March site visit and seasonal events

The Lakewood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed the council-approved 2025 work plan, scheduled a special Saturday site visit for March 8 at the West Lake Avenue street end and discussed this year’s lineup of community events, staff member Nikki said.

The work plan frames the board’s priorities for 2025 around a new 20-year legacy plan and an associated six-year capital improvement program (CIP), Nikki, a parks staff member for the City of Lakewood, told the board. She said the board will lead public engagement on the legacy plan beginning in February and will use tools such as newsletters, surveys and site visits to gather community input.

Why it matters: The legacy plan will guide park investments and public outreach across Lakewood for the next two decades and contains a six-year capital schedule the city plans to use for permitting and design. The board’s early public engagement and an on-site meeting at West Lake Avenue aim to accelerate design and permitting so construction can begin sooner on pilot projects.

Board and staff said the March 8 meeting will be a field session at the West Lake Avenue street end (the site the board previously recommended to council). Nikki said the board is tentatively planning the outreach event for roughly 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with on-site materials, a schematic design presentation and a rain-or-shine setup so residents can see and comment on options. "We're actually gonna do something different tonight that's in our work plan, but, we're just moving it up," Nikki said during the meeting packet review.

The board also reviewed a calendar of major events the parks office manages or supports this year, including: - Farmers market at Fort Steilacoom Park: Tuesdays beginning June 3, 2–7 p.m., through late August. - Summer concerts: weekly evenings, June through mid-August, funded in part by an LTAC (lodging tax) grant. - Summerfest: Saturday, July 19, at Fort Steilacoom Park. - Parks Appreciation Day: Saturday, April 26. - Ray Evans Memorial Fishing event: planned for the week before Memorial Day at Harry Todd or American Lake (staff said location may rotate with construction timing); the program has historically provided poles and instruction for children. - Fiesta Veil Familia: Saturday, Sept. 6, at Fort Steilacoom Park (Hispanic/Latinx cultural celebration that includes art, food and an ofrenda). - Truck and Tractor Day: Saturday, Oct. 11, at Fort Steilacoom Park, with hay rides and a free pumpkin patch. - Parade of Lights and related fall events, plus a passport program that encourages youth to try multiple recreation activities.

Staff noted program logistics and funding specifics: the summer concert series and some entertainment are supported by a lodging-tax (LTAC) grant; the farmers market supports healthy-bucks and WIC tokens, and sponsorships help cover entertainment and accessibility efforts. Nikki said the city will continue to track vendor availability and vendor-season length as vendor participation typically declines in September.

Project updates tied to the work plan included American Lake Park. Staff told the board the American Lake project remains on schedule and that the park is expected to be substantially complete and open by mid-June, timed to serve summer use; staff said permitting and construction sequencing remain the primary schedule risks. A board member asked for a clearer "look-ahead" on milestones for nearby neighborhoods; staff said more-detailed, project-specific updates can be distributed to neighborhood groups and posted to project pages when milestones change.

Public outreach and volunteer coordination were recurring topics. The board discussed the adopt-a programs (adopt-a-street, adopt-a-spot and one-time volunteer projects) and cautioned that opening a street end for volunteer stewardship requires staff oversight because newly cleared areas may create erosion or safety risks and could trigger additional maintenance responsibilities. "Once you've opened something up like that, now we have to empty the garbage. We have to monitor for safety. We have to assess it for risk management," a board member said.

Staff also raised operational notes: an upcoming community engagement schedule, coordination for tent and on-site signage, advance mailings and on-site posting within the usual 400–800 foot notification radius, and contingency plans for rain.

Ending: The board will reconvene for its regular meeting in late February and will hold the special Saturday site visit on March 8 to gather resident input on the West Lake Avenue street end; staff said materials and a final time will be sent to board members in advance.