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Council weighs Flintstone Park reconfiguration after Angel statue installation; flagpole, parking and a Garry oak tree are focal points
Summary
Parks staff presented site options after the Angel Creativity statue installation; the Parks Commission recommended removing part of the roundabout to expand green space but council members voiced differing views on relocating the naval flagpole and removing waterfront parking — and flagged a protected Garry oak tree as a constraint.
Oak Harbor staff returned to council Monday with design options to reconfigure Flintstone Park after the recent installation of the Angel Creativity statue, and councilors voiced split views about moving a naval flagpole, preserving waterfront parking and protecting a prominent Garry oak tree.
Parks Director Brian Smith said the statue’s placement “right in the middle of the drive” requires reconfiguration of the park circulation and parking. The Parks and Recreation Commission subcommittee developed several options; the commission voted to recommend Option 1, which removes the roundabout, preserves an ADA pathway from the upper lot to the trail, and turns the former roundabout area into a larger green event space. The recommended plan would remove the lower waterfront parking area adjacent to the trail.
Smith recounted the commission’s prior motion to relocate a naval flagstaff — a gift to the city that has stood at Flintstone Park since 1991 — to Veterans Memorial Park, noting that idea predated installation of the Angel statue. He said the commission and Arts Commission discussed a new plaque and rededication if the flagstaff is relocated.
Council discussion split. Several councilors urged preserving the waterfront parking and keeping the flagstaff in place. One councilor said: “I like option 5 better. Flat out. … I like to see the flagpole stay, personally.” Another councilor urged preserving the parking that allows people to drive down, sit and eat facing the water and said reclaiming that waterfront parking would be difficult under shoreline rules.
Other commissioners and arts‑commission members favored removing the waterfront parking and creating a contiguous green space to host smaller activations — yoga, outdoor classes, movies and community events — and the parks subcommittee cited an interest in activating the space year‑round.
Brian Smith flagged a permitting and design constraint: a Garry oak at the western edge of the drive is currently protected by municipal code and cannot be removed without changing the ordinance; that tree limits how much the city can expand the drive there. Smith also stated budget constraints: the parks department has about $12,000 allocated for the work and an additional $30,000 identified as potentially redirectable from other projects.
Smith said staff will develop detailed site plans and cost estimates and return to council; he also asked for direction about the flagstaff. Council did not take a formal vote; staff will return with refined plans and a memo on the flagstaff relocation for council direction.
Ending: Staff will prepare cost estimates and design options for council review and will include an analysis of the flagstaff relocation, Garry oak constraints and parking tradeoffs before council makes a final decision.
