Lake Stevens parks department outlines 2025 hires, equipment plan and capital projects including new turf field and trails

Sarah, parks department staff, presented the department’s 2025 budget overview and capital project plan, saying the department expects to add three full-time positions next year and to proceed on several multi-year projects.

Sarah said, “As an overview, for 2025, there were 3 full time staff increases that will be hired in.” The planned hires are a revenue development specialist (job description submitted to HR and expected to recruit in the coming weeks), a parks maintenance worker and an office assistant; the latter two are scheduled in quarter 3 to support new facilities coming online.

Staff told the board the revenue development specialist will take lead on grants and sponsorships, freeing other staff to focus on capital projects and operations. The department described a timeline: the revenue position will be recruited in the weeks after the meeting and take roughly two months to onboard; the two additional hires are proposed for Q3 2025.

On equipment, staff said the budget includes replacement of an aging 2006 Ranger with a truck (F-150 class), purchase of a skid steer to be shared with Public Works, and an additional truck for the new maintenance hire. A groomer-sweeper requested for field maintenance was not approved in this budget and would require a supplemental budget request to City Council if pursued; staff said the groomer-sweeper would likely be used about three times per week during the summer season if acquired.

Staff described a planned synthetic turf youth sports field that will go out to bid in the first half of 2025. The field will be permanently lined for lacrosse and soccer with two smaller youth soccer fields inset widthwise; staff said soccer sizing is targeted at U10 and U8 with lacrosse for U6–U10. On infill material, staff said the department is moving away from crumb rubber and is studying organic and renewable options. “We are looking at olive pits specifically,” Sarah said, and staff reported outreach to surrounding jurisdictions that have used alternative infills; staff said they plan a site visit to Bothell, which installed an olive-pit product several years ago.

Staff also reviewed capital projects and timelines: completion of Frontier Heights Phase 2 (construction this year), Bayview Trail Phase 0.5 (8th to 12th Street) with further engineering and a legislative funding ask of about $600,000 for the next stretch, Westlake Park and Bayview Trail Phase 1 opened to the public, Eagle Ridge Park Phase 2 at 30% engineering, and North Cove nonmotorized dock extension pending an aquatic lease and work in the July fish window to anchor the extension. Staff noted Davies Beach pier resurfacing, bollard replacements and a feasibility study for the Parks/Public Works shop.

Not all budget requests were approved: staff said a new work boat and trailer for the lake and a groomer-sweeper were not funded in this cycle. Staff indicated the new revenue development specialist will pursue grant funds for those items and any future council supplemental requests.

On operations and storm response, parks staff reported storm damage from a recent “bomb cyclone”: approximately 26 trees were lost at Catherine Creek, one tree at Eagle Ridge, seven on Catherine Drive neighborhood public property, and 13 in the reserve trail system. The department is assessing salvage and disposal options for the wood and exploring sending material to a mill to recoup some costs.

Staff also briefed the board on maintenance contracting (the city secured a maintenance contract for the South Lake Stevens Trail), reopening of Westlake Park and Bayview Trail (trail open, dog parks delayed pending grass establishment), the Cedarwood Recreation building survey (closed; results to be presented at a future meeting), and the department’s awarded Team Excellence recognition.

Board members asked about scheduling and access (city staff said the joint Parks/Council meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28 at the regular council meeting time), community engagement on Cedarwood options, limits on lighting and structures at Frontier Heights (due to nearby overhead power lines), and policies for future court reservations and allowable commercial uses of new pickleball courts. Staff said the planned pickleball courts will be fenced, likely have benches and small shelter access but will not be set up for hourly reservations in the near term; rules to limit commercial use without department approval are anticipated.

The board did not take formal policy votes on these projects at the meeting; staff requested feedback and outlined next steps for bids, engineering, grant pursuit and council-level funding decisions.