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Cowlitz County staff outline Legacy Park plan, pump track design and school-led playground vote
Summary
County parks staff told commissioners they project Legacy Park will cost a little over $1 million funded by RCO grants, dredge-spoil sales and possible rural development funds; staff described a designer kickoff for a pump track and a new approach letting grade-school students vote on playground equipment.
Cowlitz County parks staff told the Board of Commissioners they have secured multiple potential funding sources for Legacy Park — Recreation and Conservation Office grants, revenue from dredge-spoil sales and a possible rural development grant — and currently project total costs at a little over $1,000,000. Savannah Clement, public works, introduced the parks briefing before staff reviewed the comprehensive-plan–based vision and mission that guided recent grant requests and project proposals.
Staff described a planned kickoff meeting with designers to start a custom asphalt pump-track design and said the track will be built to be usable year-round by bicycles, scooters and skateboards. Parks staff emphasized community input: designers will meet with residents to shape the layout and amenities so the facility suits local needs.
For the playground component, staff said they will present two equipment options to nearby grade schools and let students vote; the option with the most votes will be selected. Parks staff said principals welcomed the plan as an opportunity to show students how local government works.
Staff also summarized recent park upgrades and revenue items that informed planning: restroom and court improvements at Riverside Park, synthetic turf installed with an RCO grant for soccer fields, and rising camping revenue at Harry Gardner Park. They noted large community events this year, including a July 4 car show that drew about 150 cars and a multi-thousand-rider STP rest stop that served roughly 6,000 riders, as examples of growing park use.
A kickoff with designers is scheduled this week; staff said if grant timelines and permitting proceed on schedule they hope to begin construction in May of next year and to complete work the following summer, while acknowledging state grant and cultural‑resource reviews will affect timing.
The parks presentation closed with staff offering to share aerial maps and designs with the board and to return with more detailed scope and cost estimates as design work proceeds. The board did not take a formal vote during the briefing.
