Tumwater commission shapes preferred alternative for Trails End Park

The Tumwater Park and Recreation Commission discussed a draft for the preferred alternative of the programming and layout of a neighborhood park on Trails End Drive and 79th Avenue.

RWD Landscape Architects, which the city contracted to design the park, presented the draft to the commission on Wednesday, April 19, after conducting a March open house that attracted around 50 residents.

RWD had presented three alternatives to the participants in the march open house and asked them to vote on which one they preferred. Of the three options, the third design was the most popular for the participants, but it was not the sole basis of the preferred alternative.

Participants among the attendees were also asked which individual park elements they wanted. RWD also took into consideration the scale of the park, accessibility, and potential safety concerns when designing the preferred alternative.

Ann Dinthongsai, a landscape designer at RWD, told the commission that the attendees preferred the alternative that includes a 6,000-square-foot play area, a 1,500-square-foot fitness station, and a 1,600-square-foot pump track. She added that the size of the pump track was smaller compared to the previous alternatives to not draw residents from other neighborhoods.

The preferred alternative includes several interconnecting trails with a total distance of 4,700 feet.

The preferred alternative would also have two half-sized basketball courts arranged in a circle, a pickleball court, and two differently-sized picnic shelters.

There would also be several interconnecting park trails with a total distance of 4,700 feet.

The park would have two overlooks that provide a view of the kettle or sunken landform near the northeast edge of the park, as well as interpretative signages explaining the history of the area, which used to be the site of a horse arena.

RWD Landscape Architects took into consideration the scale of the park, accessibility, and potential safety concerns when designing the preferred …

In terms of landscaping, there would be a 2.2-acre lawn near the main park area and another 2.4-acre prairie. Dinthongsai said there would be several two-to-four-feet-high mound formations on the prairie which would resemble Mima mounds that are found regionally.

Participants at the open house were also asked what theme they preferred for the park. Taking their feedback into account, the designers came up with a combination of design elements incorporating agriculture, equestrianism, and nature.

This version of the preferred alternative is still a work in progress. Robert Droll, president of RWD, said they would meet again with the public to discuss the draft of the preferred alternative.