Residents worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to help improve Franklin Park and make it an inviting place for everyone.
In an effort to create more open space in an extremely residential neighborhood, York residents worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to renovate and make improvements to Franklin Park, bordered by Franklin, Grant and Whatcom Streets.
The idea behind renovating
Franklin Elementary School used to sit where Franklin Park is today. The school was torn down over thirty years ago and all that was left behind was the old playground.
“Consisting of a chain link fence, a few trees, an out of date playground area and a basketball court you could easily trip and sprain your ankle on,” said Helen Jackson, York resident and coordinator of the Franklin Park Improvement Committee within the York Neighborhood Association.
Jonathan Schilk, Landscape Architect with the Parks and Recreation Department, said “We had begun planning to replace the playground equipment in 2005. Then the York neighborhood decided more was needed to improve park function.”
Neighborhood action
Jackson wanted to be on a committee with others in the neighborhood, to help work on improving the park. And so the Franklin Park Improvement Committee was created. According to Jackson, the committee consisted of about eleven members, all of who were different ages and who had lived in the neighborhood for different amounts of time.
The committee and the neighborhood started working on the natural area that lies on the hillside above the park because of legal concerns, neighborhood residents could not work directly on the park itself, said Jackson.
According to Jackson and the City of Bellingham’s website, this area is in the Franklin Street Right of Way. A road cannot pass through this right of way because Chuckanut sandstone is on the hillside and it is not stable enough to build on, Jackson said. “So we took over the area and worked on fixing it,” said Jackson.
Thousands of hours were spent clearing out the area, planting native plants, and adding a trail, steps and trail signs. The same was done to an island of land near the edge of the park, where blackberries had completely taken over.
“[And] Where homeless people would get drunk and pass out,” said Jackson. “It used to be scary to walk along the streets that surround the island because you never knew who would be in there.”
Improving the park
According to Schilk, work on the actual park done by Faber Brothers Construction Company, Inc. began on July 17, 2009 and ended November 13, 2009.
Prior to doing any of the work, the Franklin Park Improvement Committee worked with Schilk, to help plan out the work to be done.
According to Jackson, the neighborhood also asked for help from the Loving Space Daycare on Ellis Street. They asked for kids from the daycare to go around to other parks in the area and see what they like and would want in the new park.
The committee, with the help from some Western Washington University students, also conducted two surveys throughout York to see what residents would like to see in the park, added Jackson.
According to Jackson and the City of Bellingham’s website, the existing fence was removed, paths around the park were constructed, new sod and plants were planted, a picnic area, benches, trash cans and bike racks were added, lighting and drainage improvements were done, the basketball court was resurfaced and updated and the playground was replaced and updated.
Once the work was completed, the neighborhood had a huge opening celebration for the park. “We had a parade and a juggler and the Squalicum High School band came,” said Jackson. “It was a lot of fun and turned out to be a nice day for November.”
Funding for the work
When it came to the budget, “We had to sit down and make a priority list and see what the costs would be,” said Jackson.
The Neighborhood Initiative Program Grant for $150,000 became available and the neighborhood applied for and received the grant. According to the City’s website, funding for replacing the playground had already been budgeting for.
The neighborhood was awarded another grant and now had $450,000, which was the estimated total cost of construction, available to them to use on work to the park, according to the City of Bellingham’s website.
Once the construction was completed, the total cost of renovation and improvements to Franklin Park was $415,526, according to the City’s website.
Donations were also made
According to Jackson, a year into the process of starting the renovation, the Parks and Recreation Department came to the neighborhood committee. The department told them that a family who had lost their son to cancer wanted to donate a skateboard feature to a park.
“I guess no other parks wanted a skate feature but I took the idea to the committee and surprisingly, everyone voted unanimously yes for it,” said Jackson.
The skate park-like feature was added to the park and $1,000 was also donated by the family to the YNA for any plants or anything for the grand opening party, said Jackson.
Park impact
Franklin Park is one of only two parks in the York neighborhood. “The park is like our neighborhood community center,” said Jackson. “We wanted something that could be used year round.”
Jackson added, “The other park [Rock Hill Park] was worked on by the neighborhood, too but it is kind of hidden and much smaller than this one.”
Having a park helps give residents an area throughout the neighborhood to go and spend time. “All different people use the park, people of all ages,” said Jackson. However, the park is not only for York, it is also part of the Sehome neighborhood, and is open to any Bellingham residents.
“Before there were some people at the park, at the playground but nothing like this,” said Jackson. “Now it is constant.”
Resident of the York neighborhood, Vincent Kisena, said, “I never came before, maybe a couple of times prior to the renovation but it was dingy.”
He adds, the sidewalk paths around the outside of the park are his favorite part. “The girls get to ride around and it makes you want to use that part [of the park] more,” said Kisena.
According to Jackson, with the work that has been done, it has also helped to lower illegal activity from taking place.
The above hillside was an area for drugs, according to Jackson, but not so much now. “It is more open now and kids are playing below,” said Jackson.
Continuing work
The neighborhood and committee will continue to work on the park and surrounding area of the hillside and island of land.
“We will continue fine tuning the area and adding more plants,” said Jackson.
The committee holds work parties every second Saturday of every month, except for December and January, to work on anything that needs to be done. On Earth Day every year, the committee also works with Western Washington University students, to do work around the park, according to Jackson.
“With some work, you can really make a difference in your neighborhood,” said Jackson.
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