Residents have opportunity to give opinions on proposal

SOAP LAKE — A refurbished skate park, a new location for the basketball court, and whether or not to pave the parking lot, were among the possibilities discussed when Soap Lake residents got their first look at the proposal to refurbish Smokiam Park.

The options were discussed at a meeting Friday afternoon at Rise Academy, the Soap Lake School District’s alternative school, that drew about 20 people.

Landscape architect Bob Droll said city officials have been working on plans for Soap Lake’s parks since 2016. “We’ve gone through a couple of iterations of this. This is not the final (plan), and this is kind of why we’re here, is to gather some more input to refine this (design).”

A reason for Friday’s meeting was to form a list of priorities for improving the park, he said, and then he could estimate the costs.

Smokiam Park is “unique in many different ways,” Droll said. “First of all it’s got a lot of highway exposure, and that’s really good. It also is right downtown, and of course it’s a waterfront park.”

The proposal includes construction of a splash pad, with water features where kids — and adults — could play in the water on a hot day. Among the options is a second and bigger picnic shelter near the existing shelter and the playground, which would be refurbished.

“The play area (playground) is a destination play area,” Droll said. It would be brought up to current accessibility regulations, he said, although the design is still to be determined.

The basketball court could be moved, and the plan includes refurbishing the skate park, with details still to be determined. The lawn would be enlarged and the beach access regraded to make it easier for people with limited mobility. The parking lot would be rebuilt.

In answer to audience questions, Droll said the design would change how the parking lot was used. The proposal includes paving the parking lot, but Droll said that could be left as gravel if that’s what residents wanted.

The restroom would be remodeled to make it more accessible, and a second would be added. The concession stand would be remodeled also, and at least one drinking fountain would be added.

Some of the trees at the First Avenue end of the park are in poor condition, he said.

“My recommendation is over time, take some of them out and replace them. So it’s now an urban forestry-renewal type program,” Droll said.

Currently the park has an amphitheater, and whether or not to remove it was a subject of discussion. Droll said the area adjacent to First Avenue would be a good location for performance space, possibly a portable stage or something similar, and would lead people naturally to downtown.

The city could have options to get grant money to help pay for park improvements, Droll said.

“Finding the money is always the biggest thing,” he said. “There are a lot of things you can do yourself, but there are many things you can’t do yourself. But we want to find as many things as possible that you can do yourself to help offset the cost.”

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].