Gilham Park, 1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM January 31, 1997 TO: Jim Torrey, Mayor FROM: John Etter, Parks Planning SUBJECT: Gilham Park Status This memo is in reply to your request for a status report on Gilham Park, passed along to us by staff at the City Manager's Office. I've included some background information, and our efforts and vision on acquiring the remaining land to approximately restore the full acreage of the original Gilham Park. BACKGROUND The original Gilham Park, at 6.67 acres, was considered oversized for a single neighborhood park and improperly located, partly from being located on an arterial street with a 40 mph speed limit. New sites, away from this street, and more central to identifiable local neighborhoods, were identified as the Willakenzie Plan was prepared. Three sites were identified. The first on the southeast side of Gilham Elementary School. A second was to the west of Gilham and south of Ayres, and a third site west of Gilham and north of Ayres. Working to achieve the park goals within the Willakenzie Plan, a combination exchange/ purchase was negotiated with Paradise Homes for the first site. We traded straight across for 3.23 acres with Paradise Homes, and they purchased the 3.44 acre balance of the site for $68,800. Then through the supplemental budget, these funds were approved by Council for use to acquire a park site in one of the other targeted areas. These funds were placed in a park acquisition account in the capital budget. THE NEW GILHAM PARK The current status of the new 3.23 acre Gilham Park is that it exists in an undeveloped condition at a location on the east side of Gilham Elementary School. Through a public planning process that drew heavily from families with children attending Gilham School, some school staff, and several immediate neighbors, a park development plan was created last summer that has enthusiastic support. The plan also covers additional School District 4J land which abuts the park. Bob Meltebeke, who was involved in the exchange of land to create this site, has mentioned that he would like to build some aspect of the park. We hope to have some improvements drawn up for him or others to underwrite by sometime this spring.