Bakerview Neighborhood Park Master Plan

The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department invites you to help plan and name our newest neighborhood park! The 29-acre property is located on East Bakerview Road between Deemer Road and James Street. It is within the King Mountain Neighborhood and features about 9 acres of cleared hayfields, bisected by a creek and 20 acres of forest and wetlands. The property will be used for a new neighborhood park, trail network, stream restoration, and residential development.

Project Overview

Project Goals

1. Create a master plan for the new park that will guide future funding and development.

2. Select a park name through the City’s official naming policy.

Both the naming and planning are happening at the same time.

How You Can Take Part
The City has hired a design firm to run the planning process and coordinate public input. We’re making it easy to get involved over the next several months. Here are a few of the ways you can take part:

• Interactive online surveys you can complete on your own schedule

• Self-guided park tours so you can explore at your own pace

• An open house event where you can meet the team, ask questions, and share ideas

Once the plan is finalized, it will be reviewed by the Park and Recreation Advisory Board and then go to the City Council for approval.

Why This Park Matters

This park is a top priority in our Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (PROS Plan) because the King Mountain and Meridian neighborhoods together house about 7,800 residents—but neither has a neighborhood park. This new park is located right between both, making it an easy, 10‑minute walk for local families and residents.

What to Expect in the Park Design
In line with the PROS Plan, we aim to create a neighborhood park that:

• Acts as a community hub and central gathering place for the surrounding neighborhoods.

• Offers both active (play fields, courts, etc.) and passive (walking paths, seating, nature zones) recreation.

• Serves people of all ages and abilities—kids, teens, adults, seniors, and people with special needs.

• Brings together the unique character of the site and the neighborhood, giving it a true “sense of place”.

Background

The property was purchased in 2020 for $2,310,000 using Greenways Levy funds. For more information about the purchase, you can read the 2020 press release. The City was awarded a $376,508 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to fund a portion of this property acquisition.

A preliminary report was completed in 2024 to assess park development potential and the feasibility of affordable housing onsite. Approximately 3.5 acres of the original 29 acres will be utilized for housing.