19.01.090 Public Involvement and Analysis.
A. Overview. On January 7th 2004 the first public meeting regarding the development of recreational facilities was held. The purpose of this meeting was to establish whether or not there was enough public support within Kettle Falls to address needed improvement on currently established parks. It was generally agreed that improvements were needed. A Parks and Recreation committee was formed; ten people initially volunteered to participate on this committee. Strategies for implementation were discussed. The goals, policies, objectives and timelines, and the implementation strategy are described below.
B. Goals.
•Establish and maintain well kept, attractive, and safe neighborhood recreational areas for children and families.
•Take advantage of the inherent natural setting of Kettle Falls and the parks within to improve the community image, both internally and externally.
•Enhance the opportunities for enjoyment of a range of recreational and cultural activities for all ages to promote livability, pedestrian and non-motorized orientation, reduce stress, and increase local economic activity.
•Provide parks and recreation facilities throughout the city for the use of residents and visitors.
•Devise an effective parks system that contributes to, rather than draws from, the general fund of the City.
•Attract transient shoppers and overnight guests into the City to increase local economic activity and to provide those travelers with a unique cultural and recreational experience.
•To cooperate and coordinate with neighboring private, county, state, and Federal agencies to preserve natural habitat and to provide outdoor recreational activities for residents and visitors.
C. Policies.
•Designate lands currently in use as parks and acquire properties when and where possible with our limited finances and develop funding sources to ensure maintenance.
•Encourage the development of private recreational facilities that are consistent with the small town, historic character of Kettle Falls, and respective of the environmental resources of the area.
•Ensure all recreational development has adequate public facilities and utilities at the time it opens for use onward.
•Require new development to provide parks and trails or to contribute to a fund specifically dedicated to fund such recreational improvements.
•Support the development of a regional non-motorized trail network linking Kettle Falls to neighboring communities and recreational facilities.
•The City of Kettle Falls will design and provide water and sewer hookups to new developed areas, if needed. Health and safety is an important factor to provide the public.
D. Objectives and Timelines. Objective 1: Plan and Develop a Skate Park. The purpose for the construction of the skate park is to provide skating and skateboarding in a safe and pleasurable environment. There are many youths that are interested in this sport; however, they withdraw from participation due to lack of useful facilities and harassment from the public. The skate park will be located on the west side of Kettle Falls Downtown Park, with the park design developed by Free Skate America, a grassroots public committee in Kettle Falls consisting of amateur and semi-professional skaters and skate enthusiasts living in Kettle Falls and the nearby area.
The skate park would be a designated area for the use of skateboards and roller-skates/inline skates. The park would have set guidelines and regulations in order to help prevent injury to users. These rules and guidelines would also be used to prevent vandalism and keep the park maintenance low. Some proposed regulations are:
•No drugs, alcohol, or tobacco products
•Use at your own risk
•No glass containers
•All garbage is to be properly disposed of
•The Park is closed from 11 PM to 7 AM.
The park would consist of a flat concrete or asphalt surface, with various obstacles and equipment to be used for skateboarding and roller-skating.
The park would be constructed and maintained through community volunteer effort. Local non-profit organizations are currently being contacted. Aside from organizations, members of our local skateboard community have already agreed to volunteer time and effort into completing the project. Several parents have offered support as well.
The committee believes that not only would this park benefit community youth, but that it would also take tension off of adults who fear they could be injured due to recklessness in parking lots, in addition to easing local business’s fears of liability in case of an accident.
The timeline for the final design is late 2004, with groundbreaking planned for the Spring of 2005.
Objective 2: Develop a Water Park. A proposed water park in the eastern portion of Downtown Park featuring a concrete bowl with various sprinklers will be created for younger children to enjoy. This project is to be completed in 2004-2005, if funding permits.
Objective 3: Install New Playground Equipment. Playground equipment will be installed in Downtown Park and later in Happy Dell Park.
Downtown Park is located in the heart of Kettle Falls, adjacent to Kettle Falls Elementary School. This park has the swimming pool, and will have the skate park and water park. This location is an important place to locate playground equipment where there currently is only a swing set. Downtown Park will be developed with a complete Playground jungle gym/slide/ swing set. A rubber mat, approximately 40' x 30' will need to be purchased. This equipment will be installed in 2004-2005.
Happy Dell Park is a multi-use park with baseball, softball, tennis, picnicking, camping, and tourist information facilities. Providing updated and entertaining playground equipment at this location is a beneficial supplemental use for all these other uses in the park. This equipment will be sited and built in phases each year from 2005 through 2009 as funding is available.
Objective 4: Maintain and Improve Infrastructure in all parks. Infrastructure improvements not listed separately include:
•Installing a recently donated scoreboard in Happy Dell Park in 2004;
•Installing a new liquid chlorination system at the pool in Downtown Park in 2004;
•Developing the north portion of the west side of Downtown Park adjacent to the skate park as a grass area with Volleyball net, steel picnic table and a wooden train play structure. In 2004-2005
•Relocating the existing swing set in Downtown Park and refurbishing it, in 2004-2005;
•Providing year round water access for a drinking fountain in the skate park in Downtown Park in 2004-2005;
•Fencing in the skate park and installing lighting in Downtown Park in 2004-2005;
•Installing a user-activated pedestrian crossing signal between the east and west halves of Downtown Park across Meyers Street in 20042005 to increase safety to pedestrians;
•Constructing an 8' x 150' concrete sidewalk between the pool, playground equipment and water park in Downtown Park to avoid turning the park’s grassy areas into a muddy path. To be built in 2004-2005;
•Building a First Aid Station in Downtown Park. The Swimming Pool area has an existing pool house complete with restrooms. However, there is a clear need for a first aid station. It is proposed to build a 8' x 10' concrete structure attached to the existing facility to be used as a First Aid Station. This project is scheduled for 2004-2005;
•Installing two additional steel picnic tables in Downtown Park for parents to sit and watch their children play on the proposed playground equipment and water park features. To be installed in 2004-2005;
•Installing the new metal light poles in Happy Dell Park to replace the rotting wooden poles in 2004;
•Sandblasting and repainting the steam motor generator on display in Happy Dell Park as well as providing signage to tell the story of the generator (scheduled for 2004 and into 2005 with the help of private donations by private citizens and service organizations);
•Studying the feasibility of a sprinkler system at Gibson Field for a possible future multiuse area adjacent to the ball field (in 2005);
•Relocating the information kiosk at Happy Dell Park to make it more visible to traffic along Highway 395 and more convenient to access accordingly (in 2005);
•Rehabilitating the Kettle Falls Float Shed at Gibson Field in 2006;
•Restoration or replacement of picnic tables in Happy Dell Park in 2006;
•Adjusting of fencing around Happy Dell Park to allow safer and easier access for larger vehicles such as RV’s and motor homes (in 2006);
•Adding a storage shed to the skate park in Downtown Park in 2007, as funding permits;
•Realigning parking facilities in Happy Dell Park with landscaping along 395, to be installed in 2007 as funding permits;
•Determining feasibility of adding a wading pool to the Downtown Park adjacent to the existing swimming pool and proposed water park. The feasibility of the wading pool will be determined in 2004 after the liquid chlorination system is installed, with construction as early as 2007 if it is deemed feasible, desired, and funding permits; and
•Lawns seeded and underground sprinklers installed in Happy Dell Park to ensure green spaces during summer usage (as early as 2007, if funding permits and property is acquired).
Objective 5: Purchase Happy Dell Park. Currently, a private non-profit corporation called the Kettle Falls Park Board owns Happy Dell Park. Purchasing the parcel of land the park resides on outright will secure permanent parkland status for the park property. This will be purchased in 2005 if funding permits.
Objective 6: Construct a New Restroom Facility at Happy Dell Park. A new restroom should be constructed, as present restrooms are not meeting the needs of the park. It should be designed to include handicapped accessibility. The project is scheduled for 2005 if funding permits.
Objective 7: Hire a Parks and Recreation Coordinator. The City of Kettle Falls needs a part-time Parks and Recreation Coordinator. This position will be needed to maintain facilities, maintain green spaces and search for continued grant sources for long-range projects. Hiring would occur as early as 2005, if funds permit.
Objective 8: Acquisition and Development of a Sledding Hill. Portions of three lots in Kettle Crest, 3rd Addition, adjacent to the Tripp’s Green Area lot are currently in use as a sledding hill in the winter months when snow is on the ground. This area is actively used all winter but is at risk of development if the lots were ever sold. Dedication of the area used for sledding as a park and an easement granted for public recreation would be encouraged, or if funds came available the land purchased by the City for use as a park. Some proposed regulations are:
•No drugs, alcohol, or tobacco products
•Use at your own risk
•No glass containers
•All garbage is to be properly disposed of
•The Park is closed from 11 PM to 7 AM.
Objective 9: Beautify City Entrance Points. Beautification and green spaces are important to The City of Kettle Falls. These areas will be considered for landscaping design, beautification and other enhancements to make the City more attractive and tie into a common theme.
Objective 10: Development of a Pedestrian/Bicycle Trail. To enhance the existing park and area, the City of Kettle Falls would like to develop a pedestrian and bicycle trail from 10th street to Meyers Falls. This trail would enhance the area plus provide a safe and enjoyable path for not only the walkers in the community but visitors.
Objective 11: Develop and Install a BMX Track. There is an interest in a non-motorized BMX track. This track will feature hills, jumps, and sharp curves that connect so these bicycle riders can race. Land will need to be purchased or given easement for the track. No site has yet been determined.
Objective 12: Develop and Install an Ice Rink in Downtown Park. Ice-skating will provide the area with a winter sport. Although the area has an influx of temperatures, the plan attempts to provide safe winter recreation for the community by designing an ice skating rink. This rink would be designed to be located on a surface of one of the park areas. This area will be constructed with an adequate surface to handle a frozen layer of ice. This surface will be suitable for basketball courts in warmer months with a volleyball net installed. The ice rink portion of the park would be on the west side of Downtown Park adjacent to the skate park. This portion of the park would also be compatible with the logging events currently a key part of the City’s Town and Country Days celebrations each year. Construction of this portion of the skate park would begin as early as 2006 if funding permits.