Franklin Park Improvement Committee
Franklin Park Improvements Projects
York neighborhood volunteers have been busy over the past three years in Franklin Park and the adjoining street rights-of-way. The goals are to:
- Establish Franklin Park as a community collector that can be used by residents of all ages and abilities. York neighborhood applied for and received the Neighborhood Initiative Program Grant for $150,000 in December, 2006. Since that time, the Franklin Park Improvements Committee has met monthly with the City of Bellingham Park and Community Development Departments to prioritize what improvements could best enhance the usage and beauty of our park. Construction of the chosen elements is slated to begin in late 2008.
- Open the wooded hillside above Franklin Park to make this natural open space available for the enjoyment of Bellingham residents. With little natural habitat left in this historic, populated neighborhood, volunteers have joined in at work parties once a month (the second Saturday) to remove invasives and weeds that had overgrown on the hillside. This made the addition of a trail possible that reaches from Whatcom Street to the intersection with Franklin Street on the north. Over the past two years, native plantings of hazelnut, salal, snowberry, Indian plum, vine maple and sword fern add to diversity of plant life. A stroll along the trail provides views of the Chuckanut sandstone formation and an interaction with and appreciation of both wildlife and plant life. An added bonus has been to decrease the previous misuse of the hillside area.
In 2006 the York neighborhood applied for and received the City of Bellingham 's Small and Simple Grant to improve the Franklin Street Island between Lakeway Drive and Franklin Park . This was a neglected eyesore that was being used for illegal purposes; was overgrown with weeds and invasives; collected trash. The grant was used to spray invasives, hire Ruben Anaya to remove dead trees, clear overgrown areas and remove 23 truck loads of trash and debris. Two benches have been purchased and will be installed on the street island in 2008.
Volunteers have put many hours into mulching the entire island, weeding, pruning and cutting back. Ron Barnett has built a continuing trail across most of the island. By the end off 2008, we hope to plant trees, bushes and flowers; complete the trail across the island to Lakeway Dr ; install the benches. With views of Mt. Baker and the bay, this area should provide a beautiful, walkable space in our York neighborhood.
If you would like to volunteer or learn more about these projects, please contact:
Helen Jackson, Coordinator - Email: hjaxon817@yahoo.com