Covington Community Park Tour

The Covington Community Park is an impressive example of how projects funded through the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) can meet the high priority recreation needs of a young and growing community. The project, sponsored by the City of Covington in 2013, is the city’s first community park. It builds upon the vision to improve recreation opportunities for all ages while providing a location for community events through a multi-purpose sports field. The park also features rolling pastures, a stream, mature forests, and an interpretive trail where families and local residents can explore the natural world in their backyard.

The tour will also highlight the next phase of the project, which was awarded funding by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in 2014. The City of Covington is currently in the process of enhancing the park’s recreational and community facilities by adding a destination playground, picnic shelters, a completed trail system, tennis courts, outdoor exercise equipment, and a covered stage and amphitheater (see map 2).

9:15AM – Arrive at Covington Community Park

9:25AM – Introductions

9:30AM – Project Tour and Speakers

• Project overview and highlights—TBD (sponsor)
• Project benefits/ community impacts— Greg Wingard, Green River Coalition
• WWRP overview and funding—TBD (WWRP board member)

10:00AM – Remarks from Sen. Fain, Rep. Hargrove, and Rep. Sullivan

10:15AM – Concluding remarks and departure

Directions to Covington Community Park: From Covington City Hall, head southwest on SE 271st Street toward 167th Place SE. SE 271st Street will turn slightly left and become 167th Pl SE. From there, turn right onto SE 272nd St and right again at the 3rd cross street onto 164th Ave SE. Follow 164th for about one mile until you reach the traffic circle. At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on 164th Ave SE. After about one mile, turn right onto SE 240th St and stay on this road for another mile. The park is located on the right and public parking is across the street on the left at the school.

Parking: Public parking is available across the street at Tahoma High School. There is also a limited VIP and handicap parking area located in the park next to the soccer fields and project tour meeting location. The VIP parking area will be reserved for elected officials and members of the press.

This proposed acquisition has already brought many different groups together. Join members from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, the City of Covington, and other community members in helping illustrate how public investments can have lasting social and economic impacts in the community.

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) is our state’s premier conservation and recreation grant program which provides matching funds to create new local and state parks, protect wildlife habitat, and preserve working lands.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is the premier federal grant program to expand and protect our local, state and national parks, wildlife refuges, working forests, and trails.

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition is a nonprofit organization that leverages the voices of over 280 diverse groups working together to ensure robust public funding for Washington’s great outdoors.