Category Overview
Local Parks grants help protect these symbols of vibrant communities, providing places for families to gather and play and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in an era when people spend increasing amounts of their time inside. The WWRP is the largest source of local parks funding in Washington, helping communities fund the acquisition, development, and renovation of vital recreation areas and green spaces.
Project Highlights
Bellevue will use this grant to buy one of the two remaining parcels between Meydenbauer Beach Park and the city-owned marina. Bellevue is bounded on the west by Lake Washington and on the east by Lake Sammamish. However, because of urban development, topography and the almost continuous private ownership of the shoreline, the public has limited visual and physical access to these lakes. Of the more than 11 miles of shoreline along the two lakes, less than 10 percent is publicly owned. Bellevue has made a substantial commitment in the past decade to increase the public presence along the waterfront, especially on Lake Washington. Nine parcels have been acquired between Meydenbauer Beach Park and the marina since 1993. Acquiring this parcel adds .32 acre to the city’s holdings and leaves only one parcel left to complete the Lake Washington acquisition plan envisioned in the mid-1970s. This property is critical to the city’s long-range vision for the area, which includes a regionally significant waterfront park that extends from Meydenbauer Beach Park to the marina, and a connection from that park to Bellevue’s downtown.