A new bathhouse will likely soon be a fixture at Juanita Beach Park.
At its Dec. 10 regular meeting, the Kirkland City Council awarded bids for a construction contract for the bathhouse project. The amount totals $2.395 million and is going to contractor Synergy, Inc., which is a Woodinville-based, family owned construction business.
Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with completion slated for August.
The project results in the demolition of the current bathhouse. In addition to the construction of a new version of the building, more accessible playground equipment and a pair of picnic pavilions will also be added. There will also be a new art display touching on the history of Juanita Beach Park.
The bathhouse building itself provides a handful of resources: bathrooms, lifeguard storage space, park maintenance/event storage and more. Design, which was completed in October 2019, was done by Patano Studio Architecture, a firm selected by the city because of its background with similar projects.
“The new bathhouse, year-round bathrooms and picnic pavilions will be a great amenity for what is one of our most heavily used parks,” Mayor Penny Sweet said in a press release.
According to a press release, the bathhouse project is consistent with the park’s master plan. The incorporation of artwork is an extension of the city’s “one percent for arts” program, which entails the management and advisory of the council on acquiring and loaning public art by the Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC). KCAC members review and recommend projects relevant to the program.
The project dates back to 2006, during the park master plan process. At the time, the community and other stakeholders voiced a desire for an updated version of the bathhouse.
Kirkland took ownership of Juanita Beach Park from King County in 2002 after the county had struggled to retain resources for continuous maintenance.t
After acquiring the property, Kirkland has been seeking to improve park stewardship through a voter-approved maintenance levy. The multi-phased Juanita Beach master plan, which saw its first phase completed in fall 2011, outlines how Kirkland is planning on developing the area.
In response to minor closures, which may happen during the construction period, the city, according to a press release, will keep the public updated through Kirkland’s website as well as a newsletter and social media.
Once complete, the bathhouse will be open year-round.
“One of the best things about living in Kirkland is our amazing system of parks and public waterfront,” Sweet said in a press release. “It’s important that we continue to invest in our parks so that they remain an incredible community asset.”
For more background on the project, go to bit.ly/2Mx2Hbn.
