The Kirkland Parks Board is recommending the City Council drop both the Juanita Beach Park and North Kirkland Community Center (NKCC) from consideration as possible sites for the Aquatic Recreational Center (ARC).

The parks board voted in favor of the recommendation during their March 11 meeting due to what a city memo describes as a “lack of widespread public support and concerns about loss of outdoor park space.”

The memo follows a scientific telephone survey of 400 registered voters in Kirkland by EMC Research found they were divided initially on support for Juanita Beach Park as an ARC site. Opposition increased, however, as concerns of traffic and potential loss of open space and trees were introduced, the survey found.

This overall cold reception Juanita Beach Park received led city staff to conclude that it is “unlikely to garner widespread community support,” according to the city memo. “Potential loss of historic park open space and increased vehicular traffic that many believe could to be adequately mitigated are the prime reasons that have been expressed.”

As for the NKCC site, the city staff deemed it unsuitable for the desired size of the ARC, as the site could not accommodate all the desired amenities.

The recommendations will be considered by the City Council during a study session at its upcoming March 17 meeting.

In October, the council authorized the parks board to look at other possible sites for the ARC after proposals to have it sited at the northern section of Juanita Beach Park was met with criticism. The parks board was also tasked with conducting further public outreach.

Their search for potential sites produced 62 locations, which were eventually whittled down two viable options. The first is property owned by Christ Church directly south of the Kirkland Justice Center. The other are properties adjacent to Totem Lake Park that includes city-owned property. A preliminary analysis has been done for the Christ Church and Totem Lake properties, according to the city memo.

“To date, no other viable properties have been identified for the ARC Center,” the memo states.

The memo concludes that the city should seek out a partnership for the ARC, but be prepared to shoulder the financial burden on its own through a voter-approved ballot measure. At this time no organization has offered a “firm commitment” to a partnership.