Marshbank Construction and its subcontractors have completed significant Juanita Beach Park restoration activities since the City of Kirkland hired the contractor on June 13 to complete the project.
Marshbank’s schedule currently shows the southern, beach-side section of the park to be open by Friday, Aug. 5.
Recent work activities include soil preparation ahead of upcoming planting work, the re-grading of public common areas, significant beach weeding and numerous parking lot improvements. Work activities over the next three weeks will include final efforts on the irrigation system, the installation of seed and sod areas, construction of new boardwalk and bridges, the installation of permanent fencing, and the planting of many hundreds of plant, shrubs and trees.
Restoration work for the Juanita Creek Enhancement Area, located on the southwestern side of the Park, will also begin this week.
“A great deal of work has been completed in these past weeks,” noted Jennifer Schroder, Parks & Community Services Department director. “We, like the community, are hoping to have the park open as soon as possible and for good weather as the construction schedule is weather dependent.”
Come Aug. 5, visitors will park in a more space-efficient parking lot complimented by new lighting and landscaping (and bio-filtration stormwater features), can enjoy new walking paths that lead to and from the beach and the pier, can take a swim, and have a picnic on the new picnic tables. In order for newly seeded grass and sod to take root, public use of grass areas is restricted.
“The city wishes to thank the Windermere-Kirkland Office for contributing time and labor to paint the interior of the restroom building last month,” added Schroder. “We also appreciate the customer loyalty of Juanita Friday Market patrons.”
The market will be at its current location in the northern portion of the park while the city and Marshbank monitor the sod plantings over the next few weeks. Other improvements include:
· Retention of 115 trees and the planting of 900 new evergreen and deciduous trees.
· Restoration of Juanita Creek, located on the western side of the park. The area will be closed until the fall so that stream bank stabilization and new native species plantings can be completed and new foot bridges can be installed.
· Re-graded lawn areas with improved drainage and irrigation systems.
· Extensive native landscaping.
For project updates, visit www.kirklandwa.gov (Search: Juanita Beach Park Master Plan) or contact Dave Snider, capital projects manager, Kirkland Public Works at 425-587-3832 or dsnider@kirklandwa.gov.
