Abrams Park in Ridgefield is expected to maintain its natural beauty, though the future of its ballfields are uncertain.
The City Council approved a master plan for the park last week, outlining the direction of future amenities and features.
The 40-acre park north of Pioneer Street currently features two zones, separated for activity — with playgrounds and ballfields at the center — and nature trails surrounding the park. The trails connect residents with the surrounding woods and Gee Creek, which runs through the park’s south and northwest sides. The council approved the plan, which will improve trail and parking access but may change city priorities for the park after further review.
The master plan includes three main improvement phases and includes one final project to rebuild its vehicle bridge, connecting the park with Division Street across Gee Creek. Under the council’s direction, the parks board will seek grant funding and permitting for active play area improvements in the first phase. The council will then determine the order of the next two phases. The phase projects are subject to change depending on funding or future council direction.
Active zone phase
Consultants showed the City Council two alternatives for the park’s active play area, which currently includes two baseball or softball fields, one small T-ball field and five soccer fields of varying size. One alternative is to rearrange the location of the ballfields, while maintaining their current size. The park’s five soccer fields would be separated between the east and west sides of the park’s center to accommodate space for new amenities, including restrooms and an expanded parking lot.
The other alternative would replace an existing softball field for a pickleball court. In public comments, many residents spoke against the second proposal. Marc Rappaport, who lives close to Abrams, said a pickleball court would be loud and disrupt the park’s current serenity.
“The kind of activity that would increase that traffic would be a detriment to the value of Abrams Park in the community because people like to walk by the creek,” Rappaport said.
Mayor Ron Onslow said the council should prioritize addressing the need for T-ball, noting the park only has one field for that level of play. Councilor Matt Cole said he prefers the city provide more T-ball fields, suggesting some soccer field space is sacrificed.
“We have 425 kids who play in the Little League currently this year,” Cole said. “I think (another T-ball field) is necessary because 60% of our kids playing ball are at that level.”
Council members failed to reach consensus on plans for the park’s ballfields in the meeting.
Instead, the council will decide on the future of Abrams’ ballfields once the city’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Board publishes the parks capital facilities plan.
Parks Manager Corey Crownhart told The Reflector that as part of this plan, staff will gather community input about ballfield demand. A final comprehensive plan is expected to be published before December 2024.
The council directed the parks board to include a covered playground for kids to play under in the rain that will be relocated in the park’s northwest side. The master plan also includes two new covered picnic shelters on the west side of the park’s center.
Should the council approve relocating the ballfields, that phase of the plan is expected to cost the city a maximum of $3,146,056. Crownhart said staff will apply for grants from the Washington State Resource Conservation Office. The timing of ground breaking and construction will depend on permitting, costs and weather.
Natural zone improvements phase
The plan for Abrams Park includes trail resurfacing improvements. The unpaved trails surrounding the active play area, spanning south of Gee Creek, would be paved with asphalt to make walking more accessible. The plan also proposes an asphalt pavement be made on the park’s trails north of the active play area. Gravel trail resurfacing is proposed in the park’s northernmost trails, which connect the park to the city’s surrounding neighborhoods.
Other proposed amenities include
• A creek boardwalk and covered area for nature field trips and education in the northwest corner of the park.
• An improved version of the “Onslow Nature Playground,” to focus on play and nature connection.
• A replacement for the south pedestrian “Heritage bridge,” connecting the rest of Abrams park to its south side across Gee Creek. In previous surveys and open houses, residents have complained that the bridge has been degrading.
• The painting, repair and cleaning of the park’s many benches, tables and trash cans.
• Restructuring or resizing the Bennet Hall community building, dependent on available funds and space. A plan specifying improvements for the center would be shown to the City Council at a future meeting.
Improvements to the park’s natural zone is projected to cost $3,203,540. The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) offers grants that could save Ridgefield $1 million in costs.
Parking and accessibility phase
In the approved master plan, Abrams Park’s parking lot will eventually be expanded, increasing its spaces from 120 lots to 168. The additional parking spaces include 24 proposed parallel parking spots along division street. The new parking lot will surround the north, west and east sides of Bennett Hall, the park’s community center. The parking lot will either be fully paved or use gravel in expanded areas, depending on available funding. The phase also includes a new restroom building in the east side of the park, saving park visitors a long walk to the west restroom park’s entrance.
Some council members were concerned about the proposed parking lot’s proximity to Gee Creek because they feared runoff flooding of the creek. Kirsti Hauswald, a consultant working with the city through the firm AKS, assured the council a future drainage channel’s design would mitigate any potential for damage.
The council amended the plan to remove a proposed roundabout trailhead parking lot south of Gee Creek. The trailhead would have opened up the park’s south entrance on Pioneer Street for vehicle access. The city’s Parks Board recommended the council remove the trailhead in the master plan, citing concerns of creek pollution.
“The Parks Board called that out, and I really appreciate that they did so because I don’t like that,” Councilor Jennifer Lindsay said. “Personally, I think that needs to be left natural…”
That decision will save the city nearly $240,000. This phase of the project will cost Ridgefield an estimated $2,428,047 without the trailhead.
The last project outlined the replacement of the park’s vehicle bridge, connecting the parking lot with Division Street. The bridge, crucial for vehicle access, would include a sign. Ridgefield Public Works Director Chuck Green said the bridge is in less than fair condition and will require a replacement in the coming years. The cost is projected to be over $5 million and will include a digital sign to indicate parking capacity for residents. A precise timeline for groundbreaking is unknown at this time.
In another action, the City Council approved purchasing property for a stormwater facility. The city will buy a 2.36-acre property to be divided from subsequent land north of Pioneer Street for $1.14 million. The developer of the parcel has already built a stormwater facility, which the city will use to collect rainwater at Pioneer Street. The developer sold the property at its appraised value prior to the construction of the on-site facility.
