SEVERAL PARKS in the city of Battle Ground are home to a variety of wildlife, including these ducks who are enjoying some afternoon shade next to the pond area of Florence Robison Park - North.
WALKING PATHS are abundant at several of the parks around the city of Battle Ground. Florence Robison Park - North has a paved path that winds its way around three small ponds and wetlands. There are paved pathways at numerous other parks in the city, including Kiwanis Park, Central Park, Hidden Glen Park and others.
MANY OF THE city’s parks are adorned with several benches available to park goers who wish to take a break in the shade and enjoy nature.
FLORENCE ROBISON PARK - North is home to three small ponds and wetlands that are thick with vegetation. These areas are home to a variety of birds and ducks that can be easily viewed from the path, as well as the occasional bullfrog.
ONE OF THE CITY’S more frequently used parks, Florence Robison Park consists of two different areas, Florence Robison - North, located at 1700 NW 9th St., and Florence Robison - South, located at 1900 NW 9th St. The South park is home to a large play structure, basketball court, picnic table and benches.
BATTLE GROUND - The end of July may be here, but that still leaves just more than a month left to enjoy summer outings with the children before they have to return to the hustle and bustle of school.
If you feel like you’ve run out of places to take your kids for a few hours of fun in the sun this summer, why not look closer to home and visit one of Battle Ground’s 18 city parks?
Yes, you read that correctly – 18. This number may come as a shock to some Battle Ground area residents who have only frequented some of the more well-known parks within the city, including Kiwanis Park and the skate park/Fairgrounds Park area. But look a little harder and you will find several parks that are actually quite the “hidden gems” throughout the city.
For those wishing to venture out of their comfort zone and explore some of Battle Ground’s lesser-known parks, here is a little bit about each one and where it can be found in the city:
Battle Ground Village Park
The Battle Ground Village Park is located at 1201 SE 11th St. and is .64 acres. Tucked away behind the Battle Ground Community Library, this pocket park offers residents a place to have fun and play. The park includes some play equipment, green space and a basketball court.
Brook Haven Park
Located at 1600 SE 2nd Place, Brook Haven Park offers a quiet, shaded retreat among the trees along a portion of Woodin Creek. The park is 2.2 acres and includes a short paved path that leads from one end of the park to the other, while informal trails lead to the creek bed. There a few benches along the trail for those who like to take a rest and enjoy nature.
Cedar Trails Park
Cedar Trails, located just south of Daybreak Elementary School at 2203 NW 15th St., offers a paved walking trail amongst a tall stand of cedar trees. Enjoy the quiet of nature and the cool shade that this bunch of trees provides. Cedar Trails is makes up 2.7 acres of space
“Cedar Trails is a pretty cool area,” said Debbi Hanson, director of Battle Ground Parks and Recreation. “The trail is nestled amongst a grove of cedar trees, it’s quiet and it’s cool on a hot day. There’s no benches or picnic tables, so it’s a nice little nature area.”
Central Park
Located in the heart of Old Town Battle Ground at 414 E. Main St., Central Park is .42 acres of space that provides a relaxing and quiet respite for visitors and the local neighborhood. A park that Hanson refers to as the “gem of Old Town,” the Central Park area is one of the city’s older parks, first purchased for park development in 1995.
A paved path leads to benches where visitors can sit and enjoy the sounds of Woodin Creek that runs through the park or view the iron artwork donated by the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington in celebration of the millennium.
Cresap Park
This neighborhood park is located at 1911 SE 2nd Place and is one of four city parks used for the Summer Playground Program during the summer months on Thursdays from 2-4 p.m., continuing until Aug. 27.
Have fun and play on the playground structure or enjoy a game of catch or frisbee on the large lawn area. Enjoy a walk or stroll on the paved path that circles around a large section of wetland and view the birds that live within this area. Cresap Park is 2.3 acres.
Dublin Meadows Park
Dublin Meadows Park, located at 402 NW 20th Circle, is a small pocket park offering unique play equipment that is fun, challenging and a step beyond your traditional playground. The .2-acre park also has a small basketball court that’s great for a game of Horse or just shooting some hoops.
Fairgrounds Park
Fairgrounds Park is the city’s oldest park, purchased for park development back in 1955. This park was the original site of the Clark County Fair, which is why it was given the name Fairgrounds Park. Currently, the park is home to the Battle Ground Community Center, the city’s 25,000-square-foot skate and bike park, and baseball and softball fields used by area little leagues.
This signature park is 8.26 acres.
Florence Robison Park - North
This Urban Open Space area is located at 1700 NW 9th St. and is 5.57 acres sitting amidst an area neighborhood development. A paved path winds its way around three small ponds and wetlands. Thick with vegetation, the ponds are home to a variety of birds and ducks that be easily viewed from the path, along with the occasional bullfrog. A few benches are scattered along the paved path.
Florence Robison Park - South
Unlike its neighbor to the north, Florence Robison South is for active youth and families looking to play and have fun. This park is one of four used for the Summer Playground Program on Thursdays from 10 a.m.-noon, continuing until Aug 27. This park features a large play structure, basketball court, picnic table and benches, and its located at 1900 NW 9th St.
According to Hanson, both of the Florence Robison parks are popular among Battle Ground area residents.
Gardner Oaks (undeveloped park)
Gardner Oaks is an undeveloped park area at 518 SW 10th St. This park land was secured in 2000 for future passive park development.
Hidden Glen Park
Located at 212 SE 5th Circle, Hidden Glen is just that - a “hidden treasure.” It has a swing and large grass area for informal play and a footbridge that leads to a paved path through the wetlands of the remaining 3-plus acres of the park. The park, in total, is 4.2 acres.
Horsethief Park
Another one of four parks used for the Summer Playground Program on Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m., continuing until Aug. 27, Horsethief Park features a playground structure and grass area for informal play. This .32-acre park is located at Southwest 12th Avenue and Southwest 11th Street.
Kiwanis Park
Probably the city’s most highly used park, Kiwanis Park is the largest community park in the city of Battle Ground. The 8.16-acre park features a large playground with a climbing rock, a water spray feature and a basketball court. A ¼-mile paved path loops around a large open grass area, which is popular with both exercise walkers and those taking a leisurely stroll.
Kiwanis Park also has horseshoe pits, barbecues, restrooms, T-ball fields, picnic tables and benches.
“Kiwanis has the most to offer as a community park,” Hanson said.
Through a generous donation from the Kiwanis Club the property was deeded to the city in 1980 to establish a park. After extensive park improvements in 2006, this park became a “Mecca” for both active and passive recreation users. It is also one of four parks used for the Summer Playground Program on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-noon, continuing until Aug. 27.
McConnell Park
Located at 918 NW 25th Ave., Hanson said McConnell Park is highly used by neighborhood residents and is a great place to play frisbee or toss a football. The 2-acre park features a playground structure, picnic tables and benches amongst a stand of shade trees. There are two large grass areas for informal play and games.
Parkview Trails (undeveloped urban open space)
Parkview Trails is currently undeveloped urban open space located at Northwest 10th Street and Northwest 25th Avenue. This undeveloped trail system/space is 1.6 acres.
Remy Property
The Remy Property is 79.4 acres of undeveloped park/urban open space/trail system. The site includes approximately 60 acres of wetlands and 20 acres of uplands. The site was purchased in 2000 from the Remy family for future recreational and open space purposes.
“My dream would be to turn the house on the Remy property into a sort of nature center, have classes there,” Hanson said. “There will also be a pathway and trails. The Remy property has the most potential to be something different.”
The Remy property is located at 20521 NE 112th Ave.
Savannah Park
Located at 1127 SE 9th Ave., Savannah Park is a small pocket park that provides the local neighborhood a small space to relax and enjoy the outdoors. A picnic table and a bench are placed under some large trees offering shade on warm, sunny days. This park is .15 acres.
Triangle Park
Triangle Park is an “oasis” amidst a neighborhood development and is accessible via a paved pathway that leads from one neighborhood to another. The park, located at 1012 NW 25th Ave., features a large grass area for informal play and is 1.17 acres.
Anyone wanting to look up some quick information about each of these Battle Ground city parks can do so by finding the City Parks Quick Guide at http://www.cityofbg.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/258. More detailed information on each of the city’s parks can be found at http://www.cityofbg.org/index.aspx?nid=203.
A few other reminders to park goers: Lewisville Park is owned and operated by Clark County, not the city of Battle Ground. The Clark County Parks Department can be contacted at (360) 397-2285. Battle Ground Lake State Park is owned and operated by the state of Washington. Contact the state parks information center at (360) 902-8844.
For more information on Battle Ground city parks, contact Hanson at (360) 342-5380.
