Edmonds newest park, Hazel Miller Plaza, named for longtime resident

EDMONDS — The city’s newest park at Old Milltown now has a name — Hazel Miller Plaza.

Features of the new plaza include a drinking fountain, a water element and benches. The park is still under construction and is located in the 200 block of Fifth Ave. S. between Dayton and Maple streets. It’s expected to be completed by the beginning of this summer.

Planning and construction of the park cost $150,000 with about $25,000 of that tied to connecting water and electric, said Kerri Hite, city parks director.

Last year, the City Council expanded the amount earmarked for the park’s development to cover the utility hookups, with the caveat that city staff was to aggressively seek grants and gifts.

“This has been a true community project,” Hite told the council during its meeting last week.

City officials hope that the entire cost to build and outfit the park will be covered by contributions and grants. Funds continue to be collected. Hite listed several larger donations and those made by individuals, totaling $41,200. Donors included the Edmonds Floretum Garden Club, the Edmonds in Bloom group, the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, the Hubbard Foundation and Rosen Properties, the Milltown property managers.

Hite noted that three smaller donations were combined to buy and install a bench.

The largest single donation, $88,000, was from the Hazel Miller Foundation with the request that the park’s name include the foundation’s namesake.

“We appreciate that contribution, and all the donations made,” Mayor Dave Earling said. “It is that sort of thing that makes our community ‘cook.’ “

With a city policy in place detailing how parks are named, city officials fielded the customary procedure to determine the spot’s name. There were 43 potential name submissions, 25 of which contained the name of Miller, the longtime Edmonds resident.

The council unanimously approved the new name.

This is the third new park to open in Edmonds in recent history. Hickman Park opened in late 2009, Haines Wharf Park was completed in 2011. Prior to Hickman Park opening, Edmonds had not seen a new park in more than three decades.