Lynnwood volunteer works to preserve Lake Stickney

LYNNWOOD — Joyce Altaras had been saving up for a waterfront home when she discovered Lake Stickney nearly 25 years ago.

For Altaras, her first glimpse of her future house on the lake’s north shore was like seeing something from her imagination materialize in real life. Soon, she had moved there from Lake Forest Park.

“I walked in the door and said, ‘Oh my God. This is a vision,’” Altaras said.

Ever since, Altaras, the president of the Lake Stickney Conservancy neighborhood group, has been giving back to the lakeside community that fulfilled her dreams. She’s a dynamo whose enthusiasm has inspired others to join a long struggle to preserve the west side of the lake as a public park.

Her efforts started in the mid-1990s, when she led successful attempts to block development there. One defeated proposal included 49 houses.

“It’s all summed up in one word: passion,” she said. “I look at this lake as a living thing. If we don’t look out for it, it’s going to die.”

Conservation efforts at Lake Stickney provide a rare chance to preserve a window of nature in the suburbs north of Lynnwood between I-5 and Highway 99.

Lake Stickney is ecologically valuable because its 24 acres drain into Swamp Creek, which flows into the Sammamish River and Lake Washington. Neighbors feared that building too many condominiums or houses there would have ruined water quality downstream and destroyed wildlife habitat, including that of the endangered chinook salmon.

“We couldn’t go in ourselves and say, ‘Not in our neighborhood,’” Altaras said. “We had to go in and prove it by law and show this is not the place for this” development.

Over the years, she and nearly 100 other neighbors chipped in for lawyers and experts to counter the development proposals. They spent upwards of $40,000, supplementing their own cash with bake sales and other fundraisers.

“We knew we were going to be fighting the county forever unless we could get it into the public domain, and turn it into a nature park,” she said.

By 2008, Altaras and other neighbors in the unincorporated area north of Lynnwood had convinced the county to buy some of the waterfront property previously targeted for development. Today, it’s a conservation area known as Lake Stickney Community Park.

Altaras, who retired from a career in computer sales, remains a top supplier of elbow grease to help the county maintain the land.

She’s helped put together a couple of work parties every year, cutting back invasive plants and hauling out trash. More than 40 people showed up for this past Saturday toting clippers, rakes and garbage bags. They’ve had upwards of 100 volunteers at other events.

The Lake Stickney community is among the most active in the county parks system. Snohomish County in 2011 honored Altaras as one of its top volunteers.

“There’s just no way we could get everything done without our volunteers,” parks director Tom Teigen said.

Countywide, the parks system has logged more than 43,000 hours of volunteer work in each of the past five years, he said.

The future park at Lake Stickney occupies the site of the former Country Gentleman resort. The resort’s main restaurant burned down in 1982.

The county’s land at Lake Stickney now includes more than 20 acres and is expected to keep growing. A formal park opening ceremony is planned from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 14.

County Council Chairwoman Stephanie Wright has lent the conservation efforts her political support. She’s also contributed her share of volunteer labor.

“Joyce has been joy to work with on this project,” Wright said. “This was an area that really needed a park, and thanks to Joyce and the community group, that is now going to be a reality.”

The plan is to keep the area for conservation, with nature trails and perhaps a future small playground and off-leash dog park.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

A new park

Lake Stickney Community Park will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 14 at 13521 Manor Way, Lynnwood, the parking lot on the west side of the lake.

A bake sale to support the park is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Lake Stickney Community Clubhouse, 1428 S. Lake Stickney Drive, Lynnwood.

To volunteer at any park within the Snohomish County Park system, contact Tony Trofimczuk at 425-388-6604 or email Tony.Trofimczuk@co.snohomish.wa.us.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.