Lynnwood’s City Council Monday, Oct. 27 agreed to allocate $600,000 toward the first phase of development of the former Tutmark Hill site now known as Doc Hageman Park.
The project will create a neighborhood park about a mile east of Alderwood mall, off of Maple Road and within a portion of the city’s urban growth area that is being considered for annexation.
The city bought the 7.69-acre property for $1.16 million in 2002 with a Snohomish County grant and county real estate excise tax money.
Until he sold his property to the city, Hageman, 92, owned and farmed the land for more than 45 years. He continues to live on the property under a special agreement with the city.
“We extended his caretaker’s lease for another year, so he’s able to stay there until next August,” said parks planning manager Laurie Cowan. The council also agreed, at a cost not to exceed $34,082.76, to hire JGM Landscape Architects of Bellevue as project architect. The company will do the master planning and design development as well as put together construction documents.
Cowan said the city has a conceptual plan for the park but JGM will “take that further.”
Park amenities will include gardens, trails, open play fields, restrooms and parking. Another goal, she said, is to preserve the property’s history as a farm by using interpretive signage and possibly displaying farm artifacts.
To pay development expenses, the city hopes to get $500,000 from the state’s recreation and Conservation Office. Cowan said Tuesday, Oct. 28 the state told Lynnwood officials they’ve been ranked fifth out of 76 parks acquisition and development projects statewide, so the odds look favorable that the grant money will be available next spring. The city would match that grant with its budgeted $600,000 strategic investment plan money to cover the costs.
Cowan said master planning for the project should be completed by February or March and the public will be able to review the plan. Construction would follow later in 2009.
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