Gig Harbor Park, Recreation, & Open Space Plan
Gig Harbor Public Works & Parks Advisory Committee, Gig Harbor, Washington

We updated the comprehensive parks, recreation, and open space plan for the Gig Harbor urban growth area for the Gig Harbor Public Works Department and Parks Advisory Committee.

We inventoried programs, facilities, and properties provided by the city, county, school district, nonprofit, and for profit organizations. In addition, we also identified and evaluated a number of strategic sites, facilities, and programs that could provide opportunities to protect and access key waterfront and natural resource sites, preserve historical buildings and activities, and increase recreational capacity.

Following a series of public workshops, we created acquisition and development concepts and plans for a number of sites of opportunity. The key sites included the Wilkinson Homestead – an historical holly farm with critical wetlands, the Skansie Shipyard – an historical waterfront site with a net shed and landings, and City Park – a wooded estuary of Gig Harbor . Joint venture opportunities included a new civic complex with a village green, and a new Gig Harbor Peninsula Historical Museum with art center and meeting facilities.

Finally, we conducted a mail-out/phone-back survey of registered voter households in the city to provide them materials on the sites of opportunity and determine final project priorities and financing preferences particularly concerning impact fees and a general obligation bond.

The city used the results of our site studies and phone survey to complete acquisition, preservation, and development projects for the Wilkinson Homestead, Skansie Shipyard, and Civic Complex within the next 6 year Capital Facility Program.