Although the Battle Ground City Council approved a master plan for four city parks last week, residents should not expect any developments soon as officials consider funding options for the projects included.
The approved parks master plan outlines how multiple park properties should be developed. The timing and specifics of these developments will be determined later, based on available project funding, however.
Among the four park properties, the 35-acre Durkee property had initially been considered for a sports complex due to its compatible size, but the final plan did not reflect that proposal, although the idea has not been abandoned altogether.
Located 1 mile east of the city limits, the Durkee property was originally deeded to Clark County in 1997 by Dorothy and Virginia Durkee to be developed into a trail park and was later gifted to Battle Ground. Last year, however, consultants from MIG, a firm working with city staff on the project, proposed transforming the property into a sports complex with four ballfields.
In May, after numerous neighbors protested that the proposal conflicted with the donors' wishes, the city’s Planning Commission revised the site plan to an outdoor trail park.
After the City Council approved the Parks Master Plan last week, Susan Tripp, a distant relative of the Durkees, expressed her satisfaction with the decision to honor the original intent of the land’s previous owners.
“Their children are still alive. They're in their 80s, and they're watching all of this very carefully with great hopes that this will be open, and it'll be according to their mother's wishes,” Tripp said. “The family is still very, very eager to see this property that they grew up on…”
The recent approval ensures that the Durkee property will be developed into a trail park if funding is secured. For several City Council members, including Mayor Troy McCoy, creating a sports complex remains a priority if a suitable location is identified.
McCoy noted that the city currently has $2.7 million available for park projects, but additional funding might be required to complete the projects in the Parks Master Plan. Some projects might require a park bond or levy, prompting a public vote if grants fall short. The total cost for the four park projects is estimated at $36.1 million, while a sports field complex alone is projected to cost around $25 million.
“I don't want the impression that ‘oh, City Council just spent $36.1 million, and there's going to be a bunch of new parks next year.’ It will be a long haul,” McCoy said.
The adopted Parks Master Plan outlines projects throughout the city.
Remy Property
Located west of Battle Ground’s Walmart Supercenter, the 80.2-acre Remy Property features wetlands, which limits development to the southern portion. The adopted plan, estimated at $9.4 million, includes fitness stations, an open lawn/informal sports field, a bird-watching area, a picnic area, a dog park and several pathways with bicycle racks. Two parking lots, one connected to Southwest 20th Avenue and the other to Southwest Scotton Way, will provide 31 parking spaces. The City Council requested that a proposed bicycle pump track be modified to include basketball courts before approving the plan.
Gardner Oaks
East of the Walmart Supercenter, the 13-acre Gardner Oaks property is divided by a drainage channel. The $7.7 million adopted plan features pathways, including two pedestrian bridges crossing the channel, and a nature-themed playground. The park will also include a nine-hole disc golf course south of the drainage channel. A parking lot for the park, estimated to have 25 spaces, will be accessible through a future road yet to be developed on its east side.
Fairgrounds Park
This existing park, located north of Main Street, will retain its skate park and current parking lot, with the addition of a new 25-space parking site accessible through Fairground Avenue. The $15.1 million plan will reshape the north segment of the 8.6-acre property, replacing the existing Little League ballfields with a pump track and specialty gardens surrounded by new trails. The development also includes a splash pad and play area for children, picnic areas and sports courts for basketball, tennis and potentially pickleball. The City Council has stipulated that no projects will be approved until new Little League ballfields are built elsewhere.
Durkee Property
The 35-acre Durkee Property will be developed as a trail park, featuring a 25-space parking lot and trailhead. The $3.9 million plan includes two viewpoints overlooking an existing creek, with additional viewpoints of the northern wetlands and a valley. A forest labyrinth, utilizing existing trees on the northwest side of the park, will offer a maze experience for children.
