La Center residents now have a new place to gather in the heart of downtown after city leaders officially unveiled Legacy Park during a ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of the Our Days parade on Friday, July 24.
Completed in less than two months, the park located at East Fifth Street and Birch Avenue features space for food trucks, a children's playground and the historic Make Mine Milk building, which was donated to the city by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
During the ceremony, Mayor Tom Strobehn said the project represents both La Center's future and the people who helped shape its history.
“This park has been a cultivation of ideas that have come to life in a quick period of time thanks to the help of our extremely hard-working city staff and public works employees," Strobehn said.
He said the city moved quickly once the opportunity arose to transform the property into a community gathering space.
"When the opportunity for this park presented itself, we knew we wanted to incorporate local businesses and what better way to do so than to create a home for food trucks,” Strobehn said. “We wanted a place where people could not only bring their families and children to play, but also enjoy delicious food while supporting local businesses."
A centerpiece of the park is the relocated Make Mine Milk building, a familiar landmark with roots dating back to a former dairy operation near the La Center exit off of Interstate 5.
"In 2021, the Cowlitz tribe purchased the land where the dairy farm was once home, and earlier this year, the tribe chose to generously donate this historical monument to the city of La Center,” Strobehn said. “It was imperative that the Make Mine Milk building could be enjoyed by all, and what better way to do so than to bring it to our park?"
The park's name also reflects the city's desire to recognize the leaders who helped shape La Center over the decades. Inside the cover crafted from the Make Mine Milk building sits a display of all of the city's mayors.
"The leaders in the history of our community are important to the legacy of our city,” Strobehn said. “That is why we have decided the official name of the Fifth and Birch park will be Legacy Park. I am grateful we can honor the legacy of our city through a community space that can serve as a gathering place for all."
Following the ribbon cutting, Strobehn credited the city's employees for turning what began as a rough concept into a completed park in just weeks.
"Well, I've got a great team," he said. "Blood, sweat and tears went into this."
He said discussions began both with how to utilize the Make Mine Milk building as well as bringing food trucks to downtown La Center had been underway for several years before the city acquired the property.
Once city staff believed the project could be completed before Our Days, work accelerated.
“We felt the pinch. But with the team that we had, we just pushed forward,” Strobehn said. “I'm telling you, I've probably got the greatest public works team in the entire county."
For Strobehn, the park fills a gap in downtown by providing a place where residents can gather while preserving a recognizable piece of La Center's past.
"It's in the heart of the city," he said. "We don't have a park where we can just come and gather (in downtown), have some food and have a good time. But this park actually encompasses the feeling of La Center in this small town atmosphere, right? It was a great spot, actually a perfect spot to preserve this building."
