Community Process

The Master Plan for Wapato Park was based on an extensive community
involvement process. This included three public meetings, stakeholder group
and steering committee meetings, website surveys, and surveying park
users. The Master Plan process involved a three-step approach:
1) Step 1 Understanding, background research, and analysis
This step included an inventory of existing conditions, surveying of
the community, and conducting the first of three community meetings
to listen to residents issues facing the park today and ideas for
future improvements.
2) Step 2 Exploring design alternatives
Three design alternatives were created and discussed at the second
community meeting. These three alternatives provided the opportu-
nity for developing a community consensus by visually depicting a
variety of ideas in response to input during Step 1. Feedback from
the review of the alternative designs was used to shape the final
plan.
3) Step 3 Creation of a final plan to guide the future improvements to the
park
A proposed final master plan was created from the input during Step
1 and Step 2 and presented as part of the monthly South End Neigh-
borhood Council meeting. The Wapato Park Master Plan Report and
final draft of the plan incorporated comments from the final commu-
nity meeting for presentation and subsequent adoption by the Board
of Park Commissioners.
Throughout the master planning process the
Steering Committee met to review the plans prior
to the community meetings to provide additional
input and direction for the planning process. In
addition, meetings were held with staff from Metro
Parks Recreation and Parks & Building Services
Departments to review proposed design alterna-
tives to address specific impacts on programs,
maintenance, and operations of the future im-
proved park.
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Community Workshop
Historical Overview
Prior to becoming a public park Wapato Lake was
a popular destination for city residents as a
private camping ground. It was established as a
public park with the first acquisition of property in
1920. As one of the few lakes within the City of
Tacoma Wapato Lake was always a destination
for day-long summer family outings. With its
growing popularity additional parcels of land
surrounding the lake were either donated by
residents or purchased by Metro Parks Tacoma.
This has continued to the present day with the
latest parcel added in 2003. An annotated history
can be found in the appendix of this report. The
following is a chronological list of events and
actions that have shaped the park over the years.
History of Wapato Lake Park
Name: From the WPA Report:
Local Indians named the lake after a
wild vegetable, which they call
wappato and which grew in profu-
sion around the lake. The plant
produced small bulbs that looked like
potatoes. Some say that wappato
means small potatoe.
1889 The 364 acre privately developed park
of R.F. Radebaugh opens to the public.
1910 The newly formed Metropolitan Park
District of Tacoma began discussing
the possibility of incorporating the
park into the park district.
1911 South End residents presented the
Board with a petition to acquire
Wapato Lake and surroundings for a
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Entry from Parking 1938
courtesy of Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
Parking Lot 1938
courtesy of Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
Volleyball 1941
courtesy of Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
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future public park. The Park Board recommends that 110
acres of land should be acquired at Wapato but the funds were
not available.
1914 Advertisement for Swimming at
Wapato Lake:
Spring boards and shoots, Car fare
5 cents, Camping grounds for rent
F.S. Stallings, Mgr.
Again suggested to the Park Board
that they should acquire Wapato
Lake land, but no funds could be
found for park extensions.
1916 Mr. Easterday presents a proposal
to the Park Board to purchase his
property.
1920-21 A gift of 20 acres of land from
Horace and Helen Scott begins the
acquisition of Wapato Park.
The Board approves purchase of
the 20 acre Cady Tact for $2,150
and designates it for park use only.
In 1921 the Park Board purchases
land from Caroline Menzel for
$4,000.
1926 Installation of water, light and police protection at the lake.
The Board directed the construction of a swimming hole on
the Cady tract as well as the employing of a caretaker.
1927 Beach material brought in, 10 diving platform constructed by
swimmers, swim meets and free swim testing by the District.
Park Board opens Wapato as major south end recreation
center, considered second to Pt. Defiance.
Looking into development of the park and to better the condi-
tions of the water.
1928 Public asks Park Board to develop Wapato Lake as a munici-
pal playground.
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Swimming 1941
courtesy of Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
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Board authorized $300 to be spent on lockers for swimmers
and other improvements.
1932 Park Board grants permission for concessions business.
1935 Purchase on Mr. Easterdays property for $3,750 and Kiwanis
help in construction of buildings.
An additional 165 feet of lakefront purchased.
Telephone installed.
1936 Park closed for construction funding,
in the amount of $228,000 provided from the
Works Progress Administration, (WPA), and
the District for the following improvements:
Park Pavilion (toilet rooms, dressing
rooms with shower, boat house, and 2
nd
floor open air shelter) plaque installed
Stone arch bridge
Caretakers cottage, $17,000
Built modern ball fields
3 entrances with stone columns
Dredged mud and bridge across lake
Constructed a sandy bathing beach
Community shelter with kitchen (plaque),
$5,000
Pergola, $2000 ( upgrades 1980s and
2001)
Alpine garden and lily pond
Cherry trees, roses and natives planted
Kiwanis picnic shelter
Swimming, boating, fishing and picnicking
Huge Snapping Turtle, not ordinarily found
west of the Mississippi River, is captured
in lake, (40lbs 18 inches est. 30 years
old). Sent to Pt. Defiance zoo
1937 The South Tacoma Kiwanis Club donated 7-1/2 acres and
built a playfield near the lake.
1938 The formal reopening of the park held in J une. The Tacoma
Ledger declares that Old Swimming Hole of Half Century
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(Pavilion) Bathhouse 2005
Picnic Shelter 2005
Ago Blossoms Out to Take Place
Among Major Attractions of
Tacoma. 2,000 people attended the
opening.
1940 500 varieties of Rhododendron
planted throughout the park.
Boat storage started.
1942 Lake declared unsanitary, no swim-
ming posted by City Health Dept.
(Storm sewer emptying into the lake
was determined the main cause of
poor water quality. Anticipated 10
years to clean it up.)
1945 $300,000 post-war sewer improvement project to bypass lake
installed.
1948 Swimming in lake re-opened.
1949 The City gives the Park District 4.3 acres of land with water
frontage on the south end.
1953-4 Fishing float donated through the
efforts of the Tacoma Sportsman
Club Auxiliary (120 with 100 T
could fit 250 young fishermen).
Proposal by District to buy homes
along the waters edge met with
disapproval by local residents.
1963 Concessions added to the Pavilion.
1966 Urban Beautification Grant awarded for lake rehabilitation,
storm drainage improvements and landscape enhancements.
$76,786 from the G.C. Casebolt Co. received for beautifica-
tion landscaping and dock.
1967 Kiosk donated by Lunderberg Concrete Pipe Co.
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courtesy of Tacoma Public Library NW Room
1971 Mechanical weed harvesting
completed.
1975 Artist Eugene J ulius Bakes J r.,
play-piece sculpture installed in the
middle of the horseshoe walk.
1976 Master Plan for drainage improve-
ments completed by Chaffee-
Zumwalt & Associates.
1978 EIS finalized for drainage and
water quality enhancement work.
1981 Lake drained and cleaned.
1983 Copper sulphate treatment suc-
cessfully reduces algae.
Department of Ecology grant pays
for storm drainage / water quality
study by ENTRANCO. Enhance-
ments implemented.
1988 Park Pavilion Assessment deter-
mines building, Worthy of Historic
Preservation.
Metro Parks starts charging a
$1.00 parking fee.
1992 Interagency Committee for Recre-
ation, (IAC), grant received for new
walks around the perimeter of the
lake.
1996 Construction of IAC grant improve-
ments completed.
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Nace Field 2005
Drained Lake 1981
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Existing Conditions
At 87.49 acres Wapato Park is the largest green space in the
South Tacoma area. Along with the wooded slopes and wet-
lands the 34-acre lake provides a significant natural area
amidst highly urbanized surroundings. Other features that
define the park are the bathhouse, arched stone bridge,
pergola, and main picnic shelter all constructed during the
1930s through the WPA program. Existing conditions in the
park include:
Buildings:
(see Wapato Park Building Assessment report by BCRA
completed 6/21/2005)
Main Picnic Shelter- this popular reserved picnic facility
is in need of general upgrades including a new roof,
chimney modifications, and plumbing installation.
Rotary Picnic Area- this facility includes two small
shelters, one with a built in fire-box and the other with
attached restroom.
Bathhouse- this facility included showers and locker
space in support of the bathing beach. Damaged by
arson in February of 2005.
Pergola- this prominent entry feature into the park was
restored in 1980 and 2001.
72
nd
Street restroom and shelter- constructed in 1967
and is located adjacent to the parking lot at the south
end of the lake.
Rotary Shelter and Restrooms.
Maintenance facilities including seven structures for
storage and offices.
Police Substation, (under construction) this new
facility, to assist the Tacoma Police Department in
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delivering neighborhood police services, is to be
completed in mid-2006. Beyond the police ser-
vice offices building a meeting room for commu-
nity use is provided.
Park Amenities:
Playground and swings designed primarily
for children 5-12 years of age.
Volleyball courts two 30 x 60 sand courts
adjacent to the lake.
Walking path a 10 wide .9-mile loop around the lake constructed in 1996.
Nature trails unmarked rustic system of trails throughout the for-
ested area of the park.
Nace Field constructed on former lakebed this open turf area
contains a 20 x 60 chain-link backstop for informal sports use.
Fishing docks two structures; one located
behind the bathhouse is used primarily in
support of the annual fishing derby; the second
dock is at the south end of the lake adjacent to
the overflow structure near 72
nd
Street.
Lake:
(see Wapato Lake Park Master Plan Design
Recommendations and Supporting Data by Agua
Tierra completed September 2005)
The lake is divided into three sections with the
upper two lakes serving primarily as stormwater
retention and filtration areas. The edge of these
lakes consists primarily of cattails and sedges.
The lake receives most of its water from two
storm drain inlets located at the north end of the
lake. These inlets drain parts of Interstate 5 and
the city streets north of the park. An outflow
structure at the levee to the lower lake captures
storm runoff and diverts it to the citys storm
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drainage system. The lower lake is very shallow and receives
the only occurring natural source of water from infiltration off
of the land to the immediate west of the park.
With these conditions, and in combination with nutrient loads
from urban run-off and the large population of waterfowl, the
lake is degrading through the process of eutrophication.
Consistent with this process are the seasonally high rate of
algal growth and the corresponding decrease of dissolved
oxygen resulting in unpleasant odors, decomposing surface
material, and dying fish and waterfowl. Because of the popu-
larity of the lake much of the shoreline around the lower lake
is suffering from erosion leading to additional sedimentation of
the lake. Currently swimming is not allowed.
Annually the lake is stocked with a variety of fish to support a
fishing derby held in the early summer. However, fishing
remains a popular activity year around although it is restricted
to youth-only as per guidelines set by the States Department
of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Site Furnishings:
Site furnishings in the park include several styles of benches,
picnic tables, and trash receptacles. Many of the furnishings
are in poor condition and need replacement.
Benches permanent mounted wood contour benches
located primarily along the lake perimeter trail.
Trash receptacles vertical wood slat containers
sparsely located on the east and south side of the
lake only.
Lighting only four standards exist within the park and
are associated with the main parking lot and drive.
Picnic tables two styles including 8 long portable
associated with the reserved picnic areas, and statio-
nery 4 seat-square models located along the lake
perimeter pathway.
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Utilities:
Portions of the parks utility infrastructure dates back to the installation of the
original facilities, in some cases, as far back as the 1930s. Periodic up-
grades have been limited to dealing with system failures, such as the sewer
system installation in 1948 in response to increased concentrations of E coli
in the lake, or as part of the addition of new amenities such as the restrooms
at the Kiwanis picnic area and upgrades at the maintenance shops.
Electric Installed in 1950. A City main serves the park from South
Sheridan Avenue with a direct buried #2 AL 15KV URD cable to a
transformer located at the north end of the Bathhouse. Underground
secondary service feeds extend from the meter located at the Bath-
house to the Pergola and the Kiwanis Picnic area. The 1960-vintage
post-top lights work sporadically due to the poor condition of the
direct buried wire and unavailability of replacement parts. A separate
320 amp single phase primary feeds the maintenance shops from
Sheridan Avenue and is in good condition.
Sanitary Sewer Replaced in 1948 this 15 sanitary sewer main runs
diagonally across the southeast corner of the site from Sheridan
Avenue parallel to the Bathhouse to South 72
nd
Street just west of the
circle parking lot. A 6 sewer provides direct service to the Bath-
house. A gravity line to the 15 main serves the restroom off 72
nd
Street. The Kiwanis Shelter and Restroom, and the maintenance
compound is connected by an 8 line that connects to the 15 main
line where it crosses the main road / parking lot. This was a new
service installed in 1988.
Stormwater A 27 storm sewer line parallels the 15sanitary sewer
and provides connections to inlets in the parking lots. Because much
of this system is dated it is unclear at this time how effective and
where connections and flows are directed. A complete assessment
of this system is required. All other surface drainage follows the
natural contours of the site that flow towards the lake.
Water The park is served from two primary connections to the City
water system. The first is a 4 with adjoining 1 meters located in the
far northeast corner of the park at 69
th
Street. These meters feed a 4
transite pipe that runs the length of the park through the parking lot
and then west along 72
nd
Street to the second 2 meter serving the
south restroom building. With a number of isolation valves at the
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meters and at the service connection to the Bathhouse adjustments
can be made as needed to meet seasonal fluctuations for water
demand. Problems exist with a number of the valves within the
system that may need to be replaced. The service to the Bathhouse
is provided by way of a 2 galvanized line. The park is served by one
fire hydrant located off the parking lot adjacent to the Bathhouse.
The irrigation system provides coverage for most of the developed
areas of the park from Nace Field south to 72
nd
Street and areas
parallel to 72
nd
Street from Alaska to Sheridan Avenues. However, two
areas; between the playground and north parking lot, and in the
vicinity of the existing volleyball courts remains unserved. Much of
the system is in good operating condition although much of the
equipment is dated. As part of on-going maintenance, all of the
backflow preventors have recently been replaced.
Trees and Landscape:
The character of the plantings in Wapato Park is largely native, dominated
by Douglas Fir and Oregon Ash. Due to the maturity of tree cover in some
areas of the park, a number of large specimens do exist. In the developed
areas, native trees are interspersed with ornamental trees, except in the far
south section, where nearly all the trees are ornamental varieties. Particu-
larly in the main picnic area, the native trees are showing the effects of
heavy use due to excessive soil compaction, and their density will make
replanting a challenge when trees are lost. A complete tree inventory of
Wapato Park should be completed and utilized in developing an overall tree
management plan.
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