Friends of Marymoor Park

October 25, 2017 Meeting Summary

-- see also the September 27, 2017  meeting summary

1) Introductions

Norah Robinson, King County Parks – Marymoor Park lead; Greg Helland, FOMP President; Michael Hobbs, FOMP Secretary, Webmaster; Markus Kunz – Executive Director, Teatro Zinzanni; Ryan Bianchi – Community Outreach Sound Transit;  Steve Guty, MAR/C

2) Sound Transit Light Rail ST3Ryan Bianchi

The Redmond Extension made it through the environmental impact statement earlier, but didn’t have construction funds prior to the passage of  ST3.  Plan is to open the line in 2024, just a year after the ST2 segment that extends the line to the Overlake area. Survey work, wetland delineation, environmental work, geotechnical analysis, etc. underway currently. Alignment runs at grade from Eastside Technology Section (near Microsoft headquarters) along SR-520, crossing on bridge over West Lake Samm. Pkwy and the river, dropping back to grade along the north side of Marymoor. The first Redmond Station and Park&Ride is where the mini-storage is now to the NE of Marymoor.  The track will then curve under SR-520 and back northwest into downtown Redmond to an elevated station. Some parts of Marymoor Park will be acquired by Sound Transit. The trail that will connect the ELST to the Redmond-Woodinville Trail will almost certainly follow the ST tracks through the SR-520 interchange nightmare.

Construction will probably close off the right shoulder of SR-520 to give access to construction crews. Tree removal and wetland work will happen first, followed by utility relocation, then construction of piers for the elevated portions. They may need some access from the Marymoor side, possibly from the vicinity of the Recreation and Event Pad.

Hoping to get the contractor in board in 2019. This is slated to be a design-build project, so ST will get to less than 30% design before hiring a contractor to complete the design, and build the project. Construction could begin in 2020.

ST committed to 1400 parking spaces for the Marymoor East station, split between a parking garage (the bulk of the spaces) with additional parking provided using other, creative, solutions.

Tightest alignment is between SR-520 and turf soccer fields 2 and 3.

There will be an Open House on November 16th, with semi-final drawings to discuss the alignment and designs, at the  Old Redmond Schoolhouse.

4) CIP/Project/Facilities Updates

a) Birdloop - Asphalt removal completed, replaced by crushed gravel. Michael was pleased with the quieter-than-pea-gravel surface, though he expressed concerns that the edges are still very soft and the trail may spread much wider.

b) Community Gardens – winterizing going well.  Laura should have final produce donation information in a few weeks, after the final harvest of the season. 

c) Top Tennis Facility – TOPs facility agreement still being developed. Sound Transit light rail should not have any conflict on space with TOPs.

d) Cultural Resources – Brandy Rink has been doing many surveys within the park, including at the MAR/C (which needs to move and replace a large marker), and other sites prioritized by Norah and Parks. She has worked closely with SODA to prescreen areas where SODA needs to re-fence. Marymoor is a particularly important archeological site, but on-going surveys are finding areas that are not sensitive and others that are highly sensitive. Hopefully, with an increased number of survey sites, we will have a much better idea of where holes may be dug, and where holes really shouldn’t be dug. Brandy would encourage Marymoor partner organizations to participate in the surveys to learn how to recognize artifacts.

e) Parking lot lighting – Plans underway to install permanent lighting in Parking Lot I (velodrome).

g) Dudley Carter sculptures – Funding has been assigned to provide for restoration. Need to start thinking about prospective locations within the park. May want to develop a separate sculpture map.

5) Other

Greg is very concerned about the issue of traffic through Marymoor, especially in light of both the Marymoor Village rezoning, and the ST development (and 1400 parking spaces). Norah wants to make sure that legitimate park users are not disaccomodated. Ryan mentioned that Google Maps routes people through the park, and will help Michael to determine how to get Google to stop doing so. Greg would like to bring this issue before the King County council. Norah has already reported to City of Redmond and to some projects that Marymoor Way is not a transportation route.

The final meeting for 2017 will be on the third Wednesday in November (11/15/17) to avoid the Thanksgiving holiday.

These notes do not constitute an official record of the meeting.  They may have inaccuracies and omissions.  If anyone has any complaints about the content of these notes, they should direct them to Michael Hobbs at fomp@marymoor.org, and he will endeavor to correct them.

 

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