The Renton Parks and Recreation Department is planning to bring a new neighborhood park to the north end of the East Plateau neighborhood, near the boundary with the City of Newcastle and unincorporated King County.

According to the city, this new planned park area is situated on about 18.5 acres of land. The park is intended to address a critical need in the neighborhood while bringing the city closer to its goal of having a park within a 10-minute walk of every Renton resident.

The planned park area is between the May Creek Greenway to the north, Duvall Avenue to the southwest, and has both developed and undeveloped residential neighborhoods to the south and east. According to the city, the proposed park site presents a blend of landscapes, including forests, wetlands and streams, steep slopes, and previously developed parcels.

“While this diversity may pose planning challenges, it also offers distinctive opportunities for recreation, relaxation and a profound connection with nature,” according to the city’s website. “Our main objective is to create a comprehensive master plan defining the vision, goals and priorities for this new neighborhood park. Balancing natural landscapes with carefully selected features, we envision a park that caters to a spectrum of passive and active recreational activities.”

The city reports it will include amenities such as play areas, sport courts, gathering spaces, access to nature, trails and trailheads in the planning process. Obstacles to development, according to the city, are the site’s steep slopes and proximity to wetlands.

The city reports that an adjacent parcel of private land that may be targeted for acquisition to further expand the park and connect the park’s trails to Newcastle’s May Creek Park, which is directly adjacent to the planned park area.

The city encourages residents to give ideas and feedback for the park plans during this process. Email jlederer@rentonwa.gov or visit this link.