Northeast Renton Park has a master plan

A 167-page master plan has been developed for an 18-acre Northeast Renton Park with various amenities, including accessible pedestrian and cyclist access points, a large nature play area, a network of paths and trails, and more.

This park is planned to be in the East Plateau neighborhood just north of Duvall Avenue North and alongside May Creek, within the May Valley Urban Separator.

The Renton City Council Consent Agenda that was unanimously approved Oct. 21 included the Northeast Renton Park Master Plan. The plan specifies that the design is still in its early stages, but will come with an estimated $6,820,000 to $8,130,000 price tag. The lower price tag reflects a park with portable restrooms, while the higher price tag reflects installing a restroom with a sewer connection and acquiring 1.7 acres adjacent northwest of the planned park.

According to the master plan, this park will support the broader May Creek greenway vision and action plan that aims to conserve and restore habitat and create a trail corridor extending from the mouth of May Creek at Lake Washington eastward to King County’s Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Additionally, the master plan said this park will fill a gap in a community currently underserved by parks, citing that many nearby residents don’t have access to recreational spaces within a quarter-mile or even a half-mile from their homes.

The plan said it balances three core priorities: enhancing community health and wellness, fostering environmental resilience, and promoting social equity. According to the plan, these principles are woven into the park’s design and development, which ensures that it meets current recreational needs while contributing to a sustainable and inclusive future for Renton residents.

Planned amenities

•Vehicle parking

•Accessible pedestrian and cyclist access points

•Restrooms

•Picnic shelters and seating

•A large nature play area

•A network of paths and trails featuring paved, soft surface, and raised boardwalks

The plan said the paths and trails will have diverse landscapes and habitat areas, including forested slopes, wetlands, and scenic viewpoints of May Creek. If more land is acquired, additional amenities, such as sports courts, an off-leash dog area, and environmental education opportunities could be made, according to the plan.

The plan said the large nature play area will include play spaces that encourage exploration and adventure for various ages. A large zipline, a sand pit, and climbing, swinging, and spinning equipment are proposed activity types. According to the plan, utilizing weather-resistant and easy-to-maintain construction materials, such as metal, concrete, and Robinia wood is a possibility.

Some other additions, according to the plan, are covered shelters with picnic tables and grills inside and adjacent, open lawn space, and benches made from durable, appropriate materials that will be placed along trails and at nodes to allow for resting spots at regular intervals. Trash cans and dog waste receptacles will also be provided at the parking area, trailheads, dog park enclosure, and picnic shelters to encourage disposal of waste and for the convenience of visitors.

The plan said the city could commission local and tribal artists to create site-specific artwork, with potential themes including the site’s long ecological, cultural, and historical timeline. Additionally, the plan said there is a potential for an art walk program in the park where permanent plinths provide a foundation for temporary sculptural displays.

The plan also includes details on how community engagement was executed. According to the plan, they sent over 4,000 postcards to all mailing addresses within a half-mile of the site, posted community engagement boards on rotation at Renton facilities, distributed project information in the “This Week in Renton” newsletter, distributed project information in monthly utility bill mailings, posted project information on Renton social media, and created a website to serve as a central engagement hub to share information and gather feedback.

According to the plan, people’s favorite things about the park were its nature and trails, recreation facilities, parking accessibility and community safety. The plan also detailed people’s least favorite things, which included concerns about how nature trails could impact wildlife and existing wetlands, disappointment that pickleball courts were removed, feeling there is a lack of sports courts, a desire for playgrounds and splash parks, concerns about accessibility and parking, community safety, and worries about associated implications of a dog park.