The city’s parks and recreation department is moving forward with plans to develop the 24-acre Cleveland-Richardson Park in the Talbot neighborhood of Southwest Renton.

The department recently recommended executing a $225,283 agreement with Bruce Dees & Associates for master planning and design services for the Cleveland-Richardson Park project, which the Renton City Council unanimously approved Aug. 12.

Betsy Severtson, capital projects coordinator, said the city envisioned this park to fill a gap in park and trail access within the Talbot neighborhood and south Renton in general.

Severtsen said Renton aims to provide access to developed parks and trails within a ten-minute walk or about half a mile from every resident’s home. Severtsen said they’re excited to hear what the community wants from this new park. She said their consulting team will create a plan for engaging with the public as well as supporting parks and recreation staff in holding neighborhood briefings, using online tools, hosting a community site visit, partnering with local organizations, and providing language access support.

“The unique character and relatively large size of this site provides many recreational opportunities, though these will need to be balanced with the existing natural areas — creek, wetlands, forests,” Severtsen said. “The final park design and amenities depend heavily on community feedback. We also anticipate that improvements to street access, such as sidewalks on Talbot Road South, will be needed to ensure safe access to the park.”

Severtsen said the city acquired the site from the Cleveland-Richardson family and that the purchase agreement requires that the park be named “Cleveland-Richardson Park.” She said the parks and recreation staff recently met with the family, who are eager to see the park developed and offered valuable insights about the property.

Severtsen said the master plan will look at the site’s current conditions and explore how it can be used and improved for public recreation. She said the plan would outline ideas for amenities, which include trails, a playground, active recreation amenities, restrooms, art and more. Additionally, she said the plan explores the feasibility of having a caretaker facility on-site using existing buildings, and it looks at ways to protect and highlight natural areas such as Springbrook Creek and its associated wetlands.

Severtsen said the park’s master plan is expected to be completed by fall 2025. After that, the parks department will apply for state and possibly federal grants, develop detailed design plans, and submit permit applications in 2026.

“If everything goes according to plan, we aim to bid the project in 2027 and complete construction by 2028 or 2029,” Severtsen said. “Depending on the final vision for the park and available funding, the project might be completed in phases.”