PORT ORCHARD — Civic leaders and 26th Legislative District representatives grabbed ceremonial shovels on Friday, May 11, tossed loads of dirt skyward and started the clock to complete the second phase of work at 65-acre McCormick Village Park, just off Old Clifton Road.
Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu thanked 26th District legislators for their part in helping fund the $1.4 million project. State Sen. Jan Angel, and state Reps. Michelle Caldier and Jesse Young were on site, as were members of the city’s City Council.
The path leading to the groundbreaking ceremony has been long and somewhat bumpy. The mayor outlined its chronology: the McCormick Village Park Plan was completed in 2010, followed by completion of the first phase of work in 2014. That same year, the City of Port Orchard applied for a Washington Recreation and Conservation Office local grant, which awarded the project $700,000. But the funding came in below cost estimates.
“Our delegation, particularly Jan Angel, helped to get more money in our pot,” Putaansuu said.
After hiring Jones & Jones Architects of Seattle in 2015 to develop a design, the city cobbled together funding for the phase II work, which included $600,000 in developers fees by GEM I LLC and McCormick Land Co., which donated the land.
The fees initially had been allocated for a Kitsap County park, but transferred to the city when it annexed the McCormick Woods area. In addition to the RCO grant, city impact fees also were applied to the park construction work.
Phase II improvements will include sidewalks and paths, a pedestrian bridge and boardwalk, picnic shelters, play areas and play structures, a splash pad water-play feature, fenced dog park areas, paved parking stalls, drainage structures, and landscaping and irrigation.
McCormick Village Park is Port Orchard’s first regional park, Putaansuu said. He expects the project to be completed by the end of this year.
Bob Smith | Independent Armed with gold-colored shovels, elected officials from Port Orchard and the state Legislature toss dirt into the air during the groundbreaking ceremony May 11.
Mayor Rob Putaansuu thanks state legislators for their efforts to secure a portion of funding for the parks project. (Bob Smith | Kitsap Daily News photo)
Bob Smith | Independent Armed with gold-colored shovels, elected officials from Port Orchard and the state Legislature toss dirt into the air during the groundbreaking ceremony May 11.
