We've spent many hours of sea gazing and playing on the beach at this park. We especially liked it when the dock and building were still there. Even now sans beach access, we often see seals and otters near the shore.
The kids loved the playground when it was still kept up (first built), before the wild roses grew over portions of the slide. Prior to the land-clearing to build the park, we picked blackberries here.
However, my family was sad when Edmonds and the railroad fenced off beach access: "If you visit this beach, then you are trespassing!" Edmonds wrote to me. My kids grew up on this beach, playing in the sun (reef safe clothing and sunscreen), studying tide life, and making new friends of the other families who brought their kids to this beach.
I have heard that a teenager fell off the dock or was hit by a train (the stories vary) and the city was sued for having an attractive nuisance. This is, of course, tragic. But why punish everyone else for the carelessness of a few?
The railroad is blamed for closing access to the beach, but you can clearly see and hear trains coming for miles in both directions far in advance to safely cross the tracks.
We were also sad that the city declined the offer to preserve the dock by letting the young entrepreneurs turn it into an upscale jazz club.
Seeing the dilapidated state of the "wharf," as it continues to decay, with no signage explaining why it has been systematically dismantled, nor mention of its prohibition-era history is also typically wasteful.
Why not put in an over-track walkway at Haines Wharf, like Carkeek park has? It seems strange that so much has been spent on nearby Maplewood Park's new beach infrastructure, when it is so inaccessible. The rich surrounding neighborhood doesn't seem to like even the walk-in visitors. And, since they remodeled Maplewood, with the best of intentions I'm sure, I don't see any fish...
Read moreI like that park. I really like the old building and the playground. I have a very good idea! I would really like the old building to be replaced with a new wooden fishing pier. I would really like the fishing pier to be built exactly like the fishing pier that's at Kayak Point County Park that's near Standwood, WA, but a little bit longer than the fishing pier at Kayak Point County Park. I would also really like the fishing pier to have a cover with picnic tables and fire pits on the end of it. I would really like there to be full size bathrooms with tile floors either where the honey bucket is or somewhere else. I would like a parking lot to be around the fishing pier. Could somebody copy this and send this to whoever would make this idea happen?
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Read moreAwesome hidden park that we happened upon. There is about 3 "parking spots" on a strip of gravel between the train tracks and the playground. The slide at this one is EPIC and can shoot a grown man about 10ft 🤣 make sure of your kids is under 5 they sit on your lap. You get a great view of the sound. The neighbors seems to mind having a park and make sure you know where you can and canNOT park you car. There is also a "free little library" at the house...
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