4 days ago
$10 million project closed popular WA park for a year. When will it reopen?
From family picnics to enjoying the beach, Kopachuck State Park near Gig Harbor is known for its scenic views.
Since June 3, 2024, the park has been closed for a $10 million renovation. The team is now in the final stretch of that project, and hopes to reopen the park in August.
The renovations include a welcome center, community meeting hall, a new playground and a space for outdoor learning. Of existing components, there will be improved parking lots, restrooms, increased accessibility for people with disabilities and enhanced pathways to the beach. Roads and utilities will also be upgraded.
An outdoor amphitheater was built in the upper day-use area of the park, Washington State Parks spokesperson Meryl Lassen said. Wooden ramps and stairs were also added across the park in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means the beach, amphitheater and other amenities will be more accessible for visitors.
Crews discovered in 2011 that 80% of the trees in the park's campground were infected with a fungus called laminated root rot, according to the Kopachuck State Park website. After further research, park officials decided to close the campground area permanently for safety reasons.
In 2014, Washington State Parks created a master plan to improve the day-use area of the park, Lassen said. Ten years later, construction began. Lassen described the lengthy process as 'playing the long game.'
Obtaining permits and funding slowed the process. It's a state-funded project, and the total contract amount is $9,956,107.06.
Lassen said some residents have expressed concern over the years about the loss of trees and the modernization of the park taking away from its natural environment.
'Our mission is to preserve and maintain parks for generations to come,' Lassen said. 'Our commitment is not just their immediate recreation value, but also their long-term health and sustainability.'
She said officials will announce a reopening date when the project is further along, possibly in mid-July.
