The Bellingham City Council recently voted to approve the purchase of more than 116 acres of state trust land using $2.19 million in Greenways levy funds. The acquisition in this growing area of Bellingham will allow the City to build a neighborhood park and to create a new trail that will connect to a future Bay to Baker Trail.
Outside of the Galbraith Mountain easement, this is the largest single property acquisition in the history of the Greenways Program. The land, which the City has been working to acquire since 2009, is north of Mount Baker Highway between Hannegan Road and Dewey Road. It consists of conifer forest and wetlands along Squalicum Creek.
“This historic acquisition is the culmination of decades of work by the City and our Greenways Advisory Committee,” Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Oliver said. “Thanks to the community members who voted for this levy and believed in its purpose, generations to come will be able to enjoy a more expansive system of trails, parks, and green spaces, which has become a hallmark of Bellingham.”
The City’s acquisition will help efforts to protect water quality along Squalicum Creek. It also allows the City to potentially return the Squalicum Creek channel to a more natural state and improve fish habitat.
The parcels were transferred from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the sale is designated to benefit the Common School Trust. The DNR will use proceeds to purchase other property for the trust.
Bellingham’s Greenways Program is a property tax levy that funds the acquisition and development of parks, open spaces, and trails. Since it began in 1990, the City has purchased more than 3,200 acres with levy funds. In November 2023, voters approved Greenways 5 Levy, which continues the program for 10 more years. This levy also funds park maintenance, and climate resiliency efforts, including energy efficiency upgrades for park facilities, stewardship, trail improvements for alternative transportation, and urban forestry.
