Spray parks open this weekend: Summer is almost here and kids are ready to play outside! Beat the heat with a refreshing visit to one of Bellingham’s spray parks, opening this Saturday, June 15. These free, family-friendly zones are the perfect way to cool down. Cornwall Memorial Park and Fairhaven Park offer spray fun from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., while Cordata Park lets you splash around from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All the parks use clean, fresh water, making it a safe and fun activity for everyone. Looking for more park adventures? Explore our Parks Guide to discover other great amenities at Bellingham’s city parks! Get ready for a splashtastic summer!
Grants available for tree planting: The City is seeking grant applications from non-profit organizations and other private, non-governmental groups in support of projects that plant trees on private property. Applications for the Community Tree Partnerships Grant Program are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 12. Learn more about applying on our Community Tree Partnerships webpage. This grant opportunity is one way we are working to grow our urban forest and increase tree canopy cover citywide. Why trees? They provide a wealth of benefits, from cleaner air to cooler streets, making Bellingham a healthier place to live. Learn more about our tree planting efforts on our Community Tree Programs page.
Name the pier: Tilbury. Lehigh. Olympic Cement. The Pier. These are all names that have been used to reference the pier that extends into Bellingham Bay from the southwest corner of Little Squalicum Park. Looking to the future, we’re inviting ideas for a new name for this iconic structure. Acquired in 2021 as a donation to the City, use of this existing wood pier has long been part of the City’s vision to provide public amenities along Bellingham Bay. Renovation of the pier to allow for public access will begin later in 2024. Learn more and share your ideas for naming the pier on our Engage Bellingham Name the Pier page.
Funding electrification: The City and Whatcom County recently received word that we’ve been awarded a $1.3 million grant to support the installation of electric heat pumps for space and water heating in the homes of low- and moderate-income residents and small businesses. Using electricity as a fuel source allows homes and businesses to reduce their use of natural gas, lowers carbon pollution, and helps us achieve carbon pollution reduction targets. The funding was part of $39.5 million in grants announced recently by the Washington State Department of Commerce for cities, counties, municipal utilities, and state and federally recognized tribes to support electrification of homes and businesses, made possible by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act.
Award celebrates Bellingham’s native plant stewardship: We’re incredibly grateful to the Washington Native Plant Society for selecting us to receive the Outstanding Partner Award for 2024. This award recognizes our significant contributions to native plant conservation, research and education in Washington. The City and the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Society have had a long-standing collaborative relationship, working together on native plant stewardship classes held in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023, led by our Parks Volunteer Program in collaboration with our Habitat Restoration program. We’re proud of the work we do to invest in developing stewards of our lands, and this award is a wonderful recognition of those efforts. This recognition reflects positively on our entire community’s commitment to preserving and appreciating Washington’s native plants.
Looking for possible pollution sources: City staff are looking for any sources that are contributing to elevated bacteria levels recently measured at several marine stormwater outfalls emptying into Bellingham Bay. We’re collecting water samples, reviewing city pipes and drains, and even checking permits to see if anything unusual is happening. No pollution source has been identified yet, but bacteria found in stormwater often comes from multiple small sources, such as pet waste, wildlife droppings, and yard debris, making it difficult to identify one primary source. We are committed to finding the sources and improving water quality, and we are collaborating with local agencies to help protect the health of our community. Learn more about our stormwater outfall monitoring and pollution prevention and reduction efforts on our website.
Electric Avenue bridge partially reopened: Following a one-week full closure, the Electric Avenue bridge over Whatcom Creek is now open to one lane of traffic, controlled by temporary traffic signals and a 24-ton weigh limit. This temporary solution is necessary due to critical structural issues identified in a recent inspection. Pedestrian access remains open on the east side sidewalk and bicycles should share the traffic lane and obey traffic signals and all traffic laws. Planning and funding efforts are underway for a full bridge reconstruction project. We will keep the community updated on the progress through the Electric Avenue bridge project webpage.
Hate not welcome here: Hate is not welcome in Bellingham. Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund and Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig provided a video statement in response to an incident this week, when a sixth-grade student was the victim of physical assault and racist comments, during a school field trip, by an unknown adult not affiliated with the school activity. More information about the incident is included in a separate statement on the Bellingham Public Schools website. Police have arrested a suspect and are investigating it as a hate crime. We have systems in place to report and investigate crimes of hate and bias-based incidents. If you have an incident to report, please call 911.
