Project overview
The East Bakerview Park project will bring the first neighborhood park to the King Mountain and Meridian neighborhoods.
The park will be built on about 29 acres of undeveloped land along E. Bakerview Rd., between Deemer Road and James Street. The site features about 9 acres of cleared hayfields bisected by a creek and 20 acres of mature forest and wetlands. In addition to the new neighborhood park, the site will include stream restoration, trails, and connections to the rest of the city’s trail network.
About 3.5 acres of the site is being reserved for future affordable housing to meet Bellingham’s housing needs. The housing portion of this project is outside the current scope and won’t be included in the park master plan.
Project Status
In 2025, the Parks & Recreation staff is working with the community to develop a master plan for the park and trail network. This is a high-priority project identified in the city’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan. The planning process includes:
- Community visioning
- Developing a conceptual design
- Creating a report
- Naming the park
Phase one park design is expected to begin in 2026.
Get Involved
Join us at our next public open house:
October 23, 2025 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Bellingham Covenant Church (1530 E. Bakerview Rd, Bellingham)
Visit Engage Bellingham to share your ideas and stay updated on the planning process.
Background
Neighborhood parks are designed to be central gathering spaces that primarily serve residents within a 10-minute walk. They support a range of active and passive recreation activities for a wide variety of people of all ages.
The City purchased this property in 2020 for $2.3 million using Greenways Levy Funds. Read the press release to learn more about funding for this project.
2024 Planning & Feasibility Studies
Two assessments were completed in 2024 to guide future development.
Board & Vellum completed a feasibility assessment of park development and housing. This assessment includes information about:
- Site topography and boundaries
- Cultural resources
- Infrastructure needs, including: street improvements, utilities, and access
Northwest Ecological Services, LLC also completed a conceptual mitigation feasibility study.
Affordable Housing
When the City bought this property in 2020, City leaders saw potential for land not needed for a park to be set aside for future affordable housing. The City Council directed staff to study the location to see if it was suitable for housing.
The results of the feasibility study showed that there is adequate acreage to for park use and a 3.5-acre parcel of land at the northwest corner of the property could be used for housing.
At this time, the City’s intention is to reserve this parcel for a future affordable housing development. If financially feasible and the City proceeded with this decision, it would use housing resources to pay back the Greenways Fund. The affordable housing development would help pay for developing the full parcel, including the neighborhood park.
References
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan
Contacts
- Parks & Recreation Department: (360) 778-7000
- Peter Gill, Planning and Development Coordinator – pjgill@cob.org
- Laine Potter, Design and Development Manager – lrpotter@cob.org
- Media inquiries: Kelsey Thomas, Assistant Communications and Community Relations Director – kethomas@cob.org
