Description
This project is a continuation of the award-winning Waypoint Park and will complete the waterfront trail connection from Roeder Avenue to Laurel Street. Coordination with other agencies and the adjoining property owners will also be required to ensure a seamless and integrated design with private development and other public spaces and plazas connecting to the park space.
The public is invited to view exciting new images of the park design in an online presentation prepared by City staff and the lead designer for the project in Engage Bellingham. It is also an opportunity to ask questions, leave comments and take a survey which will help guide the park’s design.
The Port of Bellingham and City of Bellingham are partners in the overall master planning and redevelopment of this Brownfields site. The Port of Bellingham acquired the waterfront property from the Georgia Pacific Company. In 2013, the City officially began designing and permitting of over 1.5 acres of public space, which soon would be known as Waypoint Park.
Construction of the first phase of this award-winning park began in 2016 and included redevelopment of Central Pier, 165 feet of treated wood bulkhead and wood piling removal, removal of thousands of feet of impervious surface, over 10,000 square feet of new beach creation, habitat restoration, and installation of one of the first raw water irrigation systems in our park system.
The initial phase of Waypoint Park opened to the public in 2018. Walking into the park from Central Avenue, visitors enjoy Bellingham’s unique skyline with views of Whatcom Waterway, Lummi Island and cityscape. Just a few steps away a quaint playground awaits providing a natural play experience, with a nod to the site’s history. Across from the playground, a new beach was created for waterfront enjoyment and habitat creation and includes thousands of plants, shrubs and trees. The park’s namesake, the art installation known as “Waypoint” (a.k.a. the “Acid Ball”) is located just south of the beach creation area. This industrial relic, originally used in wood pulp processing, has been turned into a sculpture that lights up at night.
Funding
$1,150,000 in Park Impact Fees for this phase of work
Status
A new single occupancy restroom building known as the “Portland Loo” was installed at the Park in March 2024. Design of the remaining park extension along the Granary Avenue waterfront is also underway and construction is expected to start in 2026, pending completion of other development in the area.
