The Key Peninsula Park District recently acquired its biggest piece of property.
About 360 acres of land was transferred to Key Pen Parks from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources on July 1. Along with it was a 58-acre parcel on the east end of the Key Peninsula, also former property of DNR.
The 360 Park currently has more than three miles of trail accessible to walkers, equestrians and mountain bikers. The trail is a large, open loop that takes about an hour to walk. Smaller trails cut back and forth in the woods that line the main oval trail.
Maple Hollow was one of the original water trail sites. It includes an improved walking trail, picnic area, walking access to a saltwater beach on Carr Inlet and views of Mount Rainier.
“We’re trying to acquire properties because they are not making any more land,” said Scott Gallacher, executive director of Key Pen Parks. “We’re trying to protect the land for future generations.”
The 360 Park is being targeted for recreational development, but Gallacher said it could remain in its current natural state. The park district will hold public meetings in the fall to discuss potential use of the undeveloped property.
A conceptual master plan shows various types of ball fields, including large open spaces for multi-purpose uses.
The 360 Park and Maple Hollow had been under DNR control since 1971. The public meetings will help identify what Key Peninsula residents would like to see there.
Gallacher said a land consultant will be hired later this month to move the process forward.
“The property will have to be looked at as far as what would fit here,” he said. “It’s going to take a number of years before it’s fully developed.”
Key Pen Parks currently manages six parks, five of which are developed and open for public use.
Taylor Bay Park is one of its latest acquisitions. It comprises three parcels totaling 39 acres with natural shoreline.
The 360 Park, though, is considerably larger than its predecessors. It’s more than 3 1/2 times bigger than Sehmel Homestead’s 98-acre recreational parcel that’s scheduled to open this fall in Gig Harbor.
Key Pen Parks received a $75,000 matching grant in 2007 called the Youth Athletic Facilities Grant from Little League to provide drainage, irrigation and other landscape work to its biggest field at Volunteer Park.
The park district hopes the project will be complete by the end of the year.
For more information about the Key Peninsula Park District, go to www.keypenparks.com.
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