Conflict emerged during the last monthly Kirkland Park Board meeting in February over the location of the new Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC). At the meeting, Park Department Director Jennifer Schroeder reported on the on-line survey that is being conducted and passed out ARC brochures developed by the Parks Department, which has been sent to all residents of Kirkland. The on-line survey includes a visual tour.

Two Park Board members voiced concerns about the biased process. Rick Ockerman told Schroeder, “The visual tour is slanted toward locating the ARC at Juanita Beach. I am concerned that this doesn’t give people all the facts and is not representative of the Park Board’s recommendation… I am concerned that if we locate it at Juanita Beach, funding will fail to get voter approval.”

Kevin Quille, another Park Board member, stated, “The brochure slants toward [locating ARC at] Juanita Beach… I don’t feel that the brochure gives a balanced approach to all options.”

This conflict highlights the differences some on the Park Board and many residents in Juanita and Finn Hill have with the Parks Department. We feel that the Parks Department is engaged in a biased campaign towards its goal of locating the proposed ARC at Juanita Beach. This bias is evident in the marketing material and at every public meeting and communication. The City Council has already directed the Kirkland Parks Department to look for other private properties before council will choose a final site for locating the ARC. Council has authorized the Park Department to conduct more extensive citizen outreach in public meetings and a citywide mailing and to determine how the public feels about this ARC proposal. Schroeder and the Parks Department are acting on behalf of the city, but in a biased process are publicly communicating their strong preference for locating the ARC at Juanita Beach Park (JBP).

Juanita Beach Park is not the best location for several reasons: First, Juanita roads in this area are very congested. Second, JBP offers poor access to most of Kirkland and I-405. Third, open park land should be preserved. Fourth, the JBP open space offers much-needed relief to the densely built Juanita Village and surrounding condos and apartments. Fifth, building here would violate the existing Juanita Beach Park Master plan. Last, the JBP area is in an earthquake liquefaction zone and could suffer badly in a strong quake. The Juanita Neighborhood Association has taken a position against locating the ARC at Juanita Beach. More than 200 residents have signed petitions against locating it there. There is a website, savejuanitabeach.weebly.com with more detail and a Facebook page for comments.

There are short-term advantages for the city of locating the ARC at Juanita Beach: First, the city already owns the land, lowering the cost and allowing quicker development. Second JBP offers a prominent location, which is one of the requested features. Third, JBP has enough land to build the full facility with all the parking required. But these advantages do not overcome the disadvantages of this location. To find out more about the scope of this project, the city’s website has a section dedicated to the ARC.

Many residents of Kirkland who have studied the plans and attended Parks’ open houses support the proposed ARC; but we want to see it located centrally so that most residents of the city can access it easily and equally. There are a number of large pieces of land close to the highway in north Kirkland where the city is zoned to grow more densely. We believe that, if properly located, the ARC will be supported by the majority of voters. Our worry is that if Parks is allowed to slant the publicity and convince the City Council to choose Juanita Beach, the drawbacks of this location will eventually convince the public to reject the vote to finance it. If the city misses this opportunity to find a better location now, it may lose the opportunity to build such a facility for many years to come.

We urge all residents to familiarize yourself with the issues. Then, read the Parks brochure and participate in the online survey. The Park Board will meet on March 11 to recommend their ARC proposal to the City Council. The City Council will then have a study session on the recommended proposal at 6 p.m. on March 17, before their regular meeting. Both meetings are open for the public to attend and observe. Public comments are allowed at the Park Board and City Council meetings, but not the study session. These are your opportunities to voice your opinion.

Kirkland deserves both an Aquatic and Recreation Center and the preservation of Juanita Beach’s open space. We hope a site that will best serve the entire city will emerge from the search now underway.

Please get involved in the site selection for this important facility.

Ken Albinger and Jon Ericson, Juanita Neighborhood Association