The first day of spring has come and gone and the gates to the south portion of Juanita Beach Park are still locked. Weather-related setbacks have pushed the initial spring open date back.

But residents can still expect to see Juanita Beach Park open by this summer.

“We are hoping it will be partially open for the June 3 annexation event,” said Michael Cogle, interim deputy director for the City of Kirkland’s Department of Parks and Community Services. “We anticipate that the beach will be reopened before summer and right now we are projecting that construction will continue through May … expect to see the pace pick up shortly.”

The park has been closed since last May for major renovation work.

Since the project was a lump-sum bid, the city’s concerns have little to do with money.

“The issue is less financial and more of a desire for the park to open so residents can use it,” said Cogle. “But when it is done I think it will be a nice mix of environmental conservation and recreational opportunities.”

Cogle said that he understands resident’s frustration with the project: “It is such a big park that people wonder if anything is going on. The workers just get lost in the size sometimes and they are hard to see. But they are there.”

The construction company has an incentive to finish the project before the end of May when the city can begin imposing monetary penalties.

“It is not like we are constructing a building where you just put the roof on and keep working,” said Cogle. “The contractor has been slowed by the weather over the last few weeks and has had to overcome some short-term financial challenges. I think they had hoped to be done much sooner.”

Cogle said a December rainstorm actually damaged some of the work being done, setting the construction company back. The planting of vegetation has also been set back.

“I think initially, some of the grass and wetland areas might be fenced off,” said Cogle of when the park re-opens. “Some lawn areas will be protected initially to ensure that they get well-established to handle the foot traffic and picnic blankets.”

Many of the issues with the park prior to construction had to do with water drainage. Lake Washington was lowered by nine feet when the Montlake Cut was constructed in 1916. The water’s edge used to come in as far as Juanita Village.

The project aims to clean up the swimming area by filtering storm-drain runoff. Water fowl has also made forced closures from the threat of E. coli for decades.

“We have always had poor water quality in the swimming area and we are trying to improve that,” said Cogle.

Environmental enhancements also include the renovation of Juanita Creek, creation of new wetlands and quality marshes, formation of re-graded lawn areas and irrigation systems. New walking paths –  including an accessible concrete beachfront promenade extending the length of the waterfront – is beginning to take shape. A new parking lot will be constructed with associated lighting and landscaping.

“When that begins it will probably take less than a week to be installed,” said Cogle.

Other improvements include a new open-air amphitheater for small community events, new site furnishings, including benches and picnic tables, and extensive new native landscaping.

On the west side of the park will be a nature area with trails, walking paths and foot bridges over new water areas the crews are creating. The park also promises to be more handicap accessible.

But there is one big aspect that will not change.

“The bath house will stay the same,” said Cogle. “Until we have more money we can’t do anything to it.”

The renovation project is the city’s initial implementation of the Juanita Beach Master Plan. The plan was formally adopted in 2005 following an extensive public participation process. The $2.8 million project is funded in part by the 2002 park bond approved by Kirkland residents. Additional funding is provided from the State of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office ($1 million) and a grant from the King County Flood Control District ($100,000).

Phase two will deal with the north side of the park where a skate park, new parking area and rose garden are to be constructed.