Tucked away on 89th Place Northeast is Juanita Heights Park. While it’s easy to miss due to its diminutive size and unlikely location, caring volunteerism underscores its magical attraction.

Most notably, for two decades retired Pastor Paul Gabrielsen served as the arborist, the one-man maintenance crew and the keeper of the vision for the park.

Although more recently Paul’s health has limited his stewardship, the fact that you can walk the stone trail today is due solely to Paul’s previous care of Juanita Heights Park.

Early on, Paul realized that maintaining the trail would require steady upkeep or the Pacific Northwest undergrowth would consume the path.

Paul elaborated during a recent walk through the park, saying, “There are several things that would obliterate the trail in a relatively short time. All these maple leaves would come down and form a blanket and cover the stones completely. After about three years you wouldn’t see many stones.”

Pointing to the ivy, Paul said, “Left alone these ivy vines will cover everything, including the trees.”

Using only hand clippers and a rake, Paul kept the trail clear of the vines, removing them whenever they started to climb the trees.

Nevertheless, the path is only a third of its original width, succumbing to nature’s bouquet of wild raspberry, blackberry and horsetail.

Perhaps it’s the unmistakable spirit of volunteerism that spares Juanita Heights Park the distress of vandalism or trash. The people who use the park daily demonstrate their care by bringing out what they take in.

You often see dogs enjoying a romp in the park while their owners diligently pick up after them. It takes but a few minutes to enjoy a storybook stroll through the one-fourth mile stone trail that winds through this charmed park.

While you are enjoying the towering Douglas Firs, Cedars, huge Big Leaf Maples and an understory fed by winding streams, take a moment and think of Paul.

Park facts

Juanita Heights Park is 3.23 acres, 0.214 miles and it is in the WRIA 8-Cedar-Sammamish Basin.

The Kirkland City Council ratified the purchase of two parcels that are contiguous to Juanita Heights Park on May 16, 2011. The parcels combined are approximately .22 acres.

This acquisition adds buffer from residences neighboring the park as well as gives the council flexibility in addressing ADA compliance issues since the only access to the park is the main entrance on 89th Place N.E. down a steep set of stairs.

There are several parcels available to expand and save this diverse eco system for future families to enjoy.

What happens to this possibility remains to be seen.

Juanita Heights Park is located at N.E. 124th Stand 89th PL. N.E. in Kirkland.

Kirkland resident Kathy Schuler is on the Kirkland Parks Citizen Exploratory Committee representing the Finn Hill Neighborhood Association.