Parks department to increase staff, parking barriers at popular Bellingham parks
After recent sunny weather created “serious difficulties” with social distancing at popular Bellingham parks, the city is taking steps to address the issue before Memorial Day weekend, according to Nicole Oliver, interim director for the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department.
The city parks department will enhance its parking barriers and focus its park ambassadors on more popular community parks starting this holiday weekend, May 23-25, Oliver said. The nice weather has led people to gather, especially on weekends near the water, against recommendations to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. That’s prompted the change in focus, Oliver said during an update to the Bellingham City Council at its meeting Monday night, May 18.
Currently, the parks department has barriers up to limit the amount of parking at the larger community parks, such as Bloedel Donovan, Whatcom Falls, Cornwall, Memorial, Boulevard and Lake Padden, Oliver said in an interview Thursday with The Bellingham Herald.
The barriers are similar to what would be used to close a trail, and have a rope in between two plastic structures blocking off the parking. People have been picking up the plastic ends, moving the barriers and parking their cars, Oliver said. In order to combat this, concrete parking barriers will be installed before the holiday weekend at Boulevard, Lake Padden and Bloedel Donovan parks, where the most issues are, she said.
In addition to adding the concrete parking barriers, Oliver said park ambassadors will focus on visiting the larger community parks four to six times a day to make sure people are complying with social distancing guidelines and moving along, and not sunbathing or hanging out.
Oliver said the park ambassadors will stop visiting the smaller, neighborhood parks, unless the larger parks are slow. She said the city hasn’t seen as many regular issues at the neighborhood parks, as people tend to walk through and not gather.
Oliver said there will be park ambassadors at the larger parks seven days a week. Many of the 31 park ambassadors are part-time recreation staff, such as aquatics instructors, she said. The park ambassador program started several years ago, first at Maritime Heritage Park, to help enforce the rules and provide a staff presence, but the program has expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic began, she said.
Four code enforcement officers from the Bellingham Police Department will also start this weekend to aid the park ambassadors, Oliver said. The four, which are included in the 31 total park ambassadors, have the ability to write tickets for parking violations. The code enforcement officers will be ticketing people who are parking illegally in the handicapped-accessible spaces, she said. The code enforcement officers also have the ability to ticket for egregious parking violations, Oliver said.
For the most part, people have been respectful and responsive when park ambassadors have asked them to move along, but there have been a few issues with people who didn’t understand why they couldn’t sunbathe, play games or hammock if they’re socially-distancing, Oliver said. She said it’s been hard on some of the staff, and she is grateful the police department offered the four additional officers.
She said she’s hoping that by having additional staff present in the larger parks some of the problems experienced over Mother’s Day weekend can be avoided.
“We think informing and having better information for park visitors will help monitor and maintain good compliance with the guidelines,” Oliver said. “We’re still in Phase 1, so they need to keep moving and not gather. … Come visit and then head back home.”
That might be easier on Memorial Day weekend as Whatcom County will have cloudy skies with a chance of rain or showers on Friday, Sunday and Monday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
Whatcom County residents should see partly sunny skies on Saturday. High temperatures in the low 60s are expected each day.
Phased reopening at parks
Oliver said she’s been working with other regional parks directors to determine how to interpret Gov. Jay Inslee’s orders, and come up with a plan for what park amenities will open during which phases of the state’s phased approach to re-opening businesses and modifying physical distancing measures.
Whatcom County remains in Phase 1, where high-risk populations are encouraged to stay home and some outdoor recreation (hunting, fishing, golf, boating and hiking) is allowed, but no public gatherings are allowed and only travel deemed essential is allowed.
“We managed to keep parks and restrooms open this whole time, which is amazing and wonderful and has been something we’ve really strived to do,” Oliver said.
Under Phase 2, five unrelated people are allowed to gather, so Oliver said the city anticipates opening up sport courts, such as for tennis and pickleball, disc golf, skate and bike parks. She said playgrounds, pools and athletic fields won’t open until Phase 3.
Oliver said it would be tough to close parks entirely, but that the city could take steps to close problem areas, such as swimming areas or Taylor Dock. She said the city is also considering making certain pathways on trails one-way to better allow for social distancing.
“With phasing comes personal responsibility. We’re going to do our very best, but also people have a responsibility to take care of themselves and those around them,” Oliver said. “I think people in Bellingham for the most part are going to do OK, and the steps we’re taking to better control parking are going to make a big difference. I’m hopeful we will not have to resort to anything more.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
