Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Holding her son Joshua, Rhonda Davis leads her group of day-care children for a short walk to a vacant wooded area, which serves as the only park-like area for neighborhood youths to play near her Tumwater subdivision.

Not just a walk in the park

RUTH LONGORIA THE OLYMPIAN

TUMWATER -- The people want one.

The city has set aside money for one.

But, affordable land can't be found.

So, $40,000 sits on the books in Tumwater's capital facilities plan and it looks like the children of the Firland subdivision might never have a park of their own.

Residents in the 98-home neighborhood are landlocked between South Puget Sound Community College, the Olympia School District's bus barn and the Mottman Industrial Park.

The only undeveloped property in the vicinity for sale -- for about $575,000 -- a bit too costly for use as a neighborhood park, said Chuck Denney, Tumwater Parks and Recreation director.

The city contacted the property owner, but was unable to reach any kind of compromise offer, Denney said.

"It's really unfortunate, this is one of the last communities built without park plans," Denney said.

The development was built prior to the city's park planning, which began in the mid-1980s, Denney said.

Since that time, city planners divided the city into quarters so parks are available to most neighborhoods.

The closest park to the Firland neighborhood is more than a mile up the hill near Tumwater Hill Elementary School.

That's too far to walk with small children, Rhonda Davis said.

Davis, 34, has three children, ages 6 months to 7 years old.

She also has an in-home day care, where she cares for as many as eight children.

She and her husband, Brian, moved to the Firland neighborhood from an apartment in another area of Tumwater about four years ago.

The couple paid $122,000 for their three-bedroom, two-bath home. There isn't much of a yard, Rhonda Davis said of the four feet on each side of the house and 14-feet-by-40-feet behind the house, space that is taken up by a snug-fitting play structure.

Davis said she began fighting for a park about three years ago.

She approached the city armed with signatures from neighbors.

Representatives from the city contacted South Puget Sound Community College in the hopes that the college might have a piece of land that could be used for a park, but that wasn't successful, Denney said.

People at the bus barn wanted to help out, but they didn't have any land that would be dry enough for use as a park, Denney said.

"The city has been very helpful in trying to find us a park, but there's just no land available at a price that they can afford," Davis said.

"I don't expect the city to buy a play land for every community," Davis said. "And, I don't know what the solution is, but for this neighborhood to stay healthy, the children need a park."

Ruth Longoria covers Tumwater for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435.

Does your neighborhood have a story for Our Neighborhoods? If you have a special event, are tackling a tough issue or are planning a project, let us know. Call or e-mail Communities Editor Jerre Redecker at 360-754-5422 or jredecke@olympia.gannett.com. Our Neighborhoods runs Thursdays in Communities. Next week: The Forest Glen subdivision near Lacey.

For related stories go to the Communities section.

Firland subdivision

- Membership: 98 single-family homes

- Boundaries: Between Mottman Industrial Park, South Puget Sound Community College and the Olympia School District bus barn.

- Who lives there: Was built by several developers, originally designed for retirees, now mainly younger families, some rentals.

- Nearest school: Tumwater Hill Elementary School

- Biggest issue: Lack of a nearby park

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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