ELLENSBURG, Wash.- A push to renovate Reed Park on Craig’s Hill has the American Legion Post worried about the future of its establishment.
Ellensburg‘s City Council is weighing four proposals to make the park ADA accessible, safer and provide a better parking lot. Three of the four proposals include retention walls along the berm of the park that overlooks the valley and the Ellensburg Rodeo Grounds.
The city says the renovation came about after homeowners near Reed Park reported concerns over the park’s usage. Mayor Nancy Lillquist says the concerns included cars racing through the park, trash being left by patrons and nowhere for pedestrians to walk safely.
A camera was installed atop the water tower aimed at the parking lot and police presence increased at night, but the problem remained.
“It just became obvious that enforcement wasn’t working, and so we kinda started thinking about maybe a structural fix would work,” says Mayor Lillquist.
Residents say the parking lot is a landmark in the city. When family comes to town for the first time, they take them to the park. When the rodeo starts, dozens of RVs and fans line the parking lot for a bird’s eye view of the festivities.
But when the city released public surveys and promoted open houses for the park’s renovation, many didn’t know where Reed Park was.
“The residents of Kittitas County don’t even know where Reed Park is,” says Angie Steward Lang. “This is Craig’s Hill. This has always been Craig’s Hill.”
Lang, a longtime resident of Ellensburg, works on Craig’s Hill, sharing the parking lot with her workplace, the American Legion Post. As the Legion’s Historian, she says the watering hole for veterans today was built in 1930 by World War I soldiers and finished by those who returned from World War II.
When she and the Legion discovered the plans to redo the park, they took action. Lang and Auxiliary President Nicole Paxton took to the streets to gather signatures to save the view of the city.
The Legion also went to the city to report its concerns. After meeting with those behind the plans, they thought their post was in danger.
“They came in and they slapped down on the table a fire lane map which takes out 28-30 of our parking spaces,” says Paxton. “That alone is enough to put the American Legion under, business wise.”
While the city has no plans to take over American Legion or intentionally push it out of business, Mayor Lillquist says she’s trying to balance the situation. In trying to find a solution, she is hoping to help both the business and the residents on Craig’s Hill.
“Every city facility should be a good neighbor,” says the mayor. “I don’t want the city to be a burden for anyone living within the neighborhood.”
Public comment has closed for the park’s proposals, but changes are not imminent. City Council still needs to vote on Master Plan before moving forward. Mayor Lillquist says funding will also need to be secured, so there is no timeline for the renovation of Reed Park on Craig’s Hill.
