A project proposed by the City of Ferndale and championed through the Washington State Legislature by Representative Luanne Van Werven has survived the legislative process and is in the 2018 Supplemental to the 2017-19 Capital Budget sent to Governor Jay Inslee for his signature.
The project will install 1,400 feet of 5-foot wide concrete pathways between the cabins. This will make park access less seasonally dependent and more accessible via wheelchairs, walkers and strollers. Currently, visitors to the cabins must cross uneven grassy areas that can be worn down by use and become muddy during rainy days.
Design and engineering of the pathways have already been completed according to Van Werven.
The 2018 budget supplemental allocates $154,000 to the project.
Pioneer Park is a primary tourism destination for Ferndale. Since 1935, the Old Settlers Association has moved over a dozen abandoned pioneer structures, many built in the 1800s, to the 4-acre park. In 1972, the Old Settlers Association turned the property over to the City of Ferndale to be operated as a public park. The park is open from mid-May to mid-September for guided public tours led by volunteers in pioneer attire.
