FERNDALE, Wash. — The viewing experience at the Tennant Lake Tower has been enhanced following a restoration and upgrade of its remote viewing camera system, making the wildlife observation site more accessible to visitors of all abilities. The observation tower is adjacent to the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center and Fragrance Garden, all parts of Hovander Homestead Park.
The 50-foot tower was originally constructed in 1977 and rebuilt in 1999. It was first equipped with the camera and interactive control system by Whatcom County Parks & Recreation during the 1999 reconstruction in an effort to improve accessibility for those unable to scale the tower’s stairs.
The concept for the camera system was introduced to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), providing an interactive alternative for guests with limited mobility. The system—which allows users to remotely control a motorized camera mounted on the tower, adjust its direction and zoom, while viewing the live feed on a display—was funded with state and local resources at the time of its initial installation.
In 2018, the camera system was compromised by a combination of age and floodwater damage and remained out of service until this summer. Officials with Parks attributed the recent repair and upgrades to the dedication and technical expertise of Repair Maintenance III Shawn Fisk. Fisk led restoration efforts involving a replacement of key hardware, including a Raspberry Pi control unit and an enhanced optical/digital camera, restoring the display and control features in July 2025.
Funding for the repairs and upgrades came from the Whatcom County General Fund through the Parks & Recreation operational budget.
Parks officials report they plan to further upgrade the system by replacing the existing camera with a low-dispersion model for even higher quality viewing.
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