This local park famous for its rhododendrons will soon be getting a makeover

Less rhodies and trees, more playgrounds and grass. That's the prescription for a newly renovated Homestead Park in University Place , according to city planners.

The 5.5-acre park just received a $500,000 infusion secured by U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-District 10) to fund a $1.2 million renovation to the park at 3715 Bridgeport Way.

Construction should start and finish in 2025, according to Jack Ecklund, University Place's director of public works.

Wild and woody

The park dates to the city's 1995 incorporation.

"It started out being more kind of a nature area," Ecklund said. "It featured a lot of these rhododendrons and had a lot of native landscaping incorporated into it."

As the rhodies, trees and other plant life grew it created an insulated feel from the urban environment coming in from all sides. But, said Ecklund, that also created an unease in some park users despite the addition of a grassy field and play area.

"We were getting comments from a lot of mothers with kids, where, if you're walking in the area back there with a lot of the bushes and undergrowth, it doesn't feel as safe," he said.

After listening to much public comment, the city has created a redevelopment plan for the park.

Along with opening sight lines, new paths will be created.

"Some of the seating areas, we're making them more prominent and nicer places to sit," Ecklund said.

Several fir trees will be removed to add another grassy area in the northwest quadrant of the park. Nearby, a pavillion will be built to be used as a stage or for seating.

Plans provided by the city show the park as a site for a farmer's market. Paved parking stalls recently were added to the north side of the park.

"We'll have a half dozen picnic tables and so forth that can be moved around," he said.

The play area will be upgraded and expanded with new equipment.

Saving the rhodies

The park has hundreds of rhododendrons and azaleas. Some are labeled with the species or cultivar names. Others were planted with memorial plaques dedicated to specific people.

One plaque states that the rhododendron garden was the creation of Gary Becker and the Peninsula Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society in 2000.

"The absolute best place to see rhododendrons in University Place and possibly Tacoma is at Homestead Park on Bridgeport Way near the Whole Foods," states the website, Traveling the PNW.

No rhodies will be harmed in the remaking of Homestead Park, Ecklund said. Some will be moved and others will be replanted at other parks. The rhododendrons that memorialize individuals will stay put, he said.

Park users

On a recent sunny weekday, Zoey Zemanek of Tacoma brought her 21-month-old son, Kieran O'Donnell, to the park for a play date with 17-month-old Dean Kirkwood, accompanied by mom Teonna Kirkwood of University Place.

The women were distressed to hear of the tree removal.

"I'm a tree person," Kirkwood said. "Anytime a tree is cut down ... why? What was the point of that?"

"That makes me sad," Zemanek said of the tree felling. She grew up in University Place and laments the trees lost to development.

But, the women said they were taking a wait and see approach to the renovation and generally liked the coming infrastructure improvements.