Swan Creek Park
E. 42nd St. & Roosevelt Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98404
(253) 305-1054
[email protected]
Project Manager: Kristi Evans
Swan Creek Park is a 373-acre greenspace with a salmon-bearing stream, wooded canyon, upland forest, paved and natural trails, a community garden, and mountain bike trails.
Latest Updates
COMPLETE
- December 17, 2021: All of the new amenities of Swan Creek Park are open to the public. Read the press release.
Swan Creek Improvements
- Funded improvements included:
- New Restrooms
- Two picnic shelters
- Road and parking improvements, including 75 new parking spaces
- 3.65 miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths
- 4.94 miles of renovated trails
- Park entrance sign
- Orientation kiosk
- Interpretive & wayfinding signage
- New plantings
- Dog park – 4-acre
- Pause & Play – Multi-generational intersection of activities for visitors to come together in community
Additional Improvements
- Swan Creek Pond Maintenance: This project is being completed by Pierce County Planning & Public Works. The northeast side of Swan Creek Park will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 13-16, 2022, and June 21-24, 2022, while crews remove gravel from a sediment pond. Visit Their Website to Learn More.
- Swan Creek Channel Restoration: This project is being completed by Pierce County Planning & Public Works. Construction is tentatively scheduled for 2024. Visit Their Website to Learn More.
News
Celebrate Swan Creek!
Paws, Play and Picnics: A new area for Swan Creek Park
About the Project and FAQ
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Funded Improvements Include:
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Funded improvements include:
- New Restroom
- Two picnic shelters
- Road and parking improvements, including 75 new parking spaces
- 3.65 miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths
- 4.94 miles of renovated trails
- Park entrance sign
- Orientation kiosk
- Interpretive & wayfinding signage
- New plantings
- Dog park – 4-acre
- Pause & Play – Multi-generational intersection of activities for visitors to come together in community
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Estimated Timeline
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Estimated Project Timeline
- Master Plan – Complete
- Schematic Design – Spring 2019
- Design Development – Summer 2019
- Construction Documents – December 2020
- Construction Begins – January 4, 2021
- Construction Complete -December 2021
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I’m seeing construction underway at Swan Creek Park – what’s happening?
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Updates are part of the 2014 Parks & Zoo Improvement Bond. This work was planned for 2020, following the Master Plan update process with the community in 2019. After the pandemic delayed that planned schedule we were able to begin construction on January 4, 2021 and anticipate completing this phase of the master plan improvements by the end of 2021.
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What will be new or different when this work is completed?
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- Improved wayfinding to explore the park’s trails
- Neighborhood connections to and through the park from Eastside Community Center and area schools
- Integration of existing clearings within the mature tree canopy with new features and infrastructure improvements to enhance visitor experiences
- Recognition and celebration of the history of this land
- Specific improvements include:
- New Restroom
- Two picnic shelters
- Road and parking improvements, including 75 new parking spaces
- 3.65 miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths
- 4.94 miles of renovated trails
- Park entrance sign
- Orientation kiosk
- Interpretive & wayfinding signage
- New plantings
- Dog park – 4-acre
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Where is the funding for this work coming from?
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- $4,199,710 from the voter- approved 2014 Park and Zoo Improvement bond
- 720,323 Funding from Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)
- $17,500 from the Greater Parks Tacoma Foundation (GMPF) earmarked for the dog park
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When is this construction anticipated to be complete?
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Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2021.
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What improvements are not being completed this year?
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There are still some Master Plan amenities that weren’t funded in this phase, but remain part of the long-term planning for Swan Creek Park. They are:
- Traffic Garden
- Active area with potential Skate Park/Climbing Boulder/Ropes Course
- The pedestrian connection between 48th street and the park
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Where is the "Lister Uplands" area of Swan Creek Park?
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Images (click the right and left arrows to browse)
Get Project Updates
Completed Projects
Swan Creek Park Phase I
Several upgrades, including a 20-stall parking lot near the existing community garden and new park entrances. Project complete.
Swan Creek Mountain Bike Trails II
Additional trails to the mountain bike course. Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is performing design and leading volunteer construction efforts. Project complete.
2013 – Trail Improvements
The focus was on the Swan Creek canyon and adjacent uplands – improving and building a network of soft surfaced pedestrian trails to expand the recreational use of the park. Signage was added to select main trails.
2013 – E. 56th Street Improvements
The Lister School entry improvements included a directory sign, new swing gate, and park entry sign.
2012 – Community Garden
Reactivation of the irrigation water service at this site; re-construction of irrigation hydrants to provide hose watering access to all garden plots; relocation leveling and painting and modifications to the existing garden shed; installation of a chain link perimeter garden fence; and other incidental purchases and improvements associated with the Community Garden.
July 25, 2011
Swan Creek Master Plan accepted by the Board of Park Commissioners.