We are working to update the Ashwood Park Master Plan!
The park is a 2.5-acre undeveloped site in downtown located at 10820 NE 10th St., adjacent to the King County Bellevue Library and KidsQuest Children’s Museum.
In 1990, the City Council adopted a conceptual site plan for Ashwood Park. In the 34 years since adoption, city planning initiatives, public and private development proposals, and community requests to redesign the park have suggested a range of ideas that differ from the adopted conceptual site plan.
In that same time the downtown area has experienced significant growth, with a 2020 residential population of 14,810 - 13 times the 1990 number. Families with children soared to 1,263 in 2020 - 18 times the 1990 number. Daily employees in downtown tripled to 62,659 in 2022.
Given community input, the undeveloped state of Ashwood Park, and the significant growth downtown, the City Council directed a master plan update of Ashwood Park. The new plan will help guide future park development and is anticipated to take about two years to complete.
Before any development or additions to the park can be designed and implemented, the master plan must be updated to include any features that are not part of the current master plan. If the City were to do nothing the park would be developed as per the adopted 1990 master plan.
Public Outreach
Thank you to those who were able to join us at the April 2024 meeting! Your participation in the park planning process will ensure that the updated master plan reflects the needs of both the community and the parks and open space system.
We are committed to an inclusive and transparent public engagement process while updating the Ashwood Park master plan. Public outreach efforts will:
- Provide a range of opportunities for the community to be involved in the park planning process to update the master plan;
- Generate broad-reaching, cross-cultural and multigenerational public input; and
- Keep the public, Parks & Community Services Board and City Council informed.
- Read the full Public Outreach Plan
Timeline and Presentation Materials
To help ensure that the planning process remains responsive to the community, the Public Outreach Plan will be updated regularly. Subscribe to email alerts for the latest project updates.
The estimated timeline below outlines the Ashwood Park planning process, provides meeting materials, and highlights opportunities for upcoming community engagement opportunities. Feedback can be provided at anytime by contacting the project manager.
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Ashwood Park Planning Process
- 03/12/2024
- Park Board Meeting #1 - Kick-off
- 03/16/2024
- Pop-up event at Bellevue Library
- 04/03/2024
- Community Meeting #1 - Introductions
- Summer 2024
- Park Board Meeting #2
- Autumn 2024
- Community Meeting #2
Survey/Feedback
- Autumn 2024
- City Council Meeting # 1
- Winter 2024/2025
- Community Meeting #3
Survey/Feedback
- Spring 2025
- Park Board Meeting #3
- Spring 2025
- City Council Meeting #2
- TBD
- Environmental Review
- 2026
- Council Adoption
Background
In 1986, the City of Bellevue and King County Library System jointly purchased the park and library properties. The purpose of this acquisition was to provide a library and public park. As part of the acquisition agreement, a joint planning effort was conducted to establish a plan to integrate a library, park, plaza, community center, parking, and green space.
In December 1990, Council adopted the current Ashwood Park Master Plan. A two-year public outreach process involving boards, commissions, and public input informed the master plan that reflected deliberate thought about how Bellevue and the Downtown neighborhood was likely to evolve and how to best address parks and community service needs into the future.
The current master plan includes a passive open space on the north half of the site with a central lawn area bordered by a circular path with gardens, small pools, and benches. The south half of the site includes a concept for a 35,000 square foot community center combined with 58 units of affordable housing and underground parking.
In 1996 the King County Bellevue Library was constructed, the City had completed construction of the library plaza, and Ashwood Park was leveled and seeded. Today the park remains in largely the same condition as in 1996 – an open lawn area with parking and benches. In 2008 the Ashwood 1020 plaza was constructed.