Construction of Bellevue's newest neighborhood park in Newport Hills is underway, with completion anticipated in late summer 2022. The park is closed during construction and the off-leash area will remain closed until later in the fall to allow for establishment of the turf. Thank you in advance for your patience.
When construction is complete, the approximate 10.7 acres of forested trails will be complemented by three acres of open lawn, playground, adult exercise equipment, loop trails, picnic shelter, restroom and fenced off-leash dog area.
Jan. 24, 2022 – Council Meeting
Council approved Resolution No. 10058 adopting the name Newport Hills Woodlawn Park for the new park in Newport Hills Neighborhood.
Dec. 13, 2021 – Council Meeting
The council reviewed the processes, deliberations, surveys and recommendations to select a name for the new park in the Newport Hills neighborhood located at 11560 SE 60th Street. Council agreed with the community surveyed preference and the Parks & Community Services Board name recommendation.
Sept. 14, 2021 - Parks & Community Services Board Meeting
Staff reviewed the park naming policy, Council's updated naming criteria and shared the community's name preferences with the Park Board to support the park naming deliberations. Consistent with community feedback, the Park Board will be recommending the name "Newport Hills Woodlawn Park" to the City Council for their consideration later this year.
June 8, 2021 - Parks & Community Services Board Meeting
The Park Board determined final name options based on Council naming policy, guidelines and community input and approved the next steps in our park naming process. An updated name preference survey was mailed to the Newport Hills Neighborhood.
May 3, 2021 - City Council Study Session
Staff reviewed the City's Park Naming Policy and community preferences. The Parks & Community Services Board Chair shared the Board's park name recommendation and reasons for the selection. The City Council did not adopt a name for the new park and directed staff to further survey neighborhood name preferences with refined park name options that do not reference historical figures or persons' names and do include references to Newport or Newport Hills.
Nov. 10, 2020 - Parks & Community Services Board Meeting
Staff reviewed the city's park naming policy and the new Newport Hills area park naming processes as well as the results of the community survey name preferences. After thorough deliberations, the Board recommended Borghild Ringdall Park for the new park. Reasons cited include:
- Her significance as a female historical figure and contributions to Bellevue by initiating the first hot lunch program in the Bellevue School District;
- The park's location next to Ringdall Middle School;
- A name that is familiar to the neighborhood but does not duplicate the names of two other Newport Hills parks; and
- Ringdall was the neighborhood's second preferred name.
The Nov. 10 agenda on the Park Board calendar has park naming background materials.
Dec. 2, 2019 - City Council Study Session
At the City Council's Study Session on Monday, Dec 2, staff briefed the Council on the community outreach and planning process, and requested feedback on the Park Board's recommended plan. Based on Council's comments and concurrence with the Park Board recommendation, staff proceeded with construction design, engineering and permitting for the park with a goal to begin construction later in 2021.
Nov. 6, 2019 - Parks & Community Services Board - Staff updated the Board on the neighborhood park planning process to-date and presented the preferred park plan. After a thorough discussion, the Board unanimously recommended the preferred park plan to Council.
Sept. 24, 2019 - The City hosted the third public meeting for the Newport Hills/Tyler park plan at the Newport Hills Swim & Tennis Club. Approximately 60 people attended. Staff reviewed a PowerPoint hand-out of various park elements that were raised by public feedback to date, which was distributed to attendees. The three alternatives from the July meeting were reviewed, along with responses received from the community and Park Board, and the proposed preferred plan was discussed. Attendees then separated into three stations to provide comments and ask questions about the preferred plan.
Sept. 10, 2019 - The Parks & Community Services Board discussed the Newport Hills Neighborhood Park planning process and site alternatives at its meeting on Sept 10. View the presentation.
July 23, 2019 - The second Newport Hills Neighborhood Park planning meeting was held on July 23, 2019 at Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club. Approximately 50 attended. Staff shared the comments and suggestions they have received since the May 21, 2019 meeting in a PowerPoint presentation, which also included three alternative park designs. The presentation was followed by a break-out session and discussions with staff at design stations to take comments on the alternatives.
May 21, 2019 - At the May 21, 2019 Newport Hills Community Club meeting at the Newport Hills Community Church, the Parks Department initiated the planning process for the park. Approximately 75 attendees were present, including members of the City Council and Parks & Community Services Board. Staff shared an overview of the site, background information, the planning process, opportunities for feedback and the expected timeline for the design and construction of the park.
- May 21 presentation
- "Vision Plan" for the park that the City and the Newport Hills Community Club had previously developed and which was approved by the NHCC Board in 2015.
Jan. 1, 2019 - Funding for park planning and development was approved in the 2019-2021 budget cycle.
Park Property Acquisition
In 2010 the City of Bellevue acquired property on Southeast 60th Street for a new neighborhood park in the Newport Hills area.
The site was purchased with funding from the 2008 voter-approved Parks and Natural Areas Levy.
In 2015 the City acquired a heavily-forested five-acre parcel adjacent to and north of the SE 60th Street property. In May 2019 the City acquired another forested 3.7-acre parcel, adjacent to and west of the Patterson acquisition. The total park site is approximately 13.7 acres.
Bellevue welcomes your input about this project at any time.