PROPOSED BIRCH BAY PARK
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Nicon International was happy to provide design, assistance and support for the proposed Birch Bay Park and other community planning and design opportunities that might arise in the community that we both share.
This project is headed up by the Birch Bay Community Center and Beach Park Committee. The Park consists of 4 acres, located on Birch Bay Drive, Birch Bay, WA. The improvements consist of restroom facilities, recreational equipment rental, tourist center, community pavilion, outdoor amphitheater, and open areas for play, picnic areas and associated parking. The adjacent conceptual plan has been submitted to the Whatcom County Council and published in the Northernlight Newspaper (March 20-26, 2014) |
What was not published in the article and the submission to the Whatcom County Council, was how this proposal could easily link itself to the Proposed Birch Bay Promenade and adjacent properties. Please refer to the Birch Bay Promenade Study for additional information on the Promenade.
The linkages are both vehicular and pedestrian. Safety, is always a prime concern regarding pedestrians and the community's wish to be "Pedestrian Friendly". Parking and vehicular connections are shown connecting properties along the Easterly portion of the site, pedestrian connections are shown at approximately the mid point of the Northerly line with its major link to the beach and all its activities. The Promenade would extremely enhance the safety for the pedestrians by eliminating the crossing of two lanes of traffic that is presently known as Birch Bay Drive. With these new facilities and/or attractions this cross over pedestrian traffic will be substantially increased and the concern for safety will evermore be present. Imagine, kids darting out into the street to get to the beach, canoes, kayakers carrying their kayaks across traffic. With the Promenade, this pedestrian/automobile conflict will not exist.
Imagine how the Promenade, which could be also considered a Park, could be a continuation of this Park for approximately a 1/3 mile along the Birch Bay Shoreline. If the new Park is considered as a heart of Birch Bay, then the Promenade could be considered as its arms, reaching out and tying Birch Bay together as a cohesive pedestrian friendly resort community.
The linkages are both vehicular and pedestrian. Safety, is always a prime concern regarding pedestrians and the community's wish to be "Pedestrian Friendly". Parking and vehicular connections are shown connecting properties along the Easterly portion of the site, pedestrian connections are shown at approximately the mid point of the Northerly line with its major link to the beach and all its activities. The Promenade would extremely enhance the safety for the pedestrians by eliminating the crossing of two lanes of traffic that is presently known as Birch Bay Drive. With these new facilities and/or attractions this cross over pedestrian traffic will be substantially increased and the concern for safety will evermore be present. Imagine, kids darting out into the street to get to the beach, canoes, kayakers carrying their kayaks across traffic. With the Promenade, this pedestrian/automobile conflict will not exist.
Imagine how the Promenade, which could be also considered a Park, could be a continuation of this Park for approximately a 1/3 mile along the Birch Bay Shoreline. If the new Park is considered as a heart of Birch Bay, then the Promenade could be considered as its arms, reaching out and tying Birch Bay together as a cohesive pedestrian friendly resort community.
