The Cross Kirkland Corridor Rotary Central Station

This Kirkland Rotary-driven undertaking includes several projects with sponsors and volunteers involved in each project.  For instance, the fenced Native Plants Area will be financed by the Kirkland Parks Foundation and installed by volunteers.

What’s involved?

THE PICNIC PAVILION: This is actually the centerpiece of the CKC Central Station.  The pavilion will be purchased and installed by a partnership between The Rotary Club of Kirkland and the City of Kirkland on the site of the last Kirkland railroad station. (At the mid-way point of the Cross Kirkland Corridor at Railroad Ave near Kirkland Ave.) It will provide a shelter and gathering place for runners, walkers, bikers, and picnickers. 

Cross Kirkland Corridor Rotary Picnic Pavilion

 
NATIVE PLANT GARDEN: The Kirkland Parks Foundation [KPF] is funding a garden featuring plants native to our area.  This has involved the removal of thickets of English ivy, English Holly, and Himalayan blackberries.  KPF will be financing the removal of the remaining two large cottonwoods, purchase of native plants, mulch, plant signage, and a rustic fence.  Actual installation will be done by volunteers.  See below for the progress made by volunteers in clearing this formerly invasively vegetated area. 

Schematic of the project area - note Native Plants Area
 

Scematic of Native Plants Area - showing locations of specific plants

 

TWO PICNIC TABLES:  What’s a Picnic Pavilion without picnic tables?  And, what a perfect place, at approximately the halfway point of the Cross Kirkland Corridor!  Funding for these picnic tables has been secured by The Rotary Club of Kirkland, from Rotary District 5030.

 

BENCH: This half-way point on the CKC is the perfect spot for runners, walkers, and bikers to stop for a while to catch their breath or just enjoy the scenery and the CKC Central Station.

OBTAIN AND INSTALL TIES AND RAILS:  This section of railroad track will serve as a physical reminder of the active station and railroad that were once on this site.  A part of this project has been completed – volunteers from The Rotary Club of Kirkland have acquired the ties, spikes and other hardware for this section of track.  Next step is retrieving the pieces of track and installing them on a bed of rock, weed-block cloth, and rock ballast for the track.  Rotary has applied for a grant for this part of the project, as well as the signage described below.

HISTORIC SIGNAGE:  As part of the overall project, Kirkland’s railroad heritage should be honored and preserved so all citizens, even those who never saw the railroad or station, can share an appreciation for this part of the City’s past.  This history will be presented with a series of illustrated signs, with photographs and narratives of the City’s railroad past.

CLEARING THE AREA to the south for the Native Plant Garden and the section of railroad tracks. This area was overgrown with holly, blackberries, and other weeds.  The site was cleared over the past few months through hard work provided by a team led by Karen Story including volunteers from The Rotary Club of Kirkland.


Before



Progress - thanks to these and more volunteers.

Cleared area today-two Cottonwoods to be removed.