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.
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.
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| 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.
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| Schematic of the project area - note Native Plants Area |
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| 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.
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.
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| Before |
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| Progress - thanks to these and more volunteers. |
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| Cleared area today-two Cottonwoods to be removed. |