Pierce County unveils new projects for parks and trails

The curated articles cover various park and trail projects in Pierce County.

A significant transformation involves the Gravelly-Thorne Connector, a new walking path linking Tillicum and Lakewood. The project necessitates the removal of 394 trees. Bonney Lake introduces its first accessible playground at Allan Yorke Park, integrating equipment like swings and slides to meet ADA standards. Support from local representatives helped secure the needed funding after initial financial challenges. Meanwhile, Tacoma's Stewart Heights Skatepark embarks on an upgrade featuring a new concrete bowl, signaling efforts to foster a welcoming environment for skaters. A $6.4 million purchase by Pierce County to preserve forestlands and prairies underlines a commitment to conserve natural landscapes amid urban development.

A map shows the route of a new paved trail, the Gravelly-Thorne Connector, connecting Tillicum to Lakewood. By WSDOT

NO. 1: NEW WALKING PATH COMING TO PIERCE COUNTY. FIRST, 394 TREES MUST COME DOWN

Work is underway to build a new paved walking path that will connect the cities of Tillicum and Lakewood by foot for the first time. | Published August 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

An aerial view of the Peck Community Sports Park after construction on Phase 1 of the project finished in January 2025.

NO. 2: BIG CHANGES COMING TO THIS TACOMA PARK. HERE’S WHAT IS UP NEXT

The Peck Community Sports Park in Central Tacoma is one step closer to completion after the Parks Tacoma board on Aug. | Published August 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

This image shows people on a nature walk as part of the Pierce County Trail Days weekend in 2024.

NO. 3: NEW PARKS, TRAILS SAVED FROM DEVELOPMENT IN PIERCE COUNTY AFTER $6.4M PURCHASE

The Pierce County Council has approved a slate of new conservation projects that will restore prairies, add trails and protect forestland and wetlands. | Published August 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

A skateboard sits near the deck at Heidelberg-Davis Skatepark during a skate camp, to teach children to skateboard, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Tacoma, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 4: GET READY TO DROP IN. TACOMA SKATEPARK IS GETTING A LONG-AWAITED UPGRADE

Tacoma is on its way to becoming a more skateable city. | Published September 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

The Allan Yorke playground is set to open in Bonney Lake on Sept. 6, 2025. It will be the city’s first ADA-accessible playground and has slides, a swing set, a seesaw and music equipment.

NO. 5: NEW PIERCE COUNTY PLAYGROUND HAS MUSIC EQUIPMENT AND A DESIGN FOR INCLUSIVE PLAY

Bonney Lake is getting its first accessible playground. | Published September 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

Beth Kilcup of Gig Harbor walks her dogs, Red and Blue, as Terry Mace (background) looks for birds at DeMolay Sandspit Park on Fox Island, Washington, on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. PenMet Parks has plans for improvements to the park that some in the area worry could lead to a decline in wildlife that thrives in the woods, beach and sandspit.

NO. 6: POPULAR PIERCE COUNTY PARK WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL DECEMBER FOR SHORELINE PROJECT

Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit Park on Fox Island will be closed from Sept. | Published September 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

The reconstruction process of the Spiketon Ditch Bridge at Foothill Trails as of this August.

NO. 7: MAJOR PIECE OF POPULAR PIERCE COUNTY TRAIL REOPENS AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS, $1.4M

A major bridge that has been closed for nearly two years on a popular Pierce County trail will reopen this weekend. | Published September 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.