This busy Pierce County boat ramp may close this summer. Here’s what you need to know
Boaters in Bonney Lake and surrounding cities might not be able to use the ramp at Allan Yorke Park to cruise around Lake Tapps for the upcoming boating season.
The Bonney Lake City Council is considering closing the boat launch ramp at 7203 West Tapps Hwy. E. Construction for a new multi-sport synthetic turf field is in the works. The boat parking area will be unavailable because it is where the field will go.
A different area of the park will turn into boat and trailer parking by summer 2023.
The City Council was supposed to make a decision on whether to close the boat launch ramp during its March 22 meeting. In a 5 to 2 vote, council members decided to table the topic until an April 5 town hall.
Council members Gwendolyn Fullerton, Dan Swatman, James McClimans Sr., Tom Watson and Angela Baldwin voted in favor of tabling the decision. Deputy Mayor Terry Carter and council member Justin Evans voted against it.
At 7 p.m. April 5, residents will get a chance to share their thoughts on the situation in front of the council. They can tune in over the phone at 408-740-7256 (Meeting ID: 215 767 540#) or on the web at bluejeans.com/215767540.
The City Council will meet in-person in the Bonney Lake Justice & Municipal Center at 9002 Main St. E.
Council member Justin Evans told The News Tribune the council will discuss ways the city can try to keep the boat launch ramp open. Boating season typically runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, he said.
“If the boaters … live nearby or have a friend that they can park their trailer at their place and come back, that would be the option for them, that way we don’t have to close it down for anyone,” Evans said.
The current boat parking area is just south of the boat launch ramp. It is a giant, open field that is not striped. The space was not designed for boat parking — it was what the city had available, Evans said. An average of about 25 to 40 boaters park their trailers there on any given day, Evans said.
If the boat launch ramp is closed for the upcoming boating season, city staff won’t have to monitor the area as much and visitors won’t try to park their boats and trailers on neighborhood streets, according to city documents.
McClimans Sr. said during the March 22 meeting many people may be anticipating using the boat launch ramp as COVID-19 restrictions are starting to loosen. He said he could not support the motion to close the ramp.
“I don’t really feel it’s appropriate to punish our citizens,” McClimans Sr. said.
Evans said he hopes the council will get to meet the needs of residents who want to boat as well as the construction crew.
“We shouldn’t have to shut down the boat launch if they have ways around that,” Evans said. “Hopefully that’ll be the case, and we’ll be able to move forward with an open boat launch with limited access.”
The City Council approved plans for the turf field in January. Evans said the grant they received to fund that field has a sunset clause, which means construction must occur before fall or they will lose the funding.
“There wasn’t any offseason where that construction could be done around boating season,” Evans said. “Where all the boats park is right where that new field will go.”
In addition to the turf field, there will be a parking area, playground and restroom facility. The field will have markings for sports such as soccer and baseball. There will be about 120 parking stalls. The total project cost is between $3.9 to $4.3 million.
A parking lot just north of the ball field and east of the boat launch ramp has about 80 parking spaces. When the new field is built, those 80 parking spaces will be restriped so boaters can park their trailers there. About 30 trailers will be able to fit, Evans said.
Construction for the turf field, parking area, playground and restroom facility is expected to finish by October, Evans said.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
