Tacoma childcare: Child Care | YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties

Trinity Lutheran Preschool & Childcare (2022-23 Profile)

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Top Rankings

Trinity Lutheran Preschool & Childcare ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Washington for:

Category

Attribute

Diversity

Highest percentage of students of color

School Overview

Student Body

Academics and Faculty

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

School Notes

• preschoolers and pre-k children need to be potty trained before
  starting.

Source: Verified school update

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• 11803 PARK AVE S
  TACOMA, WA

  $465,000

  • 4 Beds | 1 Bath
  • (0. 16 miles from school)

• 614 VIOLET MEADOW ST S
  TACOMA, WA

  $375,000

  • 3 Beds | 1.5 Baths
  • (0.36 miles from school)

• 1508 121ST ST S
  TACOMA, WA

  $360,000

  • 3 Beds | 1 Bath
  • (0.71 miles from school)

• 10815 BROADWAY AVE S
  TACOMA, WA

  $440,000

  • 3 Beds | 1.5 Baths
  • (0.80 miles from school)

redfin.com™View Homes Near Trinity Lutheran Preschool & Childcare

October 03, 2022

When Should You Consider a Therapeutic School?

It is a heart-stopping moment for any parent when you realize that your child needs much more help than you can give him at home and at his current school. Perhaps a therapeutic school is the answer.

September 30, 2022

Student Health Records: Vaccinations

Most parents have questions about vaccinations. We look at the big picture and offer some sources for you to do your own research.

September 14, 2022

Suicide Prevention: Caring For Our Young People

At last we have a dedicated phone number for suicide and crisis support. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is 988. More about it and suicide prevention here.

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The average private school tuition in Tacoma, WA is $11,176 for elementary schools and $14,664 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Tacoma, WA is 91% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).

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Puyallup Tribe – Home

×

To reach the GELC admin team:

Email:

Grandview@PuyallupTribe-nsn. gov

Phone:

253-680-5515

Address:

3580 E Grandview Ave, Tacoma, WA 98404

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For questions on enrollment, or to turn in your enrollment documents, please email us at:
[email protected]

To turn in provider timesheets for the Subsidized program:
[email protected]

GELC Director, Roberta Basch

[email protected]
253-225-7608

Mission Statement

To provide quality and culturally appropriate early childhood care for the Native children of our community and to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their physical, social, and intellectual growth.

Services

We are funded through the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) and offer choices for your family’s child care needs.

• Grandview Early Learning Center
• Subsidized Child Care Program

Grandview Early Learning Center

Grandview Early Learning Center (GELC) is the Puyallup Tribe’s child care center. We follow the Tribal Administration building holiday schedule and Chief Leschi’s weather closures.

GELC Eligibility Requirements:

• Child must be a member of a federally recognized tribe
• All children must be under 13 years old
• The household income must meet the low-moderate guidelines.
• CLICK HERE FOR THE Maximum Household Net Income Guideline
• Parents must be working or in an educational program
• Our service area is Pierce County and Federal Way, WA. Families must live in our service area.

GELC Application:
Please provide one application for each family in need of services. You may list multiple children on one application.

• CLICK HERE FOR Application for Grandview Early Learning Center

FUNDING STILL AVAILABLE FOR AREA CHILDCARE PROVIDERS!

This notice is in reference to the 2020 CARES Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act
funding to address the challenges presented by COVID-19. This grant opportunity is
available to any qualified child care provider and/or program through the Puyallup Tribe
Child Care Stabilization Grant Assistance Program, to alleviate some of the burden this
global pandemic has had on your operations and ensure that your services continue to be
provided to our citizens, children, families, and community.

• CLICK HERE FOR CHILDCARE STABILIZATION FUNDS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (ARP) ACT
  GRANT APPLICATION

Subsidized Childcare Assistance Program

GELC’s subsidized childcare program is also federally funded through the CCDF. We offer this program to give parents a choice of their childcare providers. GELC will help pay for either a LICENSED PROVIDER (cares for child in a licensed facility/home), NON-LICENSED PROVIDER (must care for child in child’s home), RELATIVE PROVIDER (can care for child in relative’s home or child’s home).

Subsidized Program Eligibility Requirements:

• Child must be a member of a federally recognized tribe
• All children must be under 13 years old
• The household income must meet the low-moderate guidelines
• CLICK HERE FOR THE Maximum Household Net Income Guideline
• Parents must be working or in an educational program
• Provider must pass a background check
• Provider must have CPR and First Aid certification
• Provider must have driver’s license and proof of insurance
• Our service area is Pierce County and Federal Way, WA. Families must live in our service area. Providers do not need to be in the service area.
• CLICK HERE FOR the *NEW* Childcare Assistance Rates
• For relative providers: All adults living in the home of the relative provider, who are NOT related to the child, will need to complete and pass a background check to qualify for services.

Subsidized Program Application:
Please provide one application for each family in need of services. You may list multiple children on one application. Parents and providers complete a W-9 form with the application.

Licensed Provider

• CLICK HERE FOR Application for Subsidized Child Care FY2023 Licensed Provider
• CLICK HERE FOR W9 Form

Non-licensed Provider

• CLICK HERE FOR Application for Subsidized Child Care FY2022 Non-Licensed Provider
• CLICK HERE FOR Background Check Packet
• CLICK HERE FOR W9 Form

Handbooks and Policies and Procedures

CLICK HERE FOR Parent Handbook

Resource and Referral Services

Finding Childcare
• https://www.findchildcarewa.org/
• https://childcareawarewa.org/families/
General
• https://www. pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-coronavirus
Advocacy
• https://childcareawarewa.org/advocacy/
• https://elliothaspel.com/
• https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/tribal

Tacoma Daycare Injury Lawyer | Daycare Negligence

Has your child been injured at their daycare facility? If so, you might be here today wondering what steps you can take, including filing a lawsuit. We’ll provide some general information for you on this page. However, you can always call a Tacoma daycare injury lawyer from our team right now at 253.272.5226.

If it turns out that the daycare was negligent, you could be eligible to receive a cash settlement. A settlement can help you cover your child’s medical expenses, plus pain and suffering.

Worried About a Daycare Waiver You Signed? 

Often, a daycare will try to tell you that you can’t take legal action against them because you signed a waiver when you registered your child. Even if you have signed a waiver, the daycare can still be sued if your child was seriously injured due to their gross negligence or abuse.

An attorney experienced in handling lawsuits against childcare facilities can work to overcome this burden. Bottom line: you may be able to file a claim even with a signed waiver in place. Talk to an attorney.

Understanding Daycare Injury Lawsuits 

You must meet certain criteria to successfully bring a claim against a daycare. Incidentally, this is true of any personal injury claim. As a plaintiff, it’s on you to prove that the daycare was in the wrong and injured your child.

Consider your situation. Do you feel that all four of the following conditions below apply?

• Duty of care. You must demonstrate that the childcare facility and/or staff was obligated to take reasonable action to keep your child safe.
• Breach of duty. Next, you need to prove that the childcare facility and/or staff acted outside of that duty. In other words, they were negligent or malicious.
• Injured due to breach. At this point, you must connect the breach of duty to your child’s injuries. It’s important to demonstrate that your child’s injuries would not have happened were it not for the negligence.
• Damages. An injury lawsuit seeks to restore your financial losses, as well as pain and suffering. If the harms were non-existent or minor, you likely do not have a case. This is true even if what happened was unfortunate.

During an initial consultation, a daycare injury attorney will hear what happened and let you know if they feel these conditions can be met. Of course, sometimes further investigation may be needed before you have an answer.

Examples of Daycare Negligence

Let’s be clear. Not every accident is the result of negligence. Sometimes, accidents are honest mistakes or not reasonable to prevent. Negligence is a serious type of carelessness. It involves a choice to not take reasonable action to keep someone else safe. The types of injuries that result from this type of misbehavior are not true “accidents.” They are preventable.

With that, here are a few ways that a daycare facility could be negligent:

• Failure to perform background checks on staff, or to overlook past records
• Improper supervision of children
• Unsafe equipment, toys, or facilities
• Unreasonable measures taken surrounding child food allergies
• Inadequate action taken to stop another child from bullying
• Failure to keep hazardous items out of children’s reach

These are just a few hypothetical situations that could lead to a child’s injury and subsequent daycare lawsuit.

How an Attorney Can Prove Daycare Negligence 

Let’s suppose a daycare injury attorney has decided to take your case, or at the very least, perform some initial investigation. What kind of evidence might they use to prove that your child’s daycare was negligent?

While there are many potential sources of evidence, some more commonly used include:

• Video surveillance
• Previous findings with Washington State
• Police reports
• Medical records
• Witness testimony
• Background checks of staff

Remember: you are an important part of this puzzle. Let your attorney know if you have photos of your child’s facility, their injuries, doctor reports, or emails exchanged with a supervisor.

Daycare Laws in Washington State 

As you might imagine, there are many laws in our state regarding daycare and childcare facilities. We don’t want to overwhelm this page (or you) with the extensive list, but you can see the standards over at 110-300 WAC.

In brief, these laws cover a wide range of areas, including:

• Licensing requirements
• Staffing requirements
• Indoor/outdoor conditions
• Safety regulations
• Food preparation areas
• Supervising children during water activities

And much, much more. A qualified personal injury attorney can help determine if any of these laws apply to your situation.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Daycare Injury Attorney 

Your very next step should be making a call to our Tacoma daycare injury lawyer. There’s never a fee for an initial consultation with a lawyer from our team. In fact, you only pay us if we take your case and we’re able to win you a settlement.

Given that, we encourage you to call us today. You may have legal options that are worth exploring.

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Ringing the bell and into the woods

Northwest Trek brings animals and fun to kids on the first Tacoma Beyond the Bell out-of-school tour.

They literally jumped up and down as soon as they got off the buses.

Animals! We’re going to see the animals!”

This was the first field trip for Beyond the Bell, a groundbreaking new affiliate program offering extracurricular activities and childcare to Tacoma students. But on Friday, October 8, there was no school data, and so Beyond the Bell brought any K-5 kid who signed up for a field trip to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park all day long.

And each of the 155 students was incredibly excited.

Beyond the Bell is a comprehensive program for elementary and high school students in Tacoma that offers universal enrollment for families who need after school sports, activities, or childcare for their children. It is run by three community partners: the non-profit organization Greentrike provides programs and training, while Metro Parks Tacoma employees coordinate the use of the facilities, and Tacoma Public Schools provides facilities, promotions, and the Family app for registration. Launched in September, the program runs over a five-session academic year, offering elective pay throughout 2021.

However, for the kids lining up under the tall trees at the entrance to the Northwest Way, the really exciting part was seeing the grizzly bears and bald eagles.

“Okay, my group,” Jason Jones, Metro Parks child care specialist, called out cheerfully. “Let me see your lines. Two lines. Thank you. Okay, where do we want to go first?

Bears! followed by a unanimous response.

As the group walked along the path, voices were heard all around.

“I am very happy to see big cats!” Sophia said, her eyes shining. “Maybe an owl!”

“I’ve been here once before,” Jack announced. “Grizzlies are actually quite cute. When there is no food around, that is.

However, apart from Jack, none of the children in the Jones group have ever been on the Northwest Route. Departing from the Center at Norpoint, their bus was filled with students from Browns Point Elementary School. Other buses came from STAR Center (Wainwright, Whittier, Edison, Arlington, and Manitou elementary schools) and the People’s Center (McCarver, DeLonge elementary schools, and others).

However, when the group arrived at the lower grizzly lookout, a more unusual species was roaming the habitat: a keeper.

“Look, she’s delivering food,” Jones said. “If we continue to watch, we will see bears. What do you think they eat?

“Fish!” Ellis replied.

“Grapes, corn, carrots and pumpkin,” Sophia’s younger sister Camila said after reading a sign about seasonal bear diets.

“Oooh!” everyone exclaimed as the Huckleberry grizzly bear came out clumsily and began to chew on the vegetables.

The group wandered along the path, exchanging glances at the bears with the next group of students.

“Look, I have so many photos!” Derron exclaimed. “I got very close to the grizzly bear. And here I am on the bus! And here is my brother!”

Next were the gray wolves, and their eyes became big as saucers, looking at the huge white animals lounging on logs and gnawing on bones.

— How do you talk to a wolf? Jones asked. Immediately, the air was filled with a joyful howl – human. The group then moved to the baker’s hut to pet the realistic stuffed wolf, “Wow, he’s so soft!” “This is real?” – and spy on the children’s tunnel.

The children watched back as the fluffy red fox looked down from the cliff and gasped in awe as the thickly furred wolverine raced along the log with its mouth full of meat.

Beaming with delight, Gavin held up the white camera he had just learned to scale. “Watch!” he exclaimed. “Watch!”

Past black bears, past sleeping beavers and slumbering skunks, and just before dinner, a bonus keeper’s talk as otters Blakely and Oakley dive for fish in bubble-filled water.

“They are six years old,” Guardian Miranda announced. Are any of the six here?

Little Kiara with a chipmunk backpack raised her hand shyly.

— Just like otters! Miranda smiled and continued to answer questions: where do animals come from, what do they eat, where do they live. As she spoke, their noses pressed against the windowpanes in mesmerized amazement.

“I love that on this trip they get out of their comfort zone, unplugged, get some fresh air,” Jones explained as he handed out water and lunch bags in the picnic pavilion. “We hope that the sight of nature will inspire them to do more of these things, to go out more.”

“Experiencing the environment and the animals they live near is a must for kids,” said Alex Mok, Beyond the Bell’s public access and facilities coordinator, who led the group with Jones. “There are children who will never see all this. This education is amazing. And it’s also good for parents to have babysitting so they can provide for their family.”

But the children summed up the results of the excursion best of all.

“I liked the most when I saw the skunk!” Milo said.

“I like otters,” added Camila. “They love to eat fish, they are small but they are fast swimmers.”

“I liked the raccoon the best,” Kiara said softly, her eyes sparkling. “He came and looked at me.”

REGISTER:

Registration for Beyond the Bell Session 2 is open to Tacoma Public School families at Family App through October 27th. The next excursion will be to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium on November 11, Veterans Day. All fees are pay what you want from $0 to $150 through 2021. REGISTER.

Learn more

# # #

Contact:

Rosemary Ponnecanti, Communications/PIO Administrator: [email protected](253) 345-0948;

Photos available for media use. Please contact metro parks: Rosem[email protected].

Wapato Park – Metro Parks Tacoma

Wapato Park is located in a beautiful lake and forest environment. Features include a hiking trail around the lake (9miles), a playground, a dog park, picnic shelters and an impressive historic gazebo.

Activities happening here

A walk in nature – the colors of autumn!

Saturday, October 15, 2022 10:00 AM

Wapato Park

6500 S. Sheridan Ave

Tacoma, WA 98405
Wapato Park – Wapato Park

Wapato Lake Park Restoration Working Group

Saturday, October 22, 2022 9:00 AM

Wapato Park

6500 S. Sheridan Ave

Tacoma, Washington 98408

Wapato Lake Park Restoration Working Group

Saturday, November 26, 2022 9:00 AM

Wapato Park

metroparkstacoma.org/place/wapato-park/”>

6500 S. Sheridan Ave
Tacoma, Washington 98408

Wapato Lake Park Restoration Working Group

Saturday, December 24, 2022, 9:00

Wapato Park

6500 S. Sheridan Ave

Tacoma, Washington 98408

Information for visitors

trail map

Printable card

dog park

Wapato has three fully fenced-in areas where pets can romp off-leash with their owners, including one reserved for small dogs only. There are benches and awnings on the territory.

Dog park etiquette

• Make sure that your dog does not jump or interfere with other people and their dogs.
• Off leash doesn’t mean he’s out of control. Aggressive dogs must be removed immediately.
• Guests must stay with their pets, keep them in sight and under verbal control to always stay within signed boundary markers.
• Dogs must have up-to-date vaccinations and a dog license.
• Females in heat are not allowed in the park.
• Pick up and properly dispose of your dog’s waste. This is the law.
• Keep your dog on a leash when entering and leaving the park. Tacoma’s municipal code requires dogs to be on a leash in parks, except in designated off-leash areas.
• Make sure only one gate is open at a time.
• No wheel items, i.e. strollers, vans, wheelbarrows, bicycles, etc.
• Children must be supervised by parents or guardians.
• Act responsibly. Use the park at your own risk.

Additional information

• You cannot bring a dog or cat to: (service animals allowed)
  • Point Defiance Zoo
  • Northwest Track Wildlife Park
  • Tacoma Nature Center
  • Any of our sports facilities – sera, Heidelberg or Peck Field.
• Municipal Code
• Leash Law
  All dogs must be on a leash no longer than eight feet or on their owner’s property at all times. The only exception provided for in the leash law ordinance is when the dog is in a designated area without a leash. Free-roaming dogs are a violation of the leash law ordinance. Dogs are not allowed in the above areas, even if they are on a leash. They can be arrested or confiscated. City of Tacoma Animal care and control Owners of free-roaming dogs may receive a summons and/or a fine. To report a runaway dog ​​or for more information about the leash law, call (253) 627-PETS (7387). There is no leash law for cats. .
• Scoop that poop
  Be sure to throw pet droppings in the trash (in a plastic bag) or flush it down the toilet. No matter how big or small the deposit is, you can count on it to pollute our waters. Pet waste contains harmful bacteria that may contribute to water quality problems in your area. With all pets, this adds up, so do your part to clear it.
• What is kennel cough? Kennel cough (also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis) is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Dogs commonly develop kennel cough in places where there are large numbers of dogs, such as boarding schools and kindergartens, dog parks, training groups, and dog shows. Dogs can pass it on to each other through droplets, direct contact (such as touching their nose), or through contaminated surfaces (including water/food bowls). It responds well to treatment in most dogs, but can be more severe in puppies under six months of age and in immunocompromised dogs. Learn more

Useful contacts

Animal care and control
627-PET (7387) or 911

• Animal bites
• Aggressive animals
• Injured or sick animals
• Found animals
• Animal cruelty or welfare
• Selection of homeless animals
• Other services requiring prompt response

Humane Society
253-383-2733

find more dog parks in Tacoma

Fishing and boating

Fishing
Every spring the lake is stocked with trout.

FISHING RULES: Two rods are not allowed. Open to junior anglers (under 15), senior anglers (aged 70 and over) and anglers with disabilities who only have a combine escort card. Please see WDFW specific regulations for Westside Lakes. Underage anglers do not require a fishing license. Fish can be taken home, no catching and releasing is required.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Rowing
Non-motorized boats are allowed on the lake. On the pier near the pavilion there is a platform for descent by kayaks and canoes.

New docks completed in 2018

In 2018, the new docks at Wapato Park were completed and opened to public use thanks to voter approval of the 2014 pledge. But these docks were built with more than just bonds. Metro Parks Tacoma applied for and won a Recreation and Conservation Authority grant of over $450,000 to help pay the costs. The grant essentially freed up $10,000 in bonds that could be spent on other projects in the county. This is one example of Metro Parks Tacoma increasing your taxes.

Playground accessibility details

• Parking: Yes – designed for park
• Recreation room: Yes – nearby, but not on the playground
• Fountain: Yes – located in the toilet
• Finish: Wood grain
• Swing: Yes – (0) high back swing
• Ground play: Primarily enhanced playability
• Adaptive play: Two designs with transfer system
• Sensory play: Sound tubes, Manipulation
• Gaming tables: Nothing
• Shade: Partial shade
• Location: Several portable picnic tables in the shade; limited benches
• Sprayground: No

Questions and answers on water treatment

What was done at Lake Wapato?
Metro Parks treated the water in 2017 to ensure it is safe for recreational activities such as youth fishing, human-powered boating and kayaking, and for kids to dip their fingers in hands or feet.

What’s the problem?
The lake is polluted with phosphorus in sediments at the bottom of the lake, and storm water brings more phosphorus into the water. Phosphorus is a nutrient that promotes the growth of toxin-producing blue-green algae at higher temperatures.

The threat of harm from exposure to toxins renders the lake intermittently unsafe for recreation; the frequency of alerts from the Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health has increased over the past few years.

What is the solution?
Treatment with alum or aluminum sulfate prevents algae growth by blocking phosphorus. Alum binds to phosphorus in water and sediments and forms an aluminum phosphate cap on the bottom of the lake.

Does the treatment affect people?
No.

Is this a permanent solution to water pollution?
No, but it is expected to benefit the lake for about five years.

What is a long term solution?
A long-term solution is complex and is currently under study. In 2012, Metro Parks and the City of Tacoma, with the help of the University of Washington at Tacoma, began researching ways to improve the water quality of the lake by rapidly flushing treated stormwater through it. Small trials of a possible treatment system are currently underway.

Why does Wapato Lake have water quality problems?
The 34-acre lake is part of Tacoma’s stormwater containment and transportation system. Wapato Lake North Pond has two major stormwater spillways that collectively drain over 900 acres of residential and commercial property; most of this water bypasses the main lake, heading to Puget Sound via the Chambers Creek drainage network.

Some stormwater runoff from nearby areas does enter the lake. This means that polluted runoff seeps into the lake and contributes to the phosphorus load that already exists in the lake bed sediments. This has been a problem throughout the history of the lake. More recently, this has led to warm-weather blue-green algae blooms that produce toxins potentially harmful to humans and pets.

wildlife park

• Wildlife can suffer from malnutrition, disease and overpopulation due to human feeding.
• Wild animals often exhibit aggressive behavior when they are accustomed to expecting food from humans.
• Overcrowding is a significant contributor to poor water quality and the growth of toxic algae, endangering public health and safety.
• Feeding is illegal and fines will be issued for violations to help curb overcrowding problems. Feeding carries a $532 fine. (TMS 8.27.130)

Additional Information

Rent

Wapato Park Pavilion

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Kiwanis Picnic Shelter in Wapato Park

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Wapato Park Main Picnic Shelter

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History of the park

Introduction

Wapato Lake formed approximately 15,000 years ago during the retreat of the Fraser Ice Sheet. The lake probably formed as a glacier drift basin, created by a block of ice that melted after the main ice sheet retreated. Once this area was a hilly plain with dense forest. Vashon Till is at the heart of this area.

The Indian name for the lake was “Wappato” because of a wild plant (broadleaf sagittarius) that grew in abundance around the lake. The plant produced small bulbs similar to potatoes. These thickened rhizomes were an important part of the diet of the local Native Americans. Henry’s Indian Trail from Mount Rainier to Nachalo Bay ran east of Wapato Lake, and one branch of the trail led to Wapato.

Little is known about the early history of the lake. The U.S. Government Land Office’s field notes and map do not specifically mention the lake, other than noting its existence during the initial survey of the township and site in 1862.

The growth of the southern tip of Tacoma and the area around Wapato Lake was originally dependent on the construction in 1888 of the RF Radebaugh narrow gauge streetcar line to Fern Hill, a small community located six miles south of Commensment Bay. This line ran in the South M Street area near the Indian Henry trail. Radebo came to Tacoma in 1881 when he and H.K. Patrick founded the Tacoma Weekly Ledger. That same year, he bought 80 acres of land on Wapato Lake, where he built a cottage. At the time, only two families lived between his home in Wapato and his job in downtown Tacoma. Radebo was “carried to and from the office on a horse”. In addition to his many investments and business interests, Radebo has made many smart real estate purchases, including the purchase of an additional 280 acres around Wapato Lake.

Radebaugh bought out his streetcar partners and continued the Fern Hill line to Wapato Lake, where he planned to build a fashionable residential area. He sowed the land, sold large lots, and built Wapato Lake Park. He hired Ebenezer Roberts to oversee development. “The artistic flair and boundless enthusiasm of Roberts soon turned this place into a flower fairy tale.” This was the start of the real park work in Tacoma.

1889

On June 5, 1889 a reporter interviewed Roberts about proposed improvements to the Lake Wapato property. Roberts noted that there was a beautiful wooded road on Hosmer Avenue, already covered in gravel, and descending to the lake. He said that “it will not be long before Tacoma possesses a park that rivals Liverpool’s Princess Park for attraction, Paris’ Bologna for beauty, and Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park for natural scenery.” Ornithology and zoology will be fully represented in a magnificently decorated area. Carefully designed driveways, shaded bridal paths and secluded paths make the park a real paradise. A large greenhouse will be built at the northern end of the lake. It will be over 200 feet long and will be steam heated. The large cauldron will also be used to raise water to any part of the park. Everything related to sports will be there. There will be several bowling alleys, tennis courts, and croquet grounds. Billiard halls and racket courts. A pavilion and a tribune will also be erected in this part of the park. A deer park will be located to the west of the conservatory. It is also planned to add an aquarium to this section of the park, in which representatives of the “Finn tribe” will live. A large number of swans and waterfowl will be placed in the lake, and trout will also be stocked. Seventeen plots are laid out on the western side of the lake. Each is 200 feet wide, ranging in length from four acres and a share on the north side to six acres and a share of
on the south side.

Roberts noted that “Lake Wapato Park should be dedicated to the public within certain limits. All well-meaning people can enjoy the pleasures of the park for free, except when there is a need for those pleasures that cost money. It will surely prove to be very attractive for picnics, and all well-organized parties will be welcome. ”

Roberts also described vegetation. “There are a lot of local trees in the park. These include pines, cedars, oaks, firs, alder, ash, maple in various varieties, poplar, dogwood, apple in a wide variety and manzanita. Shrubs are just as numerous. Among them you can find azelis, marshmallows, many varieties of deitytia, spireas and laurels. The ferns are also very prolific and grow in great abundance.” But no less important of the planned improvements is the nursery, which will be erected on 40 acres of reclaimed lakebed, east of the main road leading to the lake. It will be the largest institution of its kind in the west. Huge breeding houses will be erected, and a general nursery business of an extensive nature will be carried on. Rose houses will also be a special feature, where all known varieties will be grown.

By the end of that month, the park is apparently open to the public. On June 24, 1889 , the newspaper reports that Tacoma & Fern Hill streetcars now run to Hosmer Avenue, the current entrance to Wapato Park. The article also reported that “People started coming in early in the morning and didn’t sleep all day. Everything was in harmony, in accordance. Small children frolicked in the sand or played hide and seek, while the faces of their mothers testified that they forgot about household worries and worries for a while, and business people loitered along the shady streets, completely surrendering to our pleasure. The park is fast becoming the most beautiful scenery in this part of the northwest. Its lake, its clear crystal waters, its pools where you can enjoy a luxurious bath, its beautiful shady paths, bordered on both sides by virgin forest, recommend it to those who are looking for such pleasures that they can afford.

Slot Machine The 4th of July 1889 was a particularly busy day in the park. The Tacoma & Fern Hill Railroad sold over 600 tickets each way to Wapato Lake Park and could have sold more if the train could accommodate them. A tidy house was started with several large dressing rooms for bathers. Roberts noted that “I tried to get bathing suits in Tacoma, but there were none; consequently, a large number of people who wanted to swim today were disappointed.” Roberts also stated that “the south end of the lake will have a terrace 500 feet long and 100 feet wide. At the top of this terrace there will be a flower garden. The baseball court would be built to the west of the terrace instead of to the east of it as originally intended, the latter being too hilly. A tidy snack kiosk is now nicely located on the lakefront and a few rustic summer houses.
were built in shady corners.”

On July 7, 1889 Tacoma Ledger advertised Wapato Lake Park:

Wapato Lake Park – a beautiful entertainment resort
Boating and swimming, Elegant pavilion with dance floor, Picnic area,
Summer houses and delightful shady walks
First class snacks
Take the Tacoma & Fern Hill Railroad.
E. R. Roberts, Manager
This lake is the only body of water near Tacoma that has a temperature of
is suitable for swimming. All others are too cold. Take your bathing suits with you.

Business continued to flourish in the summer of 1889, as evidenced by a newspaper article on July 19, 1889 announcing that the Tacoma & Fern Hill Street Railroad would now run to Wapato Lake Park seven days a week, not just on weekends. The round trip costs only 20 cents. The park, currently advertised, featured a large swim raft with a treated lumber floor, a diving board, a refreshment pavilion, beautiful bridle paths and grottoes. Newspapers noted that Wapato Lake Park was quickly becoming very popular and that it was one of the outstanding features of the City of Destiny. Despite all the development, Roberts said the plans did not include any significant changes to the natural features of the park. “The goal is simply to help nature by removing what might be nasty to the eye and planting landmarks appropriate for such a place. Work is underway to clear the southern end of the lake for glass houses. Near the southeast corner, grounds will be prepared for next season for an agricultural fair with a mile-long race track, baseball and cricket grounds, enclosed by a high, tight fence, and a motorway running in front of the main entrance.

1890

The following summer, it turns out that the development and activities are still making Wapato Lake Park as popular as ever. A On June 27, 1890 , a newspaper article described a picnic organized by the “Civil Train”. Citizen Train was George Francis Train, Radebo’s friend, Tacoma supporter, and the man credited with the Tacoma name “City of Destiny”. Train called Wapato “Tacoma’s Central Spruce Park.” At the time, Ebenezer Roberts and his wife still managed the park. Roberts showed the picnic participants his wonderful collection of plants in the largest greenhouse on Puget Sound, and Mrs. Roberts treated the children to ice cream. Radebeau hosted a candy party on the veranda of his estate. The lakeside train bungalow was “decorated with fine Japanese fans, trophies from his world tour, large umbrellas, beautiful Japanese curtains nailed to the wall inside and out, and curiosities that fascinated the children.”

Later that summer, a visitor from Yakima described his visit to the park in a newspaper.
article about August 11, 1890 .

“This is the property of RF Radebaugh and includes 344 acres. The surface is undulating, now with a high hill, now with a low valley, and above almost everything is a primeval forest, not thick, but of giant firs, with huge trunks rising to a great height and crowned with dense foliage covering everything below. . These great old kings of the forest will no doubt serve as a comfort and pleasure to the proliferating thousands of inhabitants of the City of Destiny, and as a memorial to the mighty Puget Sound forest for generations after they have fallen from their glory, as Mr. Radebaugh decided. spare them for this wise purpose.

To the east of the park is Lake Wapato, a beautiful little island of spring water nestled among the hills. Around it, on a natural ridge, runs a shady path about two and a half miles long. On one side there is a beautifully arranged pavilion, a dance floor, a boat and baths. At the foot of the lake, in a charming location, there are two large flower houses built in a modern style. Once completed and well stocked with selected plants and flowers. Six more identical sizes and finishes will be added to them, and when the competitions will stand in two rows, and the arena between the exit to the lake will be covered with glass. Nearby is a beautiful white cottage, the home of Mr. Roberts, a responsible experienced florist.

An elaborate pavilion with a boat and baths will also be erected here, and, finally, a grandiose hotel. Nearby there will be a zoological garden and a deer park. . . Large sums of money have already been spent on the beautification of these naturally beautiful lands, and in developing his ideal, Mr. Radebo will spend many thousands more on them.

On two prominent plots overlooking the lake are elegant stone and wood residences in the pure Queen Anne style, large, with spacious verandas, etc., beautifully finished with a variety of woods. These houses will have the same structure, will have spacious and beautiful furnishings, and when completed, they will become the homes of Messrs. Allen S. Mason and R.F. Radebo.

Wapato Lake Park will always be free to the public and Mr. Radebo will earn and receive the blessings of millions who will eventually enjoy him.

The greenhouses at Wapato Lake Park were so prolific that “flower parlors” were set up at 908 Railroad Street in Tacoma to display and sell flowers and plants. The specialty of flower shops were cut flowers and floral arrangements for bouquets, weddings and funerals. Theater parties could be “quickly decorated with handmade bouquets and boutonnieres”.

1891

A January 1, 1891 A building project listing in the newspaper reported that Mason, Radebaugh, and George Matthews were building houses in Wapato Park.

Enthusiastic reports and articles about the beautiful resort in Wapato Lake Park cease to appear in the newspapers in 1891. Ebenezer Roberts leaves Radebo’s job at the end of 1890 and is employed by the City of Tacoma Board of Park Commissioners to oversee the development of Wright and Point Defiance Park. . The nationwide depression that began in 1891 hit the railroads particularly hard. Radebo sold the Tacoma Daily Ledger and apparently suffered huge financial losses during the depression that lasted for much of the 1890s.

1899 – 1920

An April 9, 1899 A newspaper article reports that the Drivers’ (Cycling) Club is discussing two local projects to improve local lakes. Both American Lake and Lake Wapato are discussed. The Wheelmen discussed plans to “resurrect the former popularity of Lake Wapato. The Lake Wapato project has not achieved the same popularity, but its supporters are no less enterprising. The area has been equipped once and, although in disrepair, can be improved again at little cost. Wapato can be made into a great place for swimming, for although the shores are muddy in places, there are plenty of opportunities for good approaches. The surroundings are not as beautiful as on American Lake, but they could be improved artificially. The property still belongs to Mr. Radebaugh and is in the care of a caretaker, fenced off from the public, but a concession can be obtained without great expense.

It is not known how well the Tacoma Wheelmen improved Wapato Lake Park, but in 1906 another company looked after the property for the construction of the “Olympic Garden”. An October 6, 1906 An article in the Tacoma Daily News announces that a new organization called the Olympian Garden plans to create “an entertainment and exhibition venture that will outshine anything ever undertaken on the Pacific coast. ”

The group “proposed the construction of a permanent display building to showcase the vast resources of the Pacific Coast. Also a spacious stadium for the revival of the Olympic Games. This building will accommodate 12,000 people and will span a 280-foot-long, 110-foot-wide circular track. It will be paved. The arena will offer a place for all kinds of high-speed competitions, sports exhibitions and numerous entertainments, attractions of the most modern and attractive type, electric fountains, mirror labyrinths, an electric theater, cycloramas, a scenic railway, etc. the group’s larger facilities will include a 450-by-110-foot permanent exhibition building; one of the entertainment buildings will be a castle measuring 250 feet by 50 feet and the highest point is 250 feet for the waterfall. Many small buildings will be erected.”

“Intention to immediately begin work on the gigantic enterprise and prepare the Olympic Gardens to open to the public by July 1907, XNUMX.”

The Olympic Gardens were never built on Lake Wapato. By 1910 , the newly formed Tacoma Metropolitan Park District began discussing the possibility of incorporating the area into a park district. At 1911 they recommend buying 110 acres, but there was no funding. Finally, on 1920 , Horace and Helen Scott donate 20 acres to begin the acquisition of Wapato Park.

1920 – 1950

With a donation of 20 acres by Horace and Helen Scott, the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma began owning Wapato Park in 1920. The following year, Park District purchased an additional 17 acres from Caroline Menzel.

In March 1927 The Park Board begins discussions on the development of Wapato Park and Wapato Lake. The park district now owned 37 acres of land around the lake. The Parks Board wants to focus its efforts on the system’s four main parks: Point Defiance, Wright, Wapato and a newly acquired site at Titlow Beach. Rowing boats are being transferred to Wapato from Point Defiance, and plans are being made for a caretaker’s building, changing rooms, a store, and a boathouse.

In January 1935 Park Board takes another 15 acres around Wapato from JH Easterday. In December of that year, the Park Board accepted 12 more acres at Wapato Lake. The land was donated by Joseph Kemp, president of Oakwood Cemetery. The park district now owned 62 acres of land around the lake.

On March 1, 1936 The Tacoma Daily Ledger reported that the Works Progress Administration (WPA) had dredged 180,000 cubic yards of silt from the lake, leaving a bottom of sand and gravel. The manure will be used as top dressing for 72 acres of parkland. The WPA’s planned work will result in “a park that rivals Point Defiance Park in terms of attraction, if not size.” Plans included gondolas and rowboats, lighting around the lake with log posts and wrought iron brackets, planting native shrubs and trees, and more formal landscaping at the entrances. The roads were to be lined with hundreds of native shrubs, Japanese cherry trees and roses. In the past, chlorine has been used to fight diseases in the lake, but now it is hoped that after pumping out the mud, the water will be crystal clear. There will be three entrances: one from the north via Alaska Street, one from the south via 68th Street, and one from the east via South 68th and Sheridan.

On September 22, 1937 The News Tribune recorded an official donation of 7 1/2 acres of wooded land from the Kiwanis. This area will be known as Kiwanis Field.

Wapato Park was the site of a major WPA work project. Sherman Ingalls, Metropolitan Park District Supervisor in Wapato, led the project and designed the park improvements. WPA built bridges, a boat and a bathhouse, a modern kitchen with hot and cold water; installed electrical outlets; leveled, leveled and seeded park; modern ball fields, a sandy beach for swimming and a stone entrance were built; roads and paths were cleared, alpine gardens and a pond with lilies were created.

The official opening was June 1938 when the Tacoma Ledger states “An old half-century-old swimming hole is blooming to take its place among Tacoma’s top attractions.” The opening was attended by 2,000 people. The project cost was $228,000. The only complaint was that despite all the work they had done, the main access road had not been improved or widened. A reporter compared him to “a man who wears a two-tone tie and a five-dollar shirt!”

On July 20, 1939 a bronze plaque commemorating Kiwanis Field was unveiled.

On On February 14, 1940 , it was announced that Tacoma had been selected for the second official public planting of rhododendrons by Olympians, Inc., which would plant a million rhododendrons throughout the state over the next ten years. Sherman Ingle, park manager at Wapato Park, will plant fifty rhododendrons. Later that year, the Times reported that about 500 varieties of tuberous begonias were grown in Wapato Park under the skillful management of Bob Ellener.

Numerous newspaper articles during July 1942 report that a storm sewer, designed to carry surface water only, also diverted domestic sewage into the lake. Swimmers develop a rash. Consequently, on July 2, 1942, the Ministry of Health closed Wapato Park to swimmers, citing storm drains that were dumping “bugs” into the lake. The City has allocated $15,000 to construct a lateral sewer from Wapato to South 3,000,000 and Aston Streets. The money came from a post-war sewer improvement fund of $2,000,000 through bonds voted by the people.

On On June 5, 1947 a public meeting was held to discuss the opening of Wapato Lake for swimming. The health department has warned of polio and swimmer’s itch in the lake, and that human waste from septic tanks is also a problem. The city engineer promised to divert sewage from the lake. The park board has indicated that there are 30,000 trout fry in the lake and any attempt to chlorine the lake to improve water quality will kill the fish. Fishing in the lake was stopped so that the fry trout could grow. The bass has also been removed because it destroys young trout.

The park board stated that tests would be carried out, and in the event of hazardous conditions, “a pool of tiles will be built.” Several members of the city council spoke in favor of building a concrete pool near the lake. In the past, Park District employees chlorinated the lake by filling a sterilized bag with chlorinated lime and dragging it back and forth across the bathing area until the water was clear. This method would be more reliable if the bathing area was surrounded by a concrete wall that extended below the lake bed. Planning is underway for a ball court in the northeast corner of the park.

The next year, at June 6, 1948, Park District announced that Lake Wapato was once again open for swimming. Superintendent Thomas Lantz “has hinted at plans for a possible sanitary concrete pool in the park, close to the beach, where the water could be chemically treated and swimming would be more closely monitored. ”

On October 25, 1949 The City of Tacoma transferred to the Park District a 4.35-acre tract of land, plus an approximately equivalent amount of water, constituting the southern tip of Lake Wapato.

1950 – 1999

On August 11, 1951 The Monday Civic Club erected a plaque commemorating the generous donation of a Northwest pioneer family to the park system. Mrs. H. G. Scott founded the Monday Civic Club in 1910. Scott’s house, which at the time was located on Wapato Lake, later burned down, and the remaining stone was used to build entrances, paths, and bridges in the park. Horace Greeley Scott and J.S. Kemp were instrumental in the development of Wapato as a children’s park.

On March 9, 1953 The News Tribune reported that some residents around Lake Wapato are upset about the planned demolition of property around the lake. The newspaper ran an advertisement asking the citizens of Tacoma to protest against the conviction procedure. Later that year, the courts ruled that the Park District did not have the legal authority to seize the property.

On August 13, 1953 Nays Field in Wapato Park was dedicated. Dr. A. G. Neiss was a public figure and a member of the Park Commissioners for 22 years. He moved to Tacoma at 1903 and was a supporter of the all-round sports and recreation department. Naes played football for UPS and at Willamette University where he was a medical student. He also played professional baseball for two years.

A new fishing float was opened in Wapato Park. 13 May 1954 . The float was made possible through a partnership with the Tacoma Athletes’ Auxiliary Club. The float is 120 feet long with a top “T” of 100 feet.

At the park board meeting May 28, 1957 A group of women protested against the terrible smell of Lake Wapato.

GC Casebolt and Company won the tender to improve Wapato Park. September 13, 1966 . The offer was $78,786 for landscaping, docks, and other improvements. The project was financed by a special bond in the amount of $ XNUMX XNUMX.

In March 1976 Evergreen College was hired to conduct an ecological study of Lake Wapato. Their report contained the following information: “At 19In 1971, Metropolitan Park County hired a contractor to harvest ceratophyllum demersum, a nasty underwater aquatic plant. Approximately 83 short tons were removed from ten acres of land. The second cut the following year yielded only 5 tons. Copper sulphate treatment was undertaken to control plankton and underwater macrophytes, but was discontinued due to water sports concerns.”

In April 1976 an Environmental Impact Assessment was written. It included the following comments and information. “It is interesting to note that the agitation for the creation of the park came from people who first used the lake as a natural bathing place. They felt that developing a well-maintained park around would preserve the best of Wapato Lake for future generations.”

“Little Lake Wapato would be more properly called a swamp.”

“City water is too rich in nitrates to add to lake water.”

Slot machine October 1977 The draft environmental impact report reported that: “Some time before 1910 a spillway facility was built at the southern end of the lake; it is not clear if this was raising the level of the lake for recreation or for flood control. A large amount of peat was removed from the lake and laid in the park. It is impossible to establish whether this was done to enlarge the lake or develop a park area. In addition, “at 19In 1976, federal money was used to fill in about two acres of shallow swampland on the south shore with federal money as part of the Decorate America program, and a picnic area was built over the embankment.

The proposed descent of the lake was discussed at a meeting of the park council. April 18, 1978 . Only the Tahoma Audubon Society protests.

On March 18, 1980 Park District announced that Entranco engineers have been hired to oversee the cleanup of Lake Wapato. The cost of pumping fresh water into Lake Wapato for one year is estimated at $30,000.

On May 4, 1986 Wapato Lake reopens to swimmers after 10 years of closure and $2 million in changes. In 1981, the lake was emptied and tons of sediment containing oil and other pollutants were lifted from the bottom. A dam was built to separate the drainage basin at the northern end from the recreational area to the south. Later, a pipeline was laid to supply fresh water. Approximately 117 million gallons were added during the summer.

On April 12, 1988 Park Board votes to introduce parking fees and close all parking lots in the 46-car lot on South 72nd Street. The parking fee was introduced on May 5, 1988. It was $1 for residents and $3 for non-residents. The reason parking fees were charged was to reduce the number of cruises.

On October 4, 1992 Simpson Tacoma Kraft provided a $18,000 grant for high school students to explore Lake Wapato.

In 1997 the lake is closed again. This time because of poisonous algae.

On July 13, 1998 The Park District announces that Lake Wapato is closed to swimming. A citizen places a sign in Wapato that reads “Duck Poop Park”.

2000 – present

On August 12, 2001 the historic gazebo was restored to original plans. The poles of the new gazebo are made of concrete and fiberglass for durability. The top is still wood.

On February 23, 2005 an arsonist sets fire to a historic bathhouse. It is seriously damaged but not destroyed.

October 2005 – The Park Board approves the master plan for the future development of Wapato Park.

On July 14, 2012 , a grand reopening celebration marked the completion of three phases of improvements made possible in large part by a $2 million investment made by voters through the 2005 Park Improvement Bond. This funding has enabled the park district to receive additional grants for land acquisition, water quality improvement, and water access, totaling over $782,000. The first phase of improvements began in 1st year with the restoration of the historic pavilion at a cost of about $1 million after being set on fire. The insurance covered most of the work. The next phases included work to improve water quality and stabilize the coastline. The final phase of improvements included infrastructure upgrades such as new plumbing and toilets, as well as nearly 1,000 miles of accessible footpath around the perimeter of a late and fully fenced dog park with separate areas for large and small pets.