Wright Park Improvements

Hi there,

The project team is finalizing the head wall replacement then completing backfill and reseeding. The head wall is a retaining wall built at the outlet of the drainage pipe. Its primary purpose is to anchor the pipe, prevent the surrounding soil from eroding or washing away, and improve the flow capacity of the water. Almost done! 

Hi there! Yes, there will be additional trash and waste receptacles in the dog park when it opens as well as trash cans installed around the main loop trail. Parks staff will take over maintenance when the park is officially complete and the new cans will be installed at that time. We anticipate next week!

Thank you for your question. Due to increased utility work, substantial completion is now set to occur by May 8, 2026. While there may be minor punch list items to finish, the project team anticipates opening by mid-May! Thank you for your patience.

Hi there,

The latest estimate from the contractor is by end of April, weather dependent! Fingers crossed, we are looking forward to opening the park.

Thank you for your question about Wright Park! The reason the loop trail is 8 ft wide is because it is considered a shared use trail, meaning it will accommodate all modes of pedestrian travel in both directions. This is the best practice standard in parks. In addition, it allows for accessible access and maintenance vehicles to ensure the path is treated and cleared during weather events. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Amber Thill ambthi@lakewood.org. 

Thank you for your comments regarding the Wright Park improvements. 

The selected contractor has initially fenced off the entire park to perform clearing and grubbing of the site and will then build the southern portion of the park improvements in order to open that up for use when feasible. It is best practice to close the park for the safety of residents and park crews during construction. 

 The first phase of park improvements will take approximately two months to complete.

 We hope for good weather and a smooth construction process in order to provide residents access to this exciting new amenity as soon as possible. 

Hi there,

The dog park at Wright Park will be small, a neighborhood level park, that would not typically have separate use areas based on size in order to maximize the space in the park. Separate use areas are best practice for larger, community dog parks and will be considered as Lakewood continues to develop dog parks as a community priority. 

That said, I will share your comment with the project contractor for consideration. 

You are correct in that we do plan to place a concrete loop trail around Wright Park.  We typically design park loop trails this way to assure accessibility to park guests of all abilities and so we can plow them in the winter so they can be enjoyed all year.  That said, we have received your request and are discussing soft surface parallel trail options.

 You will be seeing more construction activity on the park very soon.  We’re excited to bring this to your neighborhood!

Hi there,

Thank you for your important questions about the Wright Park construction. The project team has responded below: 

These Wright St. park improvements are unnecessary and will destroy wildlife habitat in the area-

• Environmental studies were included in the park design and development to assure that natural resources and wildlife were not negatively impacted as a result of park upgrades.   Also, 70% of the park will remain as native grass and trees (existing and proposed). There are 211 trees to be added through the park development!

Is there no way to stop this process?-

• Correct, the park redevelopment was funded and approved by City Council during the 2024-2025 budget cycle following an extensive community engagement effort that occurred in 2022 and is outlined on this project page including surveys and public meetings at the park. In addition, the play space is due for replacement on the City's replacement schedule. 

Natural grasses are vital to this area and the "ditch" area constantly floods which will just ruin your construction-

• The design and engineering of stormwater and the water quality pond are required with park redevelopment and were accounted for in the design including additional storage of  stormwater runoff.  70% of the site will be landscaped with natural grasses.

Please let us know of any additional questions!

Hi there,

I can understand your frustration. The good news is that mobilization for the contractor to start construction at Wright Park is set for May 17! We are finding that review, permitting, environmental studies, and grant requirements (Wright has received a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant) are taking approximately 3 years from the close of public engagement with the neighborhood to construction commencing. The City is actively working on new procedures to expedite park projects. I'll also share your concerns regarding the existing equipment with the Parks Manager so that a playground safety inspector can visit the site to assess. 

Kind regards,

Amber Thill

Operations Manager