Metro Parks Tacoma > Blueberry Park

You're Invited

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How You Can Help

2009 commemorates the ten year anniversary of volunteers maintaining Blueberry Park. The Blueberry Park volunteers are asking for just two hours of labor a month or a $20.00 (tax deductible) donation to help maintain the park. With this help, the area can be mowed, trimmed, plants pruned and native plants maintained. Donation Information: Greater Metro Parks Foundation

Volunteer work days are held the third Saturday of the month, March through September, from 9:00am to noon. Help in Blueberry Park is always needed and welcome. The volunteer labor that prunes the bushes mows the grass and maintains the native plantings allow this productive park and wetlands to continue to enhance our city.

For more information

Project manager:
Kristi Evans, Project Manager, 253-305-1054. / TTY 253-759-9286

About this park:
Blueberry Park covers 20 acres and is owned by Metro Parks Tacoma. More than 10 of the park's acres are wetlands and cannot be disturbed. To date, approximately 3,372 bushes have been trimmed to the ground level. The majority of these bushes are now producing fruit. Five varieties of blueberries grow in the park. Picking season runs from June through October each year.

The Blueberry Park Project started in May 1999.

As of December 2008
• 10,157 volunteer hours worked
• 3,372 bushes trimmed to ground level
• 675 bushes pruned
• 2,385 volunteers involved in the project
• 4,047 blueberry bushes in Blueberry Park
• Donations of $42,000 have been received from individuals, corporations and government agencies that want to help maintain Blueberry Park. View Brochure.

Discover Parks
Park land acres: 6.0
Greenspace: 45.31

Schematics

Master Plan Info:

Click image for larger view

Photo Gallery

View Slideshow

History of this park

Park Established: 1994
Farmed since 1929, the last private owners of this 53 acre piece of property were Lars and Gina Berg who, along with their son Lloyd, ran Berg's Blueberry Farm from 1952 until 1968. Read more about the history of Blueberry Park.

Blueberry Park

Location

7402 East D St. / E 74th Street at East D Street

Completed Projects in Your Park

Installation of 6 foot wide asphalt paved path throughout the park, along with associated clearing and grading; installation of low fencing to provide a vehicle barrier along D Street; construction of handicapped entry off D Street; new interpretive sign.

Budget

The Parks Improvement Bond Measure, approved by the citizens of Tacoma in November of 2005, provides $300,000 for this park. ($150,000 Phase I / $150,000 Phase II)

Projects

Upcoming projects: landscaping and new play equipment.

Completed projects:

Installation of a 6 foot wide asphalt paved trail throughout the park, along with associated clearing and grading; installation of low fencing to provide a vehicle barrier along D Street; construction of handicapped entry off D Street; new interpretive sign.

Budget: total $176,935
Park Bond - $150,000
Starbucks Grant - $15,000
REI Grant - $4,000
CTED Grant - State of Washington - $4,938
City of Tacoma 'Splash' Grant - $2,500
Private Donation - $479
Thanks to Friends of Blueberry Park coordinator Charlotte Valbert, both REI and Starbucks supported grant requests to assist with this bond project. With construction costs rising 12% annually, these partnering resources are significant to this project and we extend a heartfelt thanks to Charlotte and Friends of Blueberry Park for taking an active role in supporting our parks.

Project Status:


Trail Before	Trail After

10/17/08 Wetland baseline monitoring is proceeding and an interpretive sign is being produced.

View 2006 Road Construction Photos

Schedule:
• Start - May 2006
• Design Completion - July 2006
Design Consultant - in-house
• Bidding & Contract Award by - August 2006
Contractor - Woodland Industries
• Flooding & Project Delays - September 2006 - May 2007
• Construction Complete by - November 2007
• Installation of interpretive graphics by - April 2008

Project Manager:
Kristi Evans, 253-305-1054.

Volunteers

Blueberry Park has been significantly improved over the past five years, largely through the efforts of private citizens organized into Friends of Blueberry Park. Thanks to their efforts, the community enjoys a delicious harvest every summer. The dedicated volunteer group hosts monthly clean up parties and several members are in the park daily nurturing thousands of blueberry bushes. Their efforts demonstrate what a valuable resource dedicated volunteers are to the success of our parks! View a slideshow of the park and it's volunteers (2006).

Community & Board Participation

Community Meetings
Board Meetings & Resolutions
Find out more about the Board of Park Commissioners.
Upcoming Events
Completed Events
Day of Caring - September 21, 2007
Parks Appreciation Day - April 28, 2007; April 19, 2008
Metro Parks' Public Participation Policy.
Send us your comments about this project.

Last Updated: Feb 18, 2010 11:29 AM