Lakewood Weekly Manager’s Bulletin: April 11, 2025

Free Community Cleanup is this weekend

The City of Lakewood’s free community cleanup is Saturday and Sunday April 12-13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the last car admitted at 1:45 p.m. This event is for Lakewood residents only, proof of residency is required.

Head to the Lakewood Transfer Station, 3869 94^th Street SW, and bring items you no longer want or need. Find a full list of what items will be accepted online.

Parks Appreciation Day is April 26

Calling all volunteers! Parks Appreciation Day is Saturday, April 26! Can you help? We’re looking for volunteers to come together to prepare our parks for the spring and summer seasons. We’ll be working from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Sites where we need help include:

• Edgewater Park
• Fort Steilacoom Park
• Harry Todd Park
• Kiwanis Park
• Springbrook Park
• Community Garden in Lake City

Please pre-register. You can sign up as an individual or sign up a group! The more the merrier!Register online here.

Lakewood Planning Commission reviews Comp Plan amendments

The Lakewood Planning Commission is set to act on 13 proposed amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan and development regulations at its April 16, 2025 meeting. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Lakewood City Hall. The full meeting agenda, including the 13 proposed amendments, is online.

Mayor Whalen’s Community Coffeehouse is April 30

The next Mayor’s Community Coffeehouse is Wednesday, April 30 at 6 p.m.

Mayor Jason Whalen will host representatives from the West Pierce Emergency Management Coalition (WPEMC) who will share information about the coalition and what it does. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what Lakewood is doing to prepare for a major emergency.

Mayor Whalen’s Community Coffeehouse is held at The Pavilion, located inside Fort Steilacoom Park, 9107 Angle Lane SW. There is parking next to the building and nearby in the lot next to the soccer fields.

Take your child fishing on American Lake

The City of Lakewood’s annual Kids Fishing Event is Saturday, May 17 at Harry Todd Park from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bring the kids for a day of fun on the shores of American Lake. Young participants will learn how to bait a hook, cast and reel in a lunker. Children ages 5-14 can participate. All participants get to keep their fishing poles. Poles, bait and bags for fish are provided!

This year’s event will be at Harry Todd Park due to the closure of American Lake Park while major improvements are made.

To participate you must pre-register for a 1-hour session. Please arrive during the time you signed up to attend. This allows everyone space to fish along the beach and allows volunteers to assist.

Registration is $10. Cost includes a take-home fishing pole for all participants and whatever fish your child catches.

Session times:

• Session 1: 8 a.m.
• Session 2: 9 a.m. (FULL)
• Session 3: 10 a.m.
• Session 4: 11 a.m.   

Only children and youth may fish. Adults can assist. Register online.

Hold your next event in Lakewood

Did you know that in addition to beautiful natural areas, several Lakewood parks offer facilities for rent? That includes The Pavilion at Fort Steilacoom Park.

This facility has room for up to 75 people inside and can hold more than 100 people with the large garage-style door open. This is a great spot for corporate events, training, graduation parties, weddings or other special occasion celebrations.

Want to stick outside? Many of Lakewood’s parks have picnic shelters with seating for 25 to 100 people. Call 253-983-7887 for a complete list of available space, or email [email protected] to book your spot today!

Spring recreation classes underway

Check out our weekly Yoga class schedule. The next Sound Healing Workshop is Sunday, April 27. All classes are held indoors at the Pavilion at Fort Steilacoom Park, 9107 Angle Lane SW.

The following Yoga classes allow drop-ins for $12 per class:

• Gentle Yoga, Mondays, 4:45-5:45 p.m.
• Gentle Yoga, Thursdays, 4:45-5:45 p.m.
• Fusion Yoga, Thursdays, 6-7 p.m.

Find class descriptions, registration links and more information about drop-ins online.

Council Corner: April 7, 2025 meeting recap

Proclamation: Black Wellness week. The Lakewood City Council issued a proclamation recognizing April 11-17, 2025 as Black Wellness Week. A goal of this health week is to foster advocacy and remove barriers so that Black and African American people can achieve prosperity and success. This includes access to education, healthcare, housing and the opportunity to build family wealth. By proclaiming April 11-17, 2025 as Black Wellness Week, the Lakewood City Council urged community groups, nonprofits, and other local governments to look at ways to further improve health outcomes for the Black community by eliminating barriers and prioritizing access to services and programs for the betterment of the community.

Proclamation: April 26 is Parks Appreciation Day. The City Council presented its annual Parks Appreciation Day proclamation to Jason Gerwen, chair of the city’s volunteer-led Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. In it, the City Council encourages residents, non-profit groups and local civic clubs to sign up to participate in the city’s annual Parks Appreciation Day volunteer efforts on April 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Find the registration here.

Proclamation: April 2025 is Fair Housing Month. In its proclamation the City Council acknowledged the passage of the Fair Housing Act in April 1968. This act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status and national origin. Principles of fair housing support inclusive communities, economic growth and neighborhood stability, benefiting housing providers and residents.

Ordinance 827. The Lakewood City Council adopted Ordinance 827 amending Lakewood Municipal Code. The amendments aim to establish a holistic and standardized approach to code enforcement across the code. This includes standardized procedures for:

• Notices
• Stop work orders
• Penalties for continued violations

The Lakewood City Council acted on the following:

• Authorized the execution of an agreement with KBH Construction Company in the amount of $429,936 for the Harry Todd Park improvements
• Authorized the execution of an agreement with Atlas in the amount of $59,676 for surveying services for the Mount Tacoma Drive project

Watch the meeting.

What’s on deck. The Lakewood City Council meets April 14 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.Tentative agenda items include:

• Review of 1^st Quarter (2025) Police Report 

How to attend: Attend in person at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW. Attend virtually via Zoom (or dial 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID: 868 7263 2373), or watch live on the city’s YouTube channel.

Police Chief’s Corner

Each week Lakewood Police Chief Patrick D. Smith shares a summary that includes a look at total calls for service the Lakewood Police Department responded to for the prior week. The intent of the summary is to show a snapshot of how the department works to keep the community safe. To see quarterly statistical analysis, visit the Lakewood Police Department crime statistics page on the city website.

Weekly summary April 1-8, 2025

• Calls for Service: 886 (down 7% from prior week)
• Arrests: 39 (down 25% from prior week)
• Violent Crime: 23 (down 39% from prior week)
• Property Crime: 43 (down 17% from prior week)
• Traffic Stops: 101 (down 9% from prior week)
• Collisions (reportable): 25 (up 39% from prior week)

Attend a Neighborhood Association meeting in 2025

Neighborhood associations play a crucial role in fostering community engagement and improving the quality of life in local neighborhoods. Through its Neighborhood Connections program, the City of Lakewood aims to not only better connect the community, but also help residents better understand city processes.

There are currently six Neighborhood Associations in Lakewood. Five meet regularly. The meeting times and locations are listed below. All residents are invited and encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting for their respective neighborhood. Find out more about the Neighborhood Connections Program online.

Attend a Neighborhood Association meeting

• Fort Steilacoom Neighborhood Association
  • Meets: The third Tuesday of the month
  • Location: The Pavilion in Fort Steilacoom Park, 9107 Angle Lane SW
• Springbrook Community Meetings
  • Meets: The third Thursday of the month
  • Location: Springbrook Park
• Tillicum/Woodbrook Neighborhood Association
  • Meets: The second Tuesday of the month.
  • Location: Tillicum-American Lake Gardens Community Center, 14916 Washington Ave SW.
• Downtown Neighborhood Association
  • Meets: Meets the second Wednesday of the month.
  • Location: Interim Lakewood Library, 10202 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW
• Lake City Neighborhood Association
  • Meets: Every other month. Next meeting is in May.
  • Location: West Pierce Fire & Rescue station, 8517 Washington Blvd. SW
• North Lakewood Neighborhood Association
• No meetings scheduled.

Community events 

Cops vs. Teachers annual charity event is April 18

The 16^th annual Cops vs. Teachers fundraiser event is April 18 at Lakes High School. This year’s event, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Clover Park, is raising money in support of long-time Clover Park School District educator Tom Prentice and the ALS Society.

The event includes the basketball game and a silent auction. Doors open at 5:15 p.m., tip-off is 6:30 p.m. Learn more about this year’s event.

Lakewood Playhouse announces summer education programs

The Lakewood Playhouse is offering fun, educational, and exciting opportunities for youth to participate in theater this summer! Each camp is led by theatre professionals and will focus on the process of building a theatre production from audition to performance.

There are camps available for students from preschool through high school and beyond. Camps start immediately following the end of school with the first session beginning June 23. The program also includes an opportunity for students ages 14-22 to sign up for an immersive Shakespeare experience and perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Museum of Glass and Lakewood SummerFEST this summer.

Call the Box Office at (253) 588-0042 for more details or visit Lakewood Playhouse online.

Sign up for Lakewood Alert (Code Red)

The City of Lakewood uses Code Red, an alert service, to notify residents of important information happening in the city.

If there is an emergency that requires public notification, we will use Lakewood Alert as one way to communicate. We will also post information to our website and social media channels.

Subscribers can sign up to receive text and email alerts. People can also sign up for important non-emergency updates including information about road impacts from large events in the city or information about special events.

Find out more and sign up today.

Road project updates

Steilacoom Boulevard Weller to 87^th Ave: The city’s contractor will continue placing concrete on the north side of the road next week. The electrical subcontractor continues installing luminaire and traffic signal pole foundations. Work on the south side of Steilacoom Boulevard is anticipated to begin next week; eastbound traffic impacts are expected, but traffic will continue moving in all directions similar to how it has been over the past few weeks.

Rose Road Sanitary Sewer Project: The city’s contractor is installing a new sewer main and stub outs on Rose Road.

South Tacoma Way Overlay 96^th to Steilacoom Blvd.: The city’s contractor Miles Resources has modified its schedule to begin work mid-April due to scheduling conflicts with subcontractors.

South Tacoma Way & 92^nd signal replacement: The city’s contractor has modified its schedule to begin work mid-April due to scheduling conflicts with subcontractors.

South Tacoma Way  88^th to north city limits:  The city’s contractor is working on the west side of South Tacoma Way, installing the storm system and is continuing with demolition activities in preparation for new sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping and other roadway improvements between 88^th Street and the north city limits. Crews anticipate finishing the west-side storm system by the end of next week and will immediately begin grading for curb and gutter installation.

Bridgeport Way from 75^th to north city limits: Pierce County Sewer has an emergency repair starting of its interceptor line along Bridgeport Way through the entire city limits and into University Place. For more information visit Pierce County’s website.

Parks project updates

American Lake Park: Work continues on the new restroom and other site amenities. Construction of the retaining walls is nearing completion with the installation of wall caps. Site fencing installation is underway.

Wards Lake Park Improvements: The building permit for the 175-foot span bridge was approved. Installation is anticipated to occur this summer. Stairs along steeper sections of trails are under construction with trail base course and gravel installation underway.  Site clearing of invasive species plants continues to define the new walking trails. Work continues to protect the trees in the area. The 35-acre park will remain closed through November 2025 while the city’s contractor makes major upgrades to this park.

Westlake Avenue Street End Pilot project: Design on how the site development could look for this pilot project will start in late spring with updates to follow. Construction is anticipated in 2026. View a summary of a March 8 public meeting on page 6 of PRAB meeting agenda packet.

Chambers Creek Trail. The city partnered with Pierce County and University Place on a project to improve access along Chambers Creek between the City of Lakewood and University Place. Pierce County Trails is working on the soft surface portion of this trail. The first section of the trail will open to the public in spring 2025, with the remaining two sections of trail opening throughout the spring and summer as trail crews complete work. The public should expect trail closures during this work.Please be aware of trail signage and stay on the open trails.

Other park projects planned for 2025:

• Primley Park playground replacement: Stay tuned for a community work party date.
• Oakbrook Park: A new picnic shelter is on order and design is ongoing for a trail inside the park perimeter that will be installed before the busy summer season.    
• New park signs: The new signs will be installed in May. Parks will remain open during this process. Please respect the construction area and stay away from heavy machinery.
• Historic H-Barn revitalization: Local nonprofit Partners for Parks is working to raise $3.5 million to match a $4 million commitment from the city to restore the historic H-Barn in Fort Steilacoom Park. Design work is underway to determine building and code needs, as well as cost estimates. 
• Harry Todd pickleball courts: Four new pickleball courts will be developed at Harry Todd Park this year. Work is set to begin by mid-May, temporary closures of parking lots will happen during improvements. Closures will be minimized so that the park remains accessible during construction.The courts should be available for public use by fall 2025.
• Nisqually Loop Trail Fort Steilacoom Park: In partnership with the Nisqually Tribe, the city will install several interpretive exhibits along the Nisqually Loop Trail in the southeast area of the park. The exhibits will be located along a 1-mile trail and include Nisqually art, educational information and Lushootseed language. Construction is anticipated to occur late summer-fall of 2025.
• Tenzler Log: Landscaping and fencing will surround the perimeter in the coming months. Additional signage and information will be added to share more about this BIG piece of history.
• Reader board: A new electronic reader board is planned for the corner of Gravelly Lake Drive and Motor Avenue. A request for bids is expected to go out in the coming weeks.
• Lakewood Legacy Plan: A preliminary engagement plan was shared with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. As the city  begins its public outreach information will be shared with the public about how to get involved and provide feedback.
• Camp Murray Boat Launch Master Planning: The city will be assembling a stakeholder group to shape the early master plan for improvements at the Camp Murray Boat Launch in the Tillicum neighborhood.