The city of Kenmore, especially its park system, is about to become a graduate study project for some would-be urban designers at the University of Washington.
Speaking at a council meeting Sept. 20, UW professor Ron Kasprisin said the work is actually already under way, that students have constructed a three-dimensional model of the city.
Kasprisin added the model is big enough that it was split into two pieces and could eventually hang on a wall in Kenmore City Hall.
According to Kasprisin and local leaders, the idea behind the overall exercise is designing improved access to Kenmore’s parks, green spaces and waterways.
“This isn’t about new buildings, new things,” said City Manager Frederick Stouder. “It’s about connecting to what is there.”
Stouder said the city first contacted Kasprisin several months ago, but said concerns over the future of the Carole Ann Wald Pool in St. Edward State Park came to overshadow connectivity issues. In the meantime, apparently largely of his own initiative, Kasprisin kept the project moving.
According to Kasprisin, he and his students will complete the work at virtually no cost to the city. He did ask if Kenmore might be willing to cover incidental costs, such as materials for making the model, and council agreed.
While Kasprisin said the study is in the beginning stages, he stated Kenmore’s most obvious problem in terms of reaching its natural resources clearly is State Route 522. He said the roadway clearly separates Kenmore from its share of the Lake Washington shoreline.
“It’s an eight-lane barrier,” Kasprisin said.
According to Kasprisin, there may be ways around that barrier. He said Bothell’s experience with 522 ultimately may prove beneficial for Kenmore. He added he found it encouraging — and surprising — that the Washington State Department of Transportation seems willing to work with Bothell to enhance that city’s access to its major waterway, namely the Sammamish River.
Bothell is at the beginning of a project that will move the current route of 522 south within its borders.
Regarding Kenmore’s portion of the road, Kasprisin talked about “squeezing” the road here and there and possibly adding pedestrian bridges. He admitted the question immediately becomes who is going to pay for such improvements, but he added the thought, for now, is to come up with as many ideas as possible, especially encouraging community input.
Kasprisin suggested arranging for some sort of workshop with councilmembers and the public, possibly sometime in November, a time frame that would give students the chance to complete more of the project. In the meantime, he invited councilmembers to visit the UW Design Studio where work will go forward. He expects completion of the project to arrive by December, the end of the current academic quarter.
Kasprisin brought with him numerous renderings of various city parks and facilities, all of which eventually should be available to the public on Kenmore’s municipal Web site. In answering questions from Councilwoman Laurie Sperry, Kasprisin added UW can “virtualize” the 3-D model and post that electronically, as well.
“I’m encouraged by this,” said Councilman Allan Van Ness, who hoped the work would generate some small steps the city could afford to take now, while providing officials with an overall vision.
