The City of Lake Stevens has made a significant investment of your tax dollars in its public parks and community facilities over the past few years. These areas are important to provide recreation opportunities and outdoor space for residents and families to gather. 

Over the past few weeks, several of these facilities have been vandalized. Damages are running into the tens of thousands, and, in some cases, require park closures until repair work can be done to make them safe again. 

This is especially unfortunate in the summer months when park usage by our residents is the highest. It’s also disheartening for our employees who have put in long hours to create beautiful open spaces for the community to enjoy only to see that work destroyed.

As a reminder, parks are open from sunrise to sunset. Please call 911 and report it to the police if you see any suspicious activity or people in parks or facilities after hours. These public spaces represent your hard-earned tax dollars, and we will prosecute any individual who damages your investment.

An increased public presence could help prevent future vandalism. We’re looking for volunteers to help us with small projects, such as cleanup, planting, weeding, and assistance with festivals or events like our popular Farmers Market. A longer-term volunteer position just opened up as well for a morning gardener at Eagle Ridge Community Garden. Please contact Jill Meis, Parks Planning and Development Coordinator, at 425-622-9431 or jmeis@lakestevenswa.gov to volunteer.

The City also is hiring seasonal workers to maintain outdoor space during summer. These positions pay above minimum wage and provide good experience for individuals interested in public works or other trade and technical careers. Please contact Anya Warrington, Human Resources Director, at 425-622-9419 or awarrington@lakestevenswa.gov.

Mayor Brett Gailey