With great foresight, our community initiated a grass-roots led Greenway Program that levied additional property taxes to raise funds to “acquire, improve, develop and maintain greenways, open space sites, parks, park facilities and trails.” That was 1990, and since then over 3,000 acres have been opened to the public using funds from the Greenways Levy. The program has brought in over $102 Million since the first levy in 1990.
Bellingham is often described in terms of its great access to parks, trails, and other natural areas. Continue scrolling to visualize some of the parks, trails, and open spaces that are available and what is imagined if residents vote to approve a new levy in 2023.
Greenways in Your Community
Starting with the dashboard below, we can see that Greenway acquisitions and development are a significant part of the overall park system. Select a region on the map below to see how Greenways has contributed to your neighborhood.
ArcGIS Dashboards
Community Guides Greenways
The Greenways Advisory Committee provides direction and input on how Greenways funds are spent. This dedicated group meets monthly to help shape goals and priorities of the program. In 2022 a new Greenways Strategic Plan was drafted by the committee. This plan includes the following goals:
Goal 1: Acquire property which connects parks, neighborhoods, open space and habitat across Bellingham and its Urban Growth Area
Goal 2: Develop and restore public parks, open space, trails, and the natural environment
Goal 3: Maintain greenways, open space sites, parks, park facilities and trails
Greenways Property
Greenways may be best known for property acquisitions purchased with levy funds. These acquisitions contribute in big ways to Bellingham's extensive system of parks, trails, open space. Property purchases are prioritized to provide regional balance and equitable access to parks and trails. Greenway purchases also provide wildlife habitat and protect wetlands and water quality. See the map below for purchases over time and click on individual parcels to learn more.
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Greenways land purchases over time
Land purchases are well distributed across the greater Bellingham area. Each neighborhood has benefited from the program.
This map shows individual property parcels acquired with Greenways levy funds by size.
Continue to scroll down to see how the levy has increased land available for parks, open space, greenbelts, and shorelines in and around the City of Bellingham.
Greenways Levy I
The first Greenways Levy passed in 1990. The map shows land acquired and trails built in blue using funds from this first levy. Dark grey is the extent of the City at the time of the levy.
Land Purchased: 257 Acres
Trails Added: 6 Miles
$7 Million was collected with Greenways Levy I
Beyond Greenways Levy
The second levy was called Beyond Greenways. The yellow areas represent trails and land acquisitions during this ten-year levy.
Land Purchased: 232 Acres
Trails added: 16 Miles
$20 Million was collected with "Beyond Greenways"
2006 Levy III
The third levy ran through 2016. As shown on the map, acquisitions began in northern neighborhoods during this levy as the City's Urban Growth Area moved north.
Land Purchased: 330 Acres
Trail miles added: 12
$40 Million was collected with Greenways III
2016 Levy IV
The fourth levy runs through 2023. There were over 2,260 acres acquired during the fourth levy. Most notably the 2,182-acre easement on Galbraith Mountain.
Trail miles added: 4
$31 Million was collected through 2022 with Greenways IV. Approximately $100 Million has been collected to date through four Greenways Levies combined.
Parks and Recreation has secured a number of new properties many are not yet aware of. Click on the video here for a one minute fly by of the top six properties of 2022.
Greenways Program 2022 Land Acquisitions
Development Projects
Greenways funds also support the development of parks and trails, and here are a few examples.
Greenways Development, left to right: Waypoint Park, Taylor Dock, Maritine Heritage boardwalk, Woodstock Farm, Interurban Trail, Squalicum Cr. Trail, Cordata Park Phase I
Greenways Stewardship
The Levy funds staff that work in the parks and on the trails. Our staff spend their days in the parks and on the trails, they steward the trees, manage the volunteer programs, and restore natural spaces.
Maintaining our Greenways
Approximately 50 staff are responsible for maintaining 83 parks, open spaces, trails and special use sites. One third of these staff are funded through Greenways.
Staff are responsible for trails and grounds upkeep, garden beds, tree pruning, garbage removal and more.
Parks Grounds and Trails Staff
Parks arborists working on hazard trees
Parks crews clean up after the party
Ongoing trail maintenance
Park workers spraying shelter
Since the volunteer program began in 1991
250,000 Hours of volunteer time planting, weeding, watering, teaching, and building community in our parks and greenways. 75,000 Native trees and shrubs planted.
Volunteer Coordinator showing off supplies and tools for a work party.
We supply the tools!
Greenways funds the Volunteer Program
Community Work Parties
The Parks Volunteer Program offers small-scale community work parties during fall, winter, and spring at parks and trails throughout the city. Most work parties take place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
Park Stewards
We are looking for motivated individuals or organizations who want to dedicate time and effort to caring for trails, restoration areas, dog waste stations, gardens, and ornamental plant beds.
School Stewardship - 77 programs at 28 schools in 2021-2022.
The Parks Volunteer Program offers classes hands-on stewardship and environmental education at your local greenway.
Organize and establish community gardens
The Community Garden Program offers 195 plots where program participants can take advantage of 200 square feet of garden space to grow their own food and flowers.
The Community Garden members volunteer a few hours every year to facilitate gardening activities, provide information to other gardeners and advocate for the Community Garden. If you are interested or want to learn more reach out to us at parks@cob.org. Find out more about Community Gardens supported by Greenways here: Community Gardens - City of Bellingham (cob.org)
Curious about other community gardens in and around Whatcom County? Link to a Community Garden near you.
What's next for Greenways?
Greenways has done so much for our community since 1990. Scroll the images below to see future projects coming with Greenways.
The Pier at Little Squalicum Park
Redevelopment of this industrial pier will provide unprecedented access over Bellingham Bay, including up to 1/4 of a mile of public access over the water. More access to our waterfront, both physical and visual, has long been a desire of the people of Bellingham.
Boulevard Park Shoreline and Public Access Enhancement
Kayaks on beach
Project site at Boulevard Park
This Greenways development project focuses on beach nourishment, increasing dry beach backshore area, removal of riprap in the intertidal zone, and removal of failing rock revetments. The eastern beach will have a new rock revetment installed further inland.
A new 17-acre waterfront park located on the northeastern shoreline of Bellingham Bay within the City’s Waterfront District Sub-Area. Once developed, the Park will become the City’s largest waterfront park, creating a shoreline destination with enhanced public access, recreation, and wildlife habitat.
Remediation and cleanup design for the site are currently underway. Design of the park will be coordinated with current cleanup design efforts to ensure a seamless transition from environmental remediation to park development.
Galbraith’s trails support bikers, runners, hikers, and horseback riders. Work continues to secure better access to muti-use trails on the north side of the mountain.
Galbraith Mountain is located east of Bellingham between Lake Padden and Lake Whatcom and is approximately 1/8 the size of Bellingham, reaching an elevation of 1,785 feet. The total area of the easement is 2,182 acres. The acquisition adjoins 4,250 acres of public land managed by Whatcom County. As the trail network manager, the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) manages this world-class trail network and hosts events.
Hundred Acre Wood
Greenways development includes restoration. At the Hundred Acre Wood, the Parks and Recreation Department is working to improve routing and surfacing of trails to restoring wetlands and vegetation as well as the user experience.
A Master Plan for the Chuckanut Community Forest, commonly known as Hundred Acre Wood, and the adjacent Interurban Greenway trails and open space in southern Bellingham, is complete. The Master Plan creates a dynamic, long-lasting plan that sets priorities and strategies to guide the future of the forest, trails, and open space. The Chuckanut Community Forest holds great significance for the natural ecosystems in and around Bellingham as well as providing unique recreational and educational opportunities for the public.
Support from Greenways will help develop an urban forestry program for the City. Arborists funded through the levy manage street trees and keep the public safe in forested parks. This work recognizes the importance of trees in climate resiliency and overall quality of life.
Trail Development
More than any other funding source our Greenways levy has added miles of trails in every neighborhood to parks and the neighborhoods that surround them. The map scene below showcases just a few of the connections that the City plans to make in coming years. By combining the most bike and pedestrian friendly streets with our network of trails we can make human powered transportation more accessible to more people.
Bay to Baker Trail
Work continues to develop the Bay to Baker trail, securing the railroad grade to connect Squalicum Creek Park to Cornwall Park.
Sunset Pond Loop and Barkley Connector
Construction begins in 2024 to complete the trail around Sunset Pond and provide multi-modal option to connect from Barkley Village north to Telegraph Road.
New trails connecting Cordata Park to Van Wyck and King Mountain will move feet and bikes across the northern greenbelt of the City. While new connections to Bellingham's next Park on East Bakerview will move people north to south.
Active Capital Projects
This image shows current Parks capital projects regardless of funding source. Click the button below to see all the current projects that the Bellingham Parks & Recreations is working on.
Find your friends and neighbors in the Greenways photos below.
Volunteers on Earth day 2023
Greenways voluteer at Julianna Park
Staff, elected officials, and volunteers in a Park
Greenways volunteer carrying brush
$7 Million was collected with Greenways Levy I
$20 Million was collected with "Beyond Greenways"
$40 Million was collected with Greenways III
$31 Million was collected through 2022 with Greenways IV. Approximately $100 Million has been collected to date through four Greenways Levies combined.
