On September 20th, 2022, the North Bend City Council approved a Motion authorizing a contract with Site Workshop for the William H. Taylor Park (Taylor Park) and Riverfront Park Design Project.
William H Taylor (1853–1941) was a pioneer, Snoqualmie Valley driving force and the founder of North Bend, Washington, in February 1889.
According to the Snoqualmie Valley Museum, Taylor was very community minded and donated the land the railway was built on to the railway to bring it to town. Jeremiah Borst had given him the land the town sits on in return for work Taylor had done for him, as Borst was cash poor and owed Taylor a lot of money.
Says museum assistant director Cristy Lake; his favorite poem was The Bridge Builder by Allen Dromgoole. She believes he took the poem to heart and lived by its meaning.
The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today,
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him”
Taylor Park is the focal setting in Downtown North Bend, having served as a grassy place for picnics and community gatherings, and it is home to the North Bend Train Depot. Intents for the design project include:
- A plan for better connection to Downtown North Bend.
- Providing a downtown community gathering space.
- Making more efficient use of the parking along McClellan Street.
- Considering possible improvement and location for the railroad tracks and depot within the park.
Riverfront Park is a four-acre, protected river riparian corridor with a multi-use trail on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Intents for the design project include:
- A plan for better connection to Downtown North Bend.
- Provide trails and riverfront amenities while maintaining the park’s predominantly forested character and floodplain storage capacity.
The Taylor Park and Riverfront Park Design Project are funded by the City of North Bend’s Park Impact Fees.
View the Agenda Bill by referring to pages 213 to 220 of the September 20th City Council Packet HERE. Learn more about Taylor Park and Riverfront Park by visiting the Parks and Trails webpage at www.northbendwa.gov.
