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Pritchard Park
Closest cross streets: Eagle Harbor Drive and Taylor Avenue
Pritchard Park East Beach Shoreline Restoration
Open House January 7, Public comments ends January 14 - click here for more info.
Pritchard Park encompasses a fifty-acre site located at the eastern end of Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island in the State of Washington. Prominently positioned on the harbor’s southern shore and overlooking the entrance of the bay, it is notable for its varied topography, its many natural features—including nearly a mile of shoreline—and its unparalleled vistas of water, mountains, cities and forests. Pritchard Park is destined to become one of Bainbridge Island’s and the region’s most valuable public assets.
The Point
The most prominent aspect of the Park is the Point (“the Point”), an approximately eight-acre sand spit where a chemical wood treatment plant operated for more than eighty years, commencing in 1902 and is currently under a Superfund clean-up operation as provided by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The general public is prohibited from entering the Point. Health Consultation for Wycoff Superfund Site - ATSDR Study.
The Point offers the most expansive views for the future park user once the site is remedied, with a breathtaking vista that encompasses downtown Seattle and the Cascade range from Mt. Baker to Mt. Rainier in the East, a wide swath of Puget Sound and its bustling marine traffic, Eagle Harbor and the historic town of Winslow, and the majestic Olympic range towering in the West.
In the intermediate term construction of a new treatment facility and the realignment of the access road into the worksite will occur consistent with site design concept. Finally, a security fence topped with razor wire surrounds the entire Point area.
The Uplands – West and East
The forested hillside immediately adjacent to the north side of Eagle Harbor Drive and extending from the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial (“the Memorial”) at its western end to the rocky shoreline at the eastern beach is the uplands area of Pritchard Park. Characterized by varied topography, numerous natural features as well as discernible evidence of past human inhabitants, the uplands area provides ample opportunity for passive recreation and trail exploration.
The Southern Parcel
A ten-acre strip located on the south side of Eagle Harbor Drive, the southern parcel is sloping and heavily forested at its western end and relatively open and flat in its eastern portion. The eastern end of the southern parcel is endowed with a high, clear viewpoint of Puget Sound, Seattle, and the Cascade Range beyond. This area is largely undeveloped.
The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial
Situated on eight acres of parkland at the western end of the property, the contemplative Japanese American Memorial will honor the 227 Bainbridge residents who were compelled by the government to leave the island on March 30, 1942, and relocate to internment camps. The Memorial will focus on their stories, reflecting on the constitutional injustices and reinstatement of rights, with the theme of “Let it not happen again” (Nidoto Nai Yoni). Currently, the Memorial is constructing its second phase improvements, the Memorial Wall and relocating shoreline trail access. To access the memorial during construction, please see map. Landscape Reclamation and Path Regrade Plan.
West Beach
The popular western shoreline and beach exists today as a result of a relatively recent shoreline rehabilitation effort funded by the EPA. This area was fully bulk headed and utilized by the wood treatment facility as a log storage and loading area. Despite its being manmade and of recent origin, this beach has been successfully functioning as habitat for a myriad of marine creatures and forage fish, and is already a popular destination for Island beachgoers in search of a sandy spot to enjoy the sun or for a tranquil place to walk their dogs.
The western shoreline has recently undergone a partial excavation and rebuild in order to eliminate two seepages of creosote that were recently discovered in the area. Offshore lays a vast saltwater cove sheltered by the sand spit point that offers passive aquatic recreational opportunities and habitat for feeding salmon and the seals and otters that chase them. This area is not available for vessel anchoring or marine infrastructure such as pilings or piers, due to EPA regulations designed to protect a sand cap in the sub tidal zone. A remaining rock bulkhead situated towards the western end of the beach is also slated for removal as part of a shoreline restoration program.
East Beach
The east beach runs the length of the eastern border of the property from the tip of the Point to the southeastern corner of the site. It is generally cobbled near shore, with sand and eelgrass offshore exposed at low tides. The shoreline is open to the wind/wave action of the Sound and is currently bulk headed with rock and timbers and a steel sheetpile wall. Removal of a large portion of the rock and timber bulkhead is planned as a part of a shoreline restoration project. Public access to this beach is restricted due to evidence of creosote seepage that may affect usage well into the future. Health Consultation for Wycoff Superfund Site - ATSDR Study.
The Flatlands
Also included in the shoreline zone is a sizable flatland area immediately adjacent to the western beach that is open and applicable to many potential uses. This space, which spans the distance from the beach to the base of the upland hillside, has been used variously for large public gatherings, festivals and outdoor art exhibits. The flatlands are primarily topped with gravel. A low-scale vegetative buffer currently separates this area from the shoreline.
BIMPRD & University of Washington Study
Learn about the BIMPRD and the University of Washington Park Design + Environmental Planning Project to develop schematic park design alternatives for Pritchard Park. Click here for info on any upcoming meetings regarding this project.