At the February 18 City Council meeting, former Snohomish County Councilmember Terry Ryan presented a $50,000 check to the city to purchase playground equipment for Matt Hirvela/Bicentennial Park located at 4105 222nd Street SW. “We would like to thank Terry and Snohomish County for helping to make this park even better for children and families,” said Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen. “This park has a wonderful flat, paved trail, open play areas, benches, and a gazebo that accommodates many different types of park users and updated play equipment is much needed.”
Last year the city organized a barbeque to celebrate the successful volunteer work projects that have revitalized this neighborhood park over the past 10 years. With the cooperation of hundreds of volunteers and support from Snohomish County grants over the past decade, a paved trail loop was completed in 2018. Last year, this work was recognized with a Trail Spotlight Award by the Washington Recreation and Parks Association.
The property was originally owned by resident Matt Hirvela, who desired to see the site preserved as park property. The site was acquired as a children’s park in 1968 with the aid of state grant funding and donation of the land by Mr. Hirvela. Under the terms of the donation, Mr. Hirvela retained the rights to continue to live on the property in a 900 square foot log cabin in the southwest corner of the property until his death. The cabin was later removed in 2012. The park was dedicated the Matt Hirvela Bicentennial Park on the 4th of July 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration.
To learn more about Matt Hirvela Bicentennial Park, visit www.cityofmlt.com/1981. For more information, contact Recreation and Parks Director Jeff Betz at jbetz@ci.mlt.wa.us or (425) 640-3101.