Islanders can review preferred plans for Clarke and Groveland beach parks

Published 12:30 pm Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Mercer Island residents can now review the preferred plans for Clarke and Groveland beach parks on the city’s Let’s Talk web platform and share feedback with the Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Commission over the coming months.

According to the city, the neighborhood waterfront parks were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. With the waterfront infrastructure and other park facilities aging, the city’s joint planning process for the parks’ futures involves The Berger Partnership. The Seattle landscape architecture and urban design firm has partnered on many Mercer Island projects.

The city’s parks and recreation commission will be holding plan reviews during its March 26 and June 4 meetings, which will feature public comment periods. Both meetings will commence at 5 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center.

Over at Clarke Beach Park, the preferred plan features waterfront amenities (including removing concrete bulkheads to support shoreline restoration and replacing them with gradual beach transitions, a gravel mix for fish habitat and natural beach elements such as logs, boulders and plantings); both existing piers would be restored in their current configuration and more; upland improvements include maintaining and renovating the existing picnic area and more; and an ADA-accessible path that would connect the parking lot to the waterfront, and existing ADA parking stalls would be improved and expanded.

At Groveland Beach Park, the preferred plan also features waterfront amenities (including removing the concrete bulkhead and replacing it with a gradual transition from sand beach to gravel mix to support fish habitat while maintaining the sandy swim beach); replacing the existing swim dock with a new pier structure that includes a floating swim dock, a fixed pier platform with a diving board and hammock, and two gangway connectors; upland improvements include replacing the existing playground with a nature-inspired play area for ages 2-12-plus and more; and a refined designated teen hangout space.

This joint plan reflects input received during the community engagement process, feedback from the parks and recreation commission, considerations of site constraints and city staff input. The commission will send its plan recommendation to city council for review and adoption this fall.

“We anticipate this planning process will conclude by the end of the year; once the plan is adopted, future design efforts for each park will be implemented through the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as resources allow,” the city said.

Islanders can view the plans at: https://tinyurl.com/4j9nb9x8 and leave feedback at: https://tinyurl.com/548z2x5r.

People can send comments to CIP Manager Sarah Bluvas at sarah.bluvas@mercerisland.gov.