The results are in: Residents ask for improvements at Waterfront Park

The results for the Waterfront Park survey are in. Topping the list of most wanted features of an updated park: more concerts and an enlarged dock.

The results for the Waterfront Park survey are in.

Topping the list of most wanted features of an updated park: more concerts and an enlarged dock.

For years city officials discussed how to use funds received from the Washington State Ferries settlement.

Last May, the city finally allocated $1.8 million of the settlement funds to go toward improving Waterfront Park and the city dock.

This new allocation prompted residents to share their thoughts on how best to improve the waterfront area.

A survey was launched online in July that posed questions such as, “What activities would you like to see within the park?” and “What uses would (you) like the dock to support?”

The city received more than 1,200 responses between the months of July and August.

Though the survey concluded that most of Waterfront Park should remain the same, islanders would like to see more concerts and non-motorized water sports take place at the park.

Residents also wanted connections to the park from downtown Winslow be improved. Roughly 61 percent said they wanted better connections from the downtown; better connections to the park from the water ranked second (almost 58 percent).

About 58 percent of voters requested the public dock be enlarged as well. Roughly 25 percent wanted the dock be renovated, but not enlarged.

The survey was launched to plumb public opinion on the park after the Harbor Commission submitted plans for a new dock that proposed to replace the 1979 pier with a larger one that included additional three finger piers on one side.