The question of how and where to daylight Willow Creek took center stage in the first of what will be three open house meetings to present, discuss and solicit public input on the Marina Beach Master Plan. More than 40 people attended to hear the project team give a status report on the plan, update what has been accomplished and lay out what remains to be done.

While the plan takes a comprehensive approach to addressing a laundry list of concerns and issues at Marina Beach, the team stressed that the pivotal feature of the plan is Willow Creek.

A free-flowing creek is the key to bringing salmon back to the Edmonds Marsh and restoring it as critical wildlife habitat. By providing a route for adult fish to return upstream to spawn in both Willow and Shellabarger creeks, it would allow the marsh to once again assume its historic role as a diverse wildlife area where juvenile salmon can thrive and grow before returning to the ocean.

The project team presented two alternatives: Option A would route Willow Creek through the existing dog park area, while option B would have the creek run through the middle of the main section of the park.

Option A is shorter and less costly. However, some sharp bends in the stream bed make it susceptible to erosion, and its outlet would flow into areas of significant shoreline drift and wave action.

Option B would bisect the current Marina Beach, cutting through the grassy knoll area before flowing into Puget Sound. While it is longer, it closely follows the historic course of Willow Creek, would provide additional habitat for salmon along its shore, and empties into an area of the Sound less susceptible to drift and wave action.

Subsequent to the presentation, attendees split into breakout groups to identify what they value about Marina Beach, what changes they would like to see, and which option they prefer for daylighting Willow Creek. At the conclusion, each group was given the opportunity to present its findings to the project team.

While opinion on Willow Creek heavily favored option B, which would route the creek through the main park area, the groups identified other issues as well. There was a strong sentiment for improved parking, permanent restroom facilities in lieu of the current porta-potties, better access for personal watercraft and pedestrian access across the BNSF tracks to the Edmonds Marsh. Opinion on retaining the dog park was decidedly mixed, with some strongly in favor and others recommending it be eliminated.

The project team said it is strongly committed to the public input process, and will use this information to move forward with the plan. Two more open houses are scheduled for May 6 and June 17, at which time the project team will provide further updates and solicit additional input as the plan progresses.

If you missed this event and want to add your opinion, the project team has created an online open house that presents the same information and provides an opportunity to give input on the same issues as open house attendees.

— Story and photos by Larry Vogel