BATTLE GROUND — Hidden Glen Park is a beloved spot to those who know about it, primarily neighbors who live near the entrances tucked in the back of a few cul-de-sacs.
But in recent years, the “hidden treasure” — as old literature from the city described it — has started disappearing, as the city prepares to get rid of the park near Southeast Fifth Circle by turning it into a more natural greenspace.
Hidden Glen’s swing set and picnic table were removed within the last three years, and earlier this month, a wooden pedestrian bridge crossing over Woodin Creek was taken out. A makeshift bridge, made up of branches, crosses the creek a little farther down off the path, but it’s unclear if it was created in response to the removal of the pedestrian bridge or if it was already there.
The pedestrian bridge was going to come down anyway within the next couple of years, Battle Ground officials said. The city is gearing up for a restoration project along the creek, and part of the project called for the bridge’s removal.
Vicki Hopper, who has lived near the park for 19 years, said it’s disappointing to see the park’s demise.
She and her family crossed the pedestrian bridge to throw a ball around in the park or use the swing set. Her family was still using the pedestrian bridge as a shortcut to walk to Main Street, and Hopper said kids used it to get to Battle Ground High School.
“We never had any issues at the house being so close to the park,” she said. “I used to let my kids and their friends go hang out there at night when they had sleepovers, just as long as they stayed on the paved trail.”
While Hopper hasn’t had issues, city officials say vandalism led to the removal of the park’s amenities.
“There was enough vandalism to (the bridge) that it was not safe anymore to keep it,” said Bonnie Gilberti, spokeswoman for the city. “At some point, the bridge was going to be removed as part of the project. The timing with the vandalism, it came out earlier than expected.”
The upcoming habitat restoration project will be funded through a $99,945 Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board grant, along with $21,655 in matching funds from the city and Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership. Kelly Uhacz, associate stormwater engineer for Battle Ground, said the restoration project will plant roughly 4,500 natives trees in three areas along Woodin Creek: Hidden Glen Park, Brook Haven Park and a paved trail between two dead-end streets.
“Hidden Glen is a large, open grassy area along the creek,” Uhacz said. “By planting natives along the creek, we’ll introduce some more shade, which will help the temperature of the creek. It’s more healthy for the creek to have more native vegetation along it.”
Uhacz added that once the project is done, Hidden Glen and Brook Haven won’t technically be considered parks anymore. They will count as greenspace in the city and will be maintained by the city’s stormwater department.
The city received the grant in December and expects to start planting next year, with work wrapping up by 2021, Uhacz said.
The restoration work, which will be handled by the Estuary Partnership, will also provide the city with some learning opportunities for local students. Uhacz said the plan is to involve students in the planting and put up educational signs along the path informing visitors about the creek, native plants and environment.
Ideally, more native planting along the creek will liven up the area, as well, he said.
“The long-range hope is that someday fish will come back,” Uhacz said. “I have seen very small fingerlings in the creek before, but I’m not aware of anything in the creek now.”
