Improvements are planned for the pond at the City of Yakima’s Randall Park.

Starting next week, the one-acre pond will be drained so years of sediment can be removed. After that, the bottom of the pond will be deepened, and its slopes improved to enhance stormwater run-off, Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson said.

The City’s Stormwater Division is taking on the project and its work will help provide a match for a grant from the state’s Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) that is assisting with funding the pond improvements.

The 12-foot deep pond dates back to 1974 and Wilkinson believes this is the first time it has been drained and sediment removed. “The pond was getting shallow. We needed to do something or in a few years we wouldn’t have a pond,” Wilkinson said.

The project means that visitors to Randall Park will find the pond drained and emptied throughout the fall and winter months.

“It will ensure the longevity of the pond and the ducks will be back to enjoy it for many years to come,” Wilkinson said.

The pond project is just part of a 3-year plan to address several significant issues at Randall Park.

It’s all funded through a $500,000 RCO grant and over $600,000 in local donations and matching funds. Other projects include construction of a new restroom, rebuilding worn-out pathways, installation of a bridge, new playground equipment, basketball courts, two new picnic shelters, fixing parking lots and a variety of other improvements at the park such as new signage and fencing.

 Pond Improvement Project Set for Randall Park – News Release