Current Projects

With PenMet Parks recognizing the need for both indoor and outdoor passive and active recreation in the greater Gig Harbor community, PenMet Parks is seeking vital input from community user groups, local businesses, and individuals for the next phase in developing the PenMet Parks Community Recreation Center.

Applications are due Friday, August 7th by 3:00 p.m.

This input comes in the form of PenMet assembling a Steering Committee to contribute their knowledge and feedback to community needs. The Steering Committee, made up of a diverse representation of the Community of the Greater Gig Harbor area, will be presented with the project details, goals, and preliminary design elements. This process will include information on project funding, timing, and regulations that impact the project. Once the committee is familiar with the project, there will be multiple meetings to discuss the project elements and give the design team input.

Download the Steering Committee Application Form if you or someone you know would like to apply to be on the committee. You may also email [email protected] to receive an application. Please return applications to the contact information on the form.

Read updates regarding this project.

Project Documents
Steering Committee Application & Overview

As the sale and purchase of the property have come to a close, PenMet Parks will begin to program camps, classes, and activities in the spring of 2020 for the interim usage of the building currently located on the south end of the property. As of February 2020, Harbor Soccer Club has ended its lease of office and administrative space at the site and will be moving to a new location.

PenMet Parks is currently in the development of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the next phase of the architectural design of the PenMet Parks Community Recreation Center. The primary intent of an RFQ is to advertise The District’s interest in finding the best agency for the design project. After a thorough review, interview, and selection process, the design firm will then work with PenMet Parks and various constituents to develop “construction-ready” plans for the new facility. The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is anticipated to be issued in the spring of 2020.

The netting and poles previously used to contain golf balls on the property will be removed in the coming months. Updates will be made to the Miniature Golf Course to allow for continued use.

The District is hosting an open house on January 28th, 2020, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the PenMet Parks Community Recreation Center (2416 14th Ave NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 – Former Performance Golf Center site)

The Pierce County Hearing Examiner has granted a conditional use permit approval and site plan review approval to allow the establishment of a Community Recreation Center on the 17.16-acre site located at 2416 14th Ave, Gig Harbor, WA 98335.

This conditional use permit approval provides PenMet Parks Board of Directors the opportunity to move forward with the purchase of the current Performance Golf property. PenMet Parks will assume possession of the property as of December 13, 2019. (Final purchase price of the property 4.3 million*)

The golf operations currently being offered at the facility have been suspended to make way for the next phase of planning and development of PenMet Parks Community Recreation Center. Fox Island Brewing will vacate its current location at Performance Golf Center at the end of 2019. PenMet Parks extends great appreciation to Fox Island Brewing, Performance Golf, and Harbor Soccer for their service to the community. The District is committed to remaining diligent in working with our neighbors, user groups, and community partners to further the District’s mission and vision of providing diverse recreation opportunities to the Greater Gig Harbor Peninsula community.

PenMet Parks Executive Director, Doug Nelson, is excited to announce the project is moving forward. “The District’s vision is to enhance the quality of life by providing parks and recreation opportunities for our community and building a dedicated Community Recreation Center is key to making that vision become a reality,” says Nelson. “PenMet Parks is committed to planning, prioritizing, and investing in projects to continue meeting the community’s needs. We are looking forward to fulfilling an important need within the Greater Gig Harbor Peninsula community.”

Project design features of the new facility include indoor recreation space, multi-purpose learning spaces, community activity spaces, indoor walking track and, event rental space. For more information about this or other projects, please visit penmetparks.org or contact us at 253.858.3400 for more information.

PenMet Parks is committed to creating, improving, and maintaining high-quality parks and park facilities. PenMet Parks takes the responsibility of prudently managing district funds seriously, which means planning, prioritizing, and investing in projects to continue meeting the community’s needs.

Following the completion of a detailed feasibility study to include need, impact and fund management, PenMet Parks Board of Directors approved plans to move forward with the purchase & sale agreement for the current Performance Golf property, located at 2416 14th Ave, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. The anticipated close date is December of 2019.

Board President, Maryellen “Missy” Hill said, “After a thorough due diligence period, PenMet Park Board of Commissioners and staff and are immensely excited to move forward on this project. The Community Recreation Center will address many of the needs citizens requested in a recent survey including active space for seniors, programs for special populations, indoor recreation opportunities year-round and an additional opportunity, supporting the continuation of the Cushman Trail system through the property. After our levy lid lift was approved by voters in 2017, restoring the District’s regular property tax levy rate to $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value for 2018 we now feel well-positioned to manage the expenses of the project via a Board initiated bond,” said President Hill.

Project design features of the new facility include indoor recreation space, multi-purpose learning spaces, community activity spaces, indoor walking track and, event rental space. As the design process advances, the provisional usage of the current facility is currently in development. The District commits to remaining diligent in working with neighboring communities.

Currently, the project is pending reconsideration factors from the Pierce County Hearing Examiner office.

These factors include:

• Plan Submittal
  This condition requires PenMet Parks to submit its Final Development Plans within one-year of the Pierce county Hearing Examiners’ decision. PenMet requests allow of (two) 2 years to have the Final Development Plans submitted.
• Site History
  This condition states all prior findings, conclusions, conditions, and mitigation from prior Examiner or SEPA decisions remain in effect. PenMet Parks does not have the ability to confirm the universe of decisions that this includes except to the extent disclosed by Pierce County.
• WSDOT Involvement
  This condition states PenMet Parks must provide its site plan to WSDOT for their review and approval. WSDOT is only responsible for traffic impacts to state highways. PenMet Parks provided its Traffic Impact Analysis to WSDOT, WSDOT provided comments and that was subsequently approved by Pierce County. PenMet Parks also provided to WSDOT a copy of its DNS for review and comment on July 3, 2019, and WSDOT provided no comments.
• Right-of-way
  This condition requires the dedication of right-of-way to Pierce County. PenMet Parks would like this condition to be more flexible because the right-of-way along 14th Avenue referenced in Pierce County Development Engineering’s letter dated August 19, 2019, is solely to accommodate the Cushman Trail Extension.  If PenMet Parks extends the trail through their site as planned, the County won’t need an additional 5 feet of right-of-way.  This change allows some flexibility for both PenMet Parks and the County.
• Sound Impacts
  This condition requires PenMet Parks to engage an acoustical engineer to perform a noise study prior to the final approval of the event center.  The request has been made to make it incumbent on PenMet Parks to have the noise study done before they use the event space with amplified sound rather than tying it to a permit or approval.
• Structure
  Condition 25 refers to the proposed dome structure and states “Such use is denied”. We request that the second sentence be revised to say, “Such structure is denied”. This makes it clear that only the proposed air-supported roof structure is denied, not the use.

PenMet Parks Interim Executive Director, Glenn Akramoff believes the project will bring the community together providing both active and passive recreation. “The Community Recreation Center will aid in the advancement of the District vision to enhance the quality of life in our area.” Says Akramoff, “We are excited to build community by developing this project as the Greater Gig Harbor Community.”

*Images are conceptual