Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park |
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| (also known as) Coulon Park | |
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| Location | Renton, Washington |
| Area | 57 acres |
| Established | 1982 |
| Owned by | City of Renton |
| Open | All year |
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park (which used to be called Lake Washington Beach Park) is a public park in Renton, Washington. It sits right on the southeastern shore of Lake Washington. This park is quite large, covering 57 acres of land and water. It includes 5 acres of grassy areas and a long shoreline that stretches for 5,400 feet. There are many cool things to do here, like swimming at the beach, using an eight-lane boat launch, visiting two restaurants, walking along a 900-foot pier, exploring two miles of paths and trails, and playing on the tennis courts.
Contents
Park History: From Industry to Fun
The land where Gene Coulon Park is now located has a long and interesting past. For many years in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was used for different industrial jobs. It was located perfectly between Lake Washington's shore and the railroad tracks.
Coal and Logging Days
In 1863, a big discovery of coal was made in Coal Creek, on the eastern side of Lake Washington. Because of its location, this spot became very important for moving coal. Coal was loaded onto barges here and sent across Lake Washington to Seattle, and even as far as San Francisco. This area was used for dumping extra coal.
Later, in the early 1900s, the land was used for the logging industry. This meant logs were stored and dumped into Lake Washington. There was also a sand mill on site to help process the logs. Logs were then shipped out using Lake Washington.
Wartime and Recreation
During World War II, the area was also used for fitting ships and storing extra ships. When the park was first being built, workers even found parts of WWII fighter planes under the water!
As Renton changed from a city of industries to one with larger companies during the WWII era, the industrial uses of this land stopped. The park then became a casual spot for local people to relax outdoors. Many enjoyed swimming lessons in Lake Washington and having picnics on the beach.
Meet Gene L. Coulon
The park is named after Gene L. Coulon. He was the director of the Renton Parks Department from 1949 until he passed away in 1977. Gene Coulon was born in 1916 in Seattle, Washington. He went to the University of Washington and played college basketball there.
After college, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Then, he came back to Washington and started working for the Renton Department of Parks and Recreation in 1947. As director, he was known for making sure the department's programs were fair and offered something for everyone. He helped develop 21 city parks, but his biggest idea was for Lake Washington Beach Park, which is now Gene Coulon Beach Park. Before the city developed it, this area was full of industrial trash from its past uses. Gene Coulon dreamed of a new public park that would respect the land's history and make Renton a great place to live.
Park Development: Building a Dream
In the 1950s, the City of Renton decided to expand its Recreation Department. They wanted to make sure citizens had enough places to play and relax. This led to new public projects, including Renton's first public swimming pool in 1955, and the development of the land for Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.
Acquiring the Land
In 1955, the City of Renton got 23 acres of Lake Washington shoreline. They traded property with the Pacific Coast Railroad Company to get this land. By 1963, the land was cleared and became Lake Washington Beach Park. However, there wasn't enough money to fully develop it into a complete park yet.
Funding the Park
In 1976, the Land and Water Conservation Fund helped by giving $269,576. This money matched what the State and local governments contributed. More money came from the State's share of extra funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This money was used to buy 32 more acres of land.
In 1978, the year after Gene Coulon passed away, the park was officially named in his honor. Plans for rebuilding and improving the park began. The next year, Renton bought the last 2.5 acres of land. Voters also approved a $7.9 million bond issue to expand the park even more.
Grand Opening
The full development of the park was finished in 1982. This was celebrated with a special opening ceremony. The ceremony honored Gene Coulon's service to the public and thanked the community for their support, which made the park possible.
Park Design: Beauty and Fun
The park was designed by a company called Jones and Jones. They are landscape architects, which means they design outdoor spaces. Their design for the park mixes industrial building styles with older waterfront architecture.
The buildings are spread out in different types of landscapes, some formal and some more natural. These areas are separated by strong features like rows of trees and open grassy fields. The design also includes multiple levels and paths that crisscross each other. All these different features are meant to allow many kinds of activities for both small groups and large gatherings.
In 1985, the park won a special award from the American Society of Landscape Architects at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. This award is given to projects that are considered the very best in landscape architecture.
