Updated: The Redmond Rotary Picnic Area -- believe it or not

Greg Woods standing in front of the Redmond Rotary Picnic Area

I put some "Fitbit" steps in yesterday walking off Education Hill to the downtown and then along the Sammamish River Trail.  I ran into Greg Woods (in the picture.) Greg's a "tree collector" and talked on and on about all the fruit and nut trees he's planted on his lot. He pollinates them with Mason Bees. Greg lives in a mobile home on a one acre plot near Redmond Ridge. He's a retired sheet rock worker and inherited the land. He lives next to million dollar homes; a 1-acre lot recently sold for $450,000.

Interesting, but my reason for this story is the patch of grass you see on the knoll across from Bear Creek.  Luke McRedmond Park is adjacent to us.   If you enlarge the photo you'll see a sign that says "Redmond Rotary Picnic Area."  Noisy West Lake Sammamish Blvd. runs behind it.

Have you ever seen anyone picnicking here?  The only way to get to it is from the north on a very long, wet, rutty trail.  If you can believe it, the trail head is near apartments close to Bella Bottega a couple miles away!

Yet, the grass is always cut; there's no evidence of use.  How on earth does the Rotary Club cut the grass?  Well, they don't.  I went to a the Rotary meeting at noon today.  A respected member said the city takes care of it.  A picnic area that no one can get to.   Huh?

The Parks Dept. should install native shrubs to enhance the riparian or develop the trail, not throw tax dollars on something nobody uses.

Bob Yoder
photo by