Long awaited Dune Peninsula Park opens Saturday in Tacoma

It’s been decades in the making, but visitors can now officially visit the new 11-acre “Dune Peninsula” Park in Tacoma.

This waterfront park sits on the site of what used to be Superfund wasteland. Crews have since moved 400,000 cubic yards of dirt and installed a woven geotextile cap over the land for safety.

“The EPA did a good of capping everything that’s poisoned underground,” said Erik Hanberg, Metro Parks commissioner. “There’s a big difference between the bad stuff that’s all contained and the park we are able to enjoy.”

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Dune Peninsula includes the 605-foot-long Wilson Way Bridge which will connect Point Defiance to the Ruston Way Waterfront.

The bridge overlooks a new parking lot with space for both cars and boat trailers.

The park also offers a unique feature that has been dubbed real life “chutes & ladders”. They are a set of six slides next to the east end of the bridge for visitors to make their way down to the marina below. There are also stairs for those looking for a less “adventurous” way to get down.

KIRO 7 talked to a couple who lives nearby and has been waiting for this park to open.

“I think this will be a big tourist destination. The views are going to be unparalleled,” said Janine Watson.

“This has been in development for a long time. I think for the most part it has turned out really well,” said Richard Watson.

Visitors can also find the new paved “Frank Herbert” pedestrian Trail named after the Tacoma native and famous author of the groundbreaking science fiction novel “Dune”.

Construction took more than three years and the cost is estimated at $75 million.

A community event at Dune Peninsula Park is set for September.

Cox Media Group