Staff Spotlight

If there’s one thing that you can count on when you work on parks and public spaces in the City is that the whims of Mother Nature and mischievous vandals will keep you busy all year ‘round.

“Sometimes it’s like playing ‘whacka-mole’,” said Parks Lead James Pullen. “Just when we fix one issue, we have to move on to another.”

Those “issues” aren’t just pruning trees and removing graffiti. The Parks Team manages upkeep on the City’s trails, streetscapes, traffic islands, gazebo, rain gardens, restrooms, Carnegie Building, the Senior Center, boat launch, and more.

“The reality is we are doing way more than just parks with just a few guys.”

The weather often dictates what jobs the team has to tackle, but so does the vandalism. When someone pries off a piece of playground equipment, it can leave hazards like exposed bolts that can injure kids.

“A good example of what we are dealing with is, you see all the weeds around these hedges?” asks Pullen, pointing at the evergreen shrubs along the Centennial Trail near the Snohomish Library. “The weeds are four or five feet tall and the hedges need to be trimmed. But, we aren’t getting to that because right now we are re-installing the signs along the Story Trail while we have a break in the weather.”

The previous signs along the trail were defaced and some pulled out of the ground. Parks crews recovered at least one from the Pilchuck River.

A significant number of people from outside the City come to the parks for many of the same reasons City residents love to call Snohomish home: parks with unique features (like river access at Pilchuck Park) or those within walking distance of the shops in historic downtown.

“While the City of Snohomish is a town of 10,000 people, we are a magnet for the surrounding communities. I’ve seen preschool vans from Stanwood and Lynnwood come to our parks. Although we are small, we are servicing a huge demographic beyond just the City,” said Pullen.

But the team occasionally gets a break in the action to plan for the future and work on capital projects with the community. They are currently working with pickle ball enthusiasts to improve the courts at Pilchuck Park and regional disc golfers to help redesign the Ultimate Frisbee Course at Ferguson Park. Next year, they will begin transforming Averill Field to improve amenities and accessibility, install a new playground, and more.

They want to ensure residents have safe options for kids of all ages, including parks for 2-5 years (like Morgantown) and those for 5-12 (like Averill Field), and abilities. Parks staff re-installing the Story Trail near the library

Pullen and Public Works Operations Manager Tim Cross are working with the Department of Community Engagement to identify grant and funding opportunities for the future of our City’s parks.

“Ultimately, we have a long list of challenges and we are navigating through them. But the main thing is we have a solid group of guys that work together and are dedicated to their jobs and the City,” said Pullen.

Parks staff l to r: James Pullen (Lead), Stephen Ray, Chris Soren, and Curtis Galde. Not pictured Shaun Murphy, Jon Soth and Mike Seltz