Just in time for summer fun, King County Parks has re-opened Dockton Marina, after finishing Phase 1 of the marina’s construction.

Moorage and use of the pier are now available with space for 30 boats — with many in evidence last weekend, as temperatures warmed and sunlight sparkled on the water.

According to the county’s website, the first phase of repairs at the marina included removing and replacing creosote-treated piles, installing a new pump-out station, repairing cross-bracing, replacing the access dock, center moorage, and walkway, installing a new fire suppression system and new interior floats, and applying a non-skid coating to the fixed pier walkway.

The county also performed rehab on the breakwater and has now reopened 80% of the breakwater to the public. Workers also replaced all the old wood and fixed pier decking around the restroom with non-skid decking.

The new moorage facility features fish habitat-friendly features, such as open grated decking, which allows more light to pass through, and new or wrapped steel piles, which won’t leach pollutants like the old creosote-treated ones. There is also a non-skid coating on the new dock and fixed pier walkway.

There’s still more work to be done at the marina, though.

Phase 2 of construction on the marina will finish the rehab on the remainder of the marina, replace the remaining outside perimeter areas of the breakwater, and replace the floating dock for the boat ramp. These projects are currently in their final design phase and will then be submitted for permitting.

Work is not expected to be complete for a couple of years, due to engineering and environmental reviews.

A new playground is also planned for the park, with the construction of the play area beginning in the summer of 2023. The current playground remains open.

Plans for the new playground were devised following a survey of 207 community members, in an online survey conducted in March of 2021.

Those who responded stressed the importance of keeping the swings facing the water and adding climbing structures and slides geared to children ages 5 to 12.

The new playground, King County said, will include all of these elements as well as a larger, more accessible play area with elements for all ages and abilities to enjoy with an emphasis on challenging climbers, slides, and spinners. In addition, the renovation provides an opportunity to improve ADA access, drainage, and the aesthetics of the park, as well as add new amenities, such as benches.

The playground is located along an environmentally-sensitive shoreline area, making the project more complex and requiring additional time to design and secure the necessary permits, Parks said.

The moorage renovation project is funded in part by a Boating Facilities Program grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, and both it and the play area renovation are funded by the 2020-2025 King County Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space Levy.

Islanders can follow the progress of the projects at Dockton by subscribing to the Dockton Park email newsletter at tinyurl.com/4vzkas59, or by calling 206-477-4527 or emailing parkinfo@kingcounty.gov.