Yelm Community Park Master Plan & Phase 1 – Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation

LPD Engineering provided comprehensive civil engineering services for the Yelm Highway Community Park, an 87-acre recreational facility located adjacent to Yelm Highway SE in Thurston County for the City of Olympia Parks, Arts, and Recreation. This multi-phase project exemplified adaptive planning and design flexibility, beginning with a master plan that initially incorporated a co-located high school for the Olympia School District before evolving into a dedicated community park development. The project scope encompassed drainage improvement scoping, master plan development, environmental permitting coordination, and Phase 1 design services progressing from conceptual planning through 100% design documentation. Phase 1 includes diverse recreational amenities such as a full-size lighted synthetic turf field, thirteen pickleball courts, basketball courts, a mini-pitch soccer field, restroom and picnic facilities, a 7,500 SF play area, dog park, paved loop trails, and supporting infrastructure including maintenance facilities and parking areas.

LPD’s iterative approach successfully navigated the project’s evolving scope through multiple planning phases, collaborating closely with key stakeholders including Berger Partnership, DA Hogan, Thurston County, and the Olympia School District during the initial co-location planning phase. Our firm’s expertise in adaptive master planning proved essential as project requirements shifted from a shared park-school development to a standalone community recreation facility, requiring comprehensive re-evaluation of drainage systems, stormwater mitigation strategies, and site design. The successful completion of master planning and progression to Phase 1 design demonstrates LPD’s capability to deliver flexible, responsive engineering solutions that accommodate changing client needs while maintaining project momentum. This community park will serve as a cornerstone recreational facility for Thurston County residents, providing diverse outdoor amenities and fostering community engagement through thoughtfully designed spaces that balance active recreation with natural open space preservation.