BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The City of Bellingham is in the final stages of adopting a Master Plan to transform the Civic Athletic Complex from a collection of disconnected facilities into a unified regional campus. The plan, begun in 2024 and expected to be brought to the City Council for adoption in February 2026, aims to modernize the city’s most-visited park to support growing demand.
The city reported, according to 2024 Placer.ai data, the complex already draws approximately 72,000 monthly visitors—nearly double the combined attendance of Lake Padden and Boulevard Parks. The new plan seeks to leverage this foot traffic by improving flow, expanding indoor recreation, and upgrading aging infrastructure.
The Vision: A Unified Campus
The current complex includes the following facilities and amenities funded primarily through the city’s General Fund, supported by property taxes and user fees.
- Sportsplex (indoor soccer/ice skating/ice hockey/events)
- Joe Martin Field (baseball)
- Civic Field (football/track/soccer/events)
- Arne Hanna Aquatic Center (swimming)
- Dirt Jump Bike Park
- Skatepark
- Downer Softball Fields
- Frank Geri Softball Fields
- Trails
The city’s vision focuses on creating a “Civic Promenade”—a pedestrian-friendly corridor connecting the north and south ends of the site, enhanced by roundabouts, plazas, and improved parking.
Watch: Civic Athletic Complex Master Plan Overview
Key Zoning Features:
- South End (Recreation Hub): The anchor of the plan is a new community indoor recreation center. While the specific design is still in the conceptual phase (expected Spring 2026), the facility is slated to house expanded aquatics, gymnasiums, fitness studios, and meeting spaces.
- North End (Education & Field Sports): The city has reserved space for a potential new location of Carl Cozier Elementary. This zone will also feature new lighted, turfed multi-use fields available for both school and community use.
- Central & Existing Assets: Improvements are planned for Civic Stadium, Joe Martin Field, and the site’s forested trails. Space north of the Sportsplex is reserved for a potential expansion or new fieldhouse.
Visualizing the Future Campus
The Master Plan outlines distinct zones for development, balancing school district needs with public recreation.
Timeline and Next Steps
Following a December 2025 survey that garnered nearly 1,200 responses regarding the community center’s amenities, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is expected to review the plan this month and present it to the City Council for adoption in February 2026.
A “conceptual design” for the community recreation center is expected to be made public in the Spring of 2026.
Costs and revenues
The city lists $400,000 in “Real Estate Excise Tax” (REET) as the primary funding source for the current planning work.
The Master Plan appears to focus on “community need” rather than projected tourism revenue.
The plan proposes a cost-sharing model for the North Phase, stating the city is evaluating how to “leverage city and school district investments” to fund the Carl Cozier Elementary relocation and shared fields.
More details can be found at the following.
- Engage Bellingham
- Master Plan as of December 2025 (PDF)
- December 2025 open house slideshow (PDF)
- Civic Athletic Complex Planning
Discover more from Whatcom Business Journal
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Be First to Comment