Liz Satterthwaite with Engage Northwest serves on Metro Parks Tacoma‘s steering committee for the Dickman Mill Park Expansion and Head Saw project. The huge saw that worked in the old Dickman Mill would be included in an expanded Dickman Mill Park along Ruston Way. The project combines history, environment, recreation, art and more.

Project Background

The beach area in Dickman Mill Park along Ruston Way.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary in Tacoma, Cambia Health Solutions generously gave a $2.9 million gift to fund the restoration of the historic Dickman Mill head saw and expand the park. Metro Parks will restore this historic head saw — the last known to operate in Washington — and publicly display it in Dickman Mill Park along Ruston Way in Tacoma. The expanded park would include a plaza area to view the head saw.  The project is expected to take about two to three years to complete.

The Dickman Lumber Mill operated on the Tacoma waterfront along Ruston Way for approximately 80 years. One of many lumber mills along the waterfront, the mill closed in 1974 and burned in a fire in 1979. Now the site is a park that includes a beach, wetlands, pilings, concrete foundations, and a sign describing the history of the mill.

The Steering Committee provides input on the locations for the head saw at Dickman Mill Park.

Steering Committee and community involvement

In its first meeting in January 2018, the steering committee reviewed and commented on three alternative locations for the head saw within Dickman Mill Park. Previously, the design team had evaluated these alternatives based on criteria such as historic integrity, visitor experience, safety, permitting and mitigation, cost and others.  The steering committee also provided feedback based on these criteria. In future meetings, the committee will review and comment on more detailed designs and other considerations. The community will also be invited to review and comment on the project in open house meetings.

Liz represents the Tacoma Waterfront Association on this steering committee.

More information about the Dickman Mill Park project: 

• News Tribune article: “Historic Tacoma mill turned city park gets its soul back with multimillion-dollar gift.”  June 28, 2017.
• Pictures of Dickman Mill Park and the head saw in a slideshow on King5.com. The photos are courtesy of Metro Parks Tacoma.
• Dickman Mill Park on Metro Parks Tacoma’s website.