Wards Lake Park was rebuilt in 2025 and reopened to the public that December. The city held the formal grand opening in April 2026.
The rebuild changed a 38-plus-acre site from several directions. More than a mile of trail was added or improved, with a paved multi-use route crossing Wards Lake by bridge.
At the north end, the work brought a concrete pump track, an expanded play area, the picnic shelter, and a Portland Loo. The south end now gives riders a 3.5-acre trail system and skills area, alongside a second playground and the dog park.
Access changed with the park. The 84th Street entrance gained more parking, 88th Street gained accessible spaces for the dog park, and 25th Avenue South gained a neighborhood entrance and parking area.
The work also reached the lake itself. Crews restored 700 feet of shoreline and removed invasive plants across more than 10 acres, and a bird blind was added for wildlife viewing.
Anyone who knew Wards Lake as the quiet local alternative to Fort Steilacoom now has a different park, and a different reason to go - a short bike session, a dog-park stop, a birding loop, rather than a festival or a field sport.