There is no question that having quality parks interwoven in a community enhances the quality of life for its residents. Mount Vernon Parks Foundation is committed to shining a light on our parks, helping to enhance, maintain and grow an already impressive line-up of community parks.
MVPF has benefited greatly, both currently and historically, from generous contributions from community members and organizations, to help fund many worthwhile projects in our city’s parks. Thank you!! If you are interested in supporting the efforts of MVPF, some of which will be highlighted later in this email, there is an excellent opportunity to do so coming up on Saturday, September 15th. MVPF is excited to be hosting our annual Trail-A-Thon event and Trail Mixer Party at Little Mountain Park and Carpenter Creek Winery! Starting at 2:00, trail runners, hikers and mountain bikers will be leaving the starting line at the winery for their individual races through the beautiful Little Mountain trail network. Upon crossing the finish line, participants will be cheered on by supporters attending our Trail Mixer Party, boasting a live band, food truck, silent auction, and of course, beer and wine. We will also be raffling off a full suspension Specialized Stumpjumper, generously donated by Skagit Cycle.
If you haven’t signed up yet, there is still time! And yes, it’s okay to sign up just for the party. This will be a really fun event and an excellent opportunity to support the parks you love.
Click Here Now To Register!
Here’s some of what MVPF accomplished in 2019 with the donations and volunteer support you’ve entrusted to us:
Little Mountain Park
Building & Maintaining Trails
Along with the continued maintenance efforts needed to sustain our expertly built trails, a new, mountain bike specific trail was introduced, much to the delight of our vibrant Mountain Bike community. We also designed & installed a brand new trail sign system, encompassing the entire Little Mountain trail network. Looking ahead to this fall, MVPF will begin construction on a brand new, state of the art Mountain Bike Skills Park, directly adjacent to the new parking facility and trail hub, the Heart of the Park.
Here's a update from MVPF President, Danny Pickering, on current and upcoming Heart of the Park work at Little Mountain Park.
Edgewater Park
18-Hole Championship Disc Golf Course
Last spring, working closely with the Skagit Valley Disc Club, MVPF helped design and install a championship caliber, 18-hole disc golf course at Edgewater Park, providing a much needed supply of continual positive use throughout the park. We truly believe that Edgewater Park is a diamond in the rough. Coming in at 55 acres of waterfront property directly adjacent from downtown Mount Vernon, it truly is an asset to our community.
Hillcrest Park
Dedicated Pickleball Courts Coming Soon
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the nation. Establishing dedicated courts for this vibrant community will be a valuable addition to our parks system. Mount Vernon Pickleball Club is committed to making this dream a reality, and MVPF is happy to help bring Pickleball to Hillcrest Park. Look for some exciting announcements in the coming months!
Outdoor Education
Learning Hikes for ALL Mount Vernon 5th Graders
Educational Outreach: For the third year in a row, MVPF hosted all of Mount Vernon’s 5th graders on a guided educational hikes from the bottom to the top of Little Mountain. That is roughly 1500 kids that have had the opportunity to experience nature, learn about hiking and physical fitness, and felt the reward of summiting a mountain! MVPF feels it is incredibly important to expose youngsters to the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, and are committed to continuing this valuable program for our youth.
A sincere thank you goes out to the City of Mount Vernon, especially to the Parks and Enrichment department. Without their support, none of these projects would happen. When people work together, good things can happen. We look forward to working together to help make Mount Vernon parks thrive.
Thanks to all of you for your interest and support. Community involvement is what makes the difference …it’s like the icing on the cake. Please join us for MVPF’s 2019 Trail Mixer on September 15th - Click Here To Sign Up Now
Happy Trails!
Danny Pickering, President
Mount Vernon Parks Foundation