The city of North Bend and Si View Metro Parks have named the newly acquired future park, 32 acres at the foothills of Rattlesnake Ridge. The name, Tennant Trailhead Park, was chosen to honor the Tennant and Gardiner family who are early North Bend residents.
The families have been residents of North Bend since the mid-1800s and owners of the property since 1883.
Brick and Jane Vinnedge-Tennant were very involved in the community and were early members of the Snoqualmie Valley Riding Club. They were also involved with the Mount Si Golf Course.
Jane was involved with Camp Fire Girls, and the North Bend Auxiliary of Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, currently named Seattle Children’s Hospital. The local branch of this group was renamed the Jane Tennant Guild in her honor. She was instrumental in the formation of the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Activity Center.
Brick began a dental practice in 1926 in Meadowbrook. He moved his practice to North Bend in 1945 where he saw patients until his death in 1961.
Their daughter, Vicki Tennant Bettes, remembered, “People even traveled from Issaquah to Meadowbrook for appointments. When times were tough for some patients, payments were varied, a fish, homemade cinnamon rolls, and even a truckload of chicken manure for the lawn and garden.”
Through the partnership between the city of North Bend, Si View Metropolitan Park District, King County and the Trust for Public Land, the land will be preserved for recreation and education for all to enjoy.
The Mountains to Sound Greenway and Washington Department of Natural Resources also supported the project. Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance pledged to donate volunteer hours to help build multi-use trails designed to accommodate mountain bikes.
A selection committee with representatives from all project partner groups reviewed and selected the park’s new name from entries received from the public.
Tennant Trailhead Park will be a low-impact community park containing on-site trails, a trailhead connecting to adjacent public lands, and environmental conservation and education. The park is home to mature forests, wetlands, creeks, steep topography and glacial erratic rock features.
A public open house will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the North Bend Train Depot to discuss programming for the park and trailhead.
For additional information, contact Lynn Hyde, lhyde@northbendwa.gov or call (425) 888-7646.
