Park Amenities
- Access to Open Space (Ketner Lake)
- Multi-use turf field
- Outdoor performance area
- Paved walking path
CLASSIFICATION: Neighborhood park
SIZE OF PARK: 2.1 acres
Totem Pole Updates:
12/19/24: The totem poles have now been removed from Kensington park and are in storage. The City will hold public meetings in early 2025 to guide alternatives to re-establish totems at Kensington Park.
12/12/24: The remaining two totem poles will be removed on Wednesday, Dec. 18. As a reminder, these will be safely stored and the City will hold community focus groups in early 2025 to guide alternatives to re-establish totems at Kensington Park.
12/5/24: To promote safety and prevent damage, the City will carefully take down the remaining two totems. Once the totems are safely down, all three will be carefully stored and the current fencing at the site will be removed to restore full access to the concrete paths in the area. The City will hold community focus group meetings in early 2025 to guide alternatives to re-establish totems at Kensington Park.
10/30/24: Parks, Recreation, and Libraries staff have spent significant time evaluating whether or not the ageing totem poles at Kensington Park should be removed. The neighboring community members have expressed a fondness and connection to the totem poles and their importance to the identity of Kensington. Staff engaged with a national totem pole expert and historian from the Ketchikan Museums and representatives of the Wind River Arapaho Indian Nation and Reservation to get input and understand their perspectives. From those conversations, it was clear that producing new, replacement totems was not a culturally responsible option for the City to pursue.
Staff then engaged with multiple structural engineers to gather opinions on whether the existing totems could be preserved in their current form. Those conversations yielded different approaches to stabilization. Staff then analyzed the approaches for the most cost-effective approach that ensures safety. As a result, the team has arrived at a suitable approach and are now contracted with a structural engineer for the project. Currently, the project is planned to be completed by summer 2025. As details of construction become available, they will be shared through the Parks, Recreation, and Libraries communication channels. Staff is also working with the aforementioned experts to develop interpretive signage that will provide more information on authentic totem poles, their use and significance to First Nations of North America.
4/8/24: Please be aware that one of the totem poles at Kensington Park has fallen down due to the high winds this past weekend. Staff is concerned about the stability of the remaining two poles and ask that patrons avoid the area that is currently taped off. We are currently looking into solutions for stabilization and reinstallation, and will provide updates as we know more. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.