KNIGHT FOREST
In late 2010, the Foundation maximized the opportunity to secure the 19-acre “Knight Forest” property adjacent to the Harbor Family Park site. The Foundation’s leadership worked closely with the heirs, Steven and Larissa Kesling, for several years to help make this purchase possible. In this project, the Foundation acted in an interim capacity to acquire the land for future acquisition by PenMet Parks.
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The original 40-acre property had been in the Knight family for four generations. Over time, the land was divided in half by Merrill Knight and passed back to his nieces Cassandra and Shareen Knight, who had originally inherited the land from their grandmother when they were teenagers. The first parcel (Harbor Family Park), was purchased with help from the Foundation in late 2007.
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This key acquisition offered the opportunity to double the park’s footprint. The additional land greatly enhances the potential for the park to provide a better mix of protected forestland, trails, active recreation and other community facilities in this under-serviced area of the Gig Harbor peninsula.
Joint efforts between the Park District, the Foundation, and the community helped to secure a matching WWRP acquisition grant. Ownership was transitioned to the PenMet Parks District in early 2012.
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Location: 3501 70th Ave. NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335