Oak Harbor Council Reaffirms Gun Club Road Access For Regional Park

Oak Harbor city councilors and staff met on November 14, 2025 to address a contentious element of the long planned 75 acre regional sports park, ultimately restoring a Gun Club Road entrance that had been the preferred choice of respondents to a city survey. The discussion highlighted a disconnect between public input and preliminary staff drawings, and prompted city planners to revise the site concept to reflect council direction.

Councilors had previously leaned toward the Gun Club Road access based on public survey feedback. Staff had prepared plans that showed an alternate street as the primary access point, which prompted concern among councilors and community members about circulation, neighborhood impacts and consistency with the public engagement outcomes. After discussion, staff revised the concept back to the Gun Club Road entrance to align with the council preference.

The preferred first phase design envisions multiple soccer fields, Little League and softball fields, additional multi purpose fields, parking, a perimeter trail and preserved wetlands. Those amenities are intended to establish a core of organized sport and passive recreation while protecting environmentally sensitive areas on the site. City estimates indicate that the full multi phase buildout could cost tens of millions of dollars, a sum the city plans to spread across incremental development phases and to seek funding for over several years.

For Island County residents, the decision carries practical implications. Locally based youth leagues and adult recreational programs could gain more field space and a dedicated venue, reducing pressure on existing parks. The Gun Club Road entrance will concentrate vehicle traffic along that corridor, raising questions about intersection capacity, parking management and neighborhood impacts that the city will need to address in detailed engineering and traffic studies. The inclusion of a perimeter trail and wetlands protection aims to balance active recreation with habitat conservation and passive uses that appeal to a broader range of residents.

Financially, the multi phase approach signals a long term commitment but also uncertainty as staff pursue grants, partnerships and other funding sources. Building the park in stages may allow use of early phase facilities while later phases await resources, but the timeline will depend on successful funding outcomes.

With the entrance decision settled for now, city staff will continue design work and seek funding to move the project forward. Residents interested in potential changes to traffic patterns, field availability and natural area stewardship should monitor city planning updates as incremental development and funding efforts proceed.