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Mouthwatering news for local food producers and fans of farmers markets: Snohomish County is working to create a robust Food and Farming Center (FFC) in McCollum Park in southeast Everett. The facility will be a regional hub for food producers to process, distribute and sell their products, and will also feature a year-round indoor farmers market and a commercial kitchen.
“Agriculture in Snohomish County is a thriving industry,” Snohomish County Agriculture Office Manager Linda Neunzig said at a recent open house at the Northwest Stream Center in McCollum Park. Cropland in the county increased from 20,000 acres in 2012 to 33,000 in 2017. During that same period, the number of new and beginning farmers in the county increased by 31%. “People want to come here to farm. We have excellent soils and tremendous support for our agriculture community,” she said. A recording of the presentation can be watched here.
Installing expensive infrastructure for processing products is financially challenging to many farmers. The FCC will help food producers overcome that hurdle by offering the necessary equipment and infrastructure for processing, aggregation and distribution on a rental basis.
“Farmers from across the region have needed this infrastructure for over a decade. As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, local food security is vital,” Neunzig said. The FFC is a key component of the County’s broader commitment to strengthening local agriculture, enhancing food security, and supporting sustainable economic development.
McCollum Park was chosen in part due to its proximity to Interstate 5, which makes it easily accessible to trucks transporting food products to and from the facility. The FCC will be sited in the park’s northwest section, requiring the removal of a swimming pool. Future phases will include removal or renovation of the two WSU Extensions buildings, a new playgroundand site improvements near the Northwest Stream Center.
The project’s current cost estimate is approximately $60 million. “We’ve secured nearly $15 million in local funding and state and federal grants. And were continuing to seek additional grants and funding,” said Snohomish County Park Planning Supervisor Rachel Dotson. “We’re also going to be focusing on seeking public/private partnership opportunities that could help bring in additional funding.” Construction is projected to begin in 2026, with Phase 1 expected to be completed in late 2028.
The County seeks community input regarding the FCC through an online survey that is available through Nov. 10.
I like this idea but have two concerns/ questions. 1) Why remove a pool? It seems kids / families dont have a lot of simple style fun opportunities anymore. I dont know if this pool was popular and busy but if it was used it should not be taken down. Can’t the market go in the land behind the pool just on a smaller scale than what is planned? Or take up some parking?
2) Please don’t take WSU extensions. Renovate and work with them.
3) I have heard this area has high frequency of large dangerous wildlife. Without disruppting wildlife, are there plans to make sure bring food into this area isnt going to bring out the wildlife?
Regarding the pool, someone noted elsewhere that it has been in disrepair for years and not used.
I walk my dog here and have never seen nor heard of any dangerous wildlife – people LARP in the woods here with their children, I doubt its much of a concern.
“Why remove a pool?”
From the Snohomish County website:
As a 50-year-old facility, the pool would have needed $7 million in repairs to continue operating. This was too high of expenditure for an outdoor pool with only 3 months of operation a year and considering all the existing improvement needs across the County’s 12,000-acre park system.
We understand that many families and members of the community may be disappointed the pool has closed permanently. We are grateful we were able to provide this community resource to Snohomish County for so long, and we look forward to serving the community in a different way with the Snohomish County Food and Farming Center.
https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/facilities/facility/details/McCollum-Pioneer-Park-43
We are at a point in time we must prioritize foundational community building, sustainability and access to healthy affordable non-processes foods. It’s a fantastic step in the direction our community needs. While I love a great pool, the wise direction for survival of the general population is a development that every single person can benefit from. This will be a quality of life improvement to not only the local farming sector, but also for everyone in Everett. Thank you so much for the continued efforts to raise the funding. Local unsung heroes sacrifice a lot of time and energy to improve access to critical resources.