Eagle Scout Park and the bulldozer

Photo by Mary Jo Heller

By Jerry Pickard

Eagle Scout Park was built by the scouts of Troop 318. It was the Eagle project of Russell Rainforth, son of Brig.General Richard "Dick" Rainforth while he was Scoutmaster of Troop 318. Dick later went on to become Mayor of Lake Forest Park.

We built the park in the late seventies and several Eagles and both my sons who later became Eagles worked on it. I got a bulldozer and operator from the Washington Army National Guard out of Pier 91 to level the ground and remove the debris that the neighbors used to dump there before it was developed, which was mostly grass clippings and yard waste.

After it was built, the city took over maintenance of the site and mows the grass as necessary, usually when they finish clipping Animal Acres. 

Eagle Scout Park. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

When the boys planted the trees they were saplings which I think we got from Sky Nursery. Now, after almost forty years, the trees are at least 50 feet tall. The boys are all grown with families of their own. Russ went on to join the U.S. Air Force and become a pilot flying fighters and is probably close to a military retirement now. 

Dick died a few years ago and the city planted a Cedar tree over in Animal Acres in his memory not too long ago.

Troop 318 met in the LFP Civic Club until it folded many years ago, as we could not get enough adult help to go on outings and provide supervision at the Troop meetings. I was the Scoutmaster after Dick became Mayor but I don't remember who the Scoutmaster was at the end of Troop 318's existence.

See previous article about Eagle Scout Park.

Does anyone have anything to add to Jerry's memories of the park and scout troop?  Tell us about it.