City Center Park was originally envisioned in the City of Lynnwood’s City Center Parks Master Plan in 2007 and further refined in a 2018 update. The park is intended to serve as a “catalyst and symbol” of the emerging City Center and a destination for both residents and visitors.
The 2018 plan update aligned the park vision with new development and the arrival of light rail, focusing on a central civic space—Town Square—and identifying several potential properties along the 198th Street corridor. In the years that followed, the City evaluated seven sites and narrowed them to two priority locations. In the following years, staff began cost analysis and communication with property owners of those property sites, eventually narrowing the 7 potential sites to 2.
In 2022, the City purchased a property at 4027 198th St SW for approximately $8 million, funded through a combination of Park Impact Fees and bond financing. The site is currently leased to Goodwill while the City seeks grant funding to help offset acquisition costs.
The City is currently seeking a grant to help reimburse the City for a small portion of the purchase of the property. Community outreach is currently underway to support this grant application. However, construction for park development is not anticipated until 2032.