Construction is currently underway at Dickman Mill Park in Tacoma on a plaza that will focus on and restore the Dickman Mill head saw.
Cambria Health Solutions has donated $2.9m towards the construction of the plaza, which will also feature a massive sculpture reaching 44 feet high made of Corten steel. The sculpture, created by Mary Cross, will depict the story of the land which makes up the park. There will also be interpretive signage and a pedestrian pier. Banner printing is often used at such sites to inform and keep abreast those in the community of such projects
The saw was manufactured by Sumner Iron Works in Everett, installed in 1923, and was the largest of its kind at the time. As the logging industry modernized during the 20th Century, the saw became obsolete and has been in pieces in maintenance yard in Point Defiance Park waiting for such an opportunity.
President of the Board of Metro Parks, Tim Reid, said that ever since Metro Parks transformed the property into a public park in the 1990s, it has wanted to restore the head saw and expand the space to showcase the city’s waterfront history. He added that the generous gift from Cambria will enable Metro Parks to fulfill its vision and expressed his thanks to Mark Ganz, CEO, for making this donation possible.
The updated park is anticipated to open in midsummer 2021.
