A New Park With A Magical Name!
This Bellingham park could have been a housing development, but it now has a magical name.
Bellingham’s newest park has a magical name inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh. The Bellingham City Council approved Hundred Acre Wood for land called the Chuckanut Community Forest. The city bought the land in 2011 to prevent a proposed development of nearly 1,500 homes. While the forested area south of Fairhaven Park has been known colloquially for decades as the Hundred Acre Wood, it is now official. In a landslide, nearly unanimous vote on September 12, the Bellingham City Council officially approved the name made famous as the home of Eeyore, Piglet, and Winnie-the-Pooh in the beloved stories by A.A. Milne.
The master plan for the South Bellingham park has been approved by the council, which will allow bicycles and leashed dogs. The park began as an 82-acre plot, but recent purchases funded by a special taxing district established by South Bellingham residents have expanded it to 112 acres. Some trails will be closed and allowed to return to their natural state, while others will be improved to protect wetlands and other sensitive areas. Additional directional signs to improve “wayfinding” within the park will also be added.
