Our mission is to encourage enjoyment of Tacoma's waterfront....


Congratulations to Greater Metro Parks Foundation for the outstanding Wine & Roses evening at the Point Defiance Rose Garden.

CONTINUING THE VISION ... REALIZING OUR POTENTIAL

For over 60 years Tacomans have dreamed of a pedestrian walkway along the water, from the head of the Thea Foss to the beach and trails of Point Defiance.

To bring the dream to life we've formed Walk the Waterfront, a nonprofit organization dedicated to a continuous, accessible, vibrant path along those seven miles. We see so many opportunities emphasizing healthy lifestyles, recreation, business, conservation, culture and history.

We have three simple goals. First, we want the waterfront to drive millions of dollars into the local economy. Second, we want to show how a vigorous urban waterfront can actually improve the eco-health of Puget Sound. Third, we want to complete the dream of a world-class recreation and education resource accessible to and enjoyed by all Tacomans.

To achieve these goals and protect our extraordinary shoreline, we need a community-wide vision for the waterfront. We have nearly 80 percent of what we need already in place. Ruston Way is busy but Thea Foss Esplanade is quiet. We need to link these two public spaces with easily accessible walkways and bikeways. It is time to give Tacoma what it deserves. We have held a series of conversations with some of the stakeholders on the waterfront: some of the many governments, private landowners, citizen users and nonprofit groups that make up the owner/user "checkerboard."

Now we need to hear from more of you who want to enjoy Tacoma's beautiful front yard. It is time to create a shared plan to finish the last 20 percent of our waterfront.

You know the obstacles. It is time to be creative.

Do we have places that are ill-lit and unsafe? Dangerous stretches of road? Can we move faster to fix environmental problems? Can some sites be put to even better use? How can we continue to blend our historic past with an active, healthy future?

You in our community have the answers for what is in the best interest of Tacoma. Add your opinions. Help turn dreams into reality. Join us.
You have opinions about Tacoma's waterfront. We'd like to hear them. Click CONTACT and keep in touch.

Walk the Waterfront ... Continuing the vision ... Realizing our potential



Tahoma Salt Marsh Restoration Site
Bring a friend ... roll up your sleeves ... grab your gardening gloves .... bring a shovel...help heal part of Tacoma's waterfront


It's time to pull weeds, remove invasive species, help repair the habitat along our shoreline and volunteer with Citizens for a Healthy Bay. 
Location: Tahoma Salt Marsh, a 2 minute walk from the McCarver Street-Ruston Way intersection in Tacoma.
Students under 18 will need to bring a parent/guardian.
Thank you to the volunteers who weeded, clipped and shovelled on Saturday June 5th. Tahoma Salt Marsh is definitely looking healthier than it did last year. With your help, we are making progress.

The restoration work at 1741 North Schuster Parkway started in 2003. Here is the City of Tacoma's description of the work: Nestled along the Ruston Way shoreline, a bowl-shaped salt marsh and upland areas were created in this area to restore riparian habitat. Contractors removed more than 6,000 cubic yards of soil. The clean soil was reused to create the upland areas and nearly 1,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was properly disposed of off-site. Volunteers planted more than 6,000 native plants near the water. Join us and help repair Tahoma Salt Marsh.
Click here and we'll send you more information and upcoming dates.

Thank you for caring about a walkable, accessible waterfront for Tacoma.

Waterfront Tacoma sponsored by The University of Washington Tacoma Urban Studies department and Walk the Waterfront has brought together student researchers with leaders from our community. We thank UWT's Dr. Anne Taufen Wessels, Dr. Joel Baker, Dr. Brian Coffey, Dr. Jose Rios and Dr. Jim Gawel, University of Puget Sound's Dr. Dan Sherman, City Council Member and Architect David Boe, The News Tribune's Peter Callaghan, Exit133's Derek Young, City Council Member and Cascade Land Conservancy's Ryan Mello, Greater MetroParks Foundation Executive Director Drew Ebersole, City of Tacoma's Steve Atkinson, Port of Tacoma Commissioner Clare Petrich, The News Tribune columnist Peter Callaghan, Citizen for a Healthy Bay's Leslie Ann Rose, Thea Foss Development Authority's Su Dowie, Foss Waterway Seaport's Tom Cashman, Walk the Waterfront's Lara Herrmann, and the many members of our community who have contributed greatly to the vision for a completed seven mile waterfront walkway linking the Tacoma Dome with the parks of Pt. Defiance.