LaceyLife April 2025

Public Safety Update

Lacey’s Police Department (LPD), the only accredited law enforcement agency in Thurston County, takes pride in its community-focused approach to policing. By partnering with residents to keep our city safe, LPD prioritizes community care and education first, with enforcement coming second.

Five uniformed police officers pose and smile in an office. The seated officer in the center holds a pink novelty pen while the others stand around him.

With a proactive, data-driven, and regional strategy, LPD delivers excellent customer service and works hard to maintain a low crime rate—a reflection of the professionalism and training of its officers. Each officer receives 10.7 hours of
training every month.

In a recent Public Safety Update to the City Council, Chief Robert Almada shared promising news: one of LPD’s top priorities for 2024—crime reduction—has been met with success, as well as another key priority to enhance staffing, training, and retention.

Over the past 18 months, the Department hired and trained 20 new officers, effectively reaching full staffing levels. The increase in personnel contributed to a 26% increase in police activity in 2024. The increased police presence and activity resulted in an impressive 10% decrease in the overall crime rate for the City of Lacey! (Note: The 2024 data is preliminary until it’s finalized in July.)

Lacey Police patch featuring a mountain, trees, lake, an eagle in flight, and the words “Lacey Police Washington.”.

With a dedicated team and a commitment to continuous improvement, LPD is making Lacey safer and a great place to live, work, and play.

To learn more about the LPD, visit their webpage.

Solar Energy Made Simple!

Solarize Thurston — a nonprofit-sponsored solar energy group-purchasing model used to reduce costs and simplify the solar installation process — is back and open for enrollment!

Switching to solar has economic and environmental benefits, but the process can feel overwhelming — from perceived costs and technical details to choosing the right installer. That’s where Solarize Thurston comes in!

By combining demand from multiple communities, conducting a competitive contractor selection process, and hosting free educational workshops, Solarize Thurston makes going solar easy, secure, and accessible.

When you sign up for this limited-time opportunity, you’ll have access to discounted pricing, vetted local installers, and high-quality, made-in-Washington equipment. Once you sign up,
the process is as simple as:

Assessment: Your installer will schedule a solar assessment.
Quote: You’ll get a quote with a payback period and total savings.
Installation: Once scheduled, installation typically takes 2-3 days.
Generation: Start generating clean energy savings!

To learn more and register for the free educational workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13 at the Olympia Timberland Library, visit their website.

Parksploration: New! Greg Cuoio Park

Lacey’s park system is one of the best municipal park systems in Washington with over 1,200 acres of park land and open space, miles of paved, ADA-accessible trails, several community buildings, and the Regional Athletic Complex (RAC).

The Greg Cuoio Park (Park) and surrounding greenways, located off Carpenter Road just north of I-5 (see map), include about 537 acres of dense forest, wetlands, tributaries, and sensitive habitat areas. This largely undeveloped land offers a rare and exciting opportunity to preserve and enhance the natural environment while creating new recreation opportunities.

Three aerial maps show Pleasant Ridge Park and Gregg-Clark Park, highlighting areas for disc golf and trails with numbered paths and color-coded park boundaries.

EXCITING NEWS! We recently broke ground on a truly unique regional treasure — Lacey’s largest park: Greg Cuoio Park!

A Balance of Recreation & Preservation

The Greg Cuoio Park and Greenways Master Plan (Plan) process, completed in 2022, included extensive public outreach to ensure the Plan reflected the community’s long-term vision and preferred activities. The vision for Greg Cuoio Park prioritizes:

Open space preservation
Water quality protection
Natural environment enhancement

Children of diverse abilities play on an inclusive, accessible playground with ramps, slides, and a treehouse structure in a park setting.

The Park will provide a balanced mix of passive and active recreation, creating a space where
everyone can explore, experience, and learn about the rich natural beauty of this Park.

Phase 1A: What’s Coming First!

Construction of the Park will be completed in phases. Phase 1A spans 139 acres and will add several exciting amenities, including:

A large, inclusive, and accessible playground
Approximately two miles of paved and soft-surface trails
An 18-hole disc golf course
Large picnic shelter
Flexible open space
Portable restrooms

In addition, it will include general access infrastructure such as safe access and a driveway from Carpenter Road, about 75 parking spaces, and signage.

Phase 1A Funding and Timeline

Phase 1A of the project is estimated to cost $6,500,000. The City received nearly $1,000,000 in grant funding, including a state legislative appropriation of $499,550 and $500,000 from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program – Local Parks.

Phase 1A construction is now underway with a tentative opening planned for this fall. Watch for updates as the project progresses!

A Little Park History

From 2002-2012 the City purchased several properties to form Greg Cuoio Park and the surrounding greenways. The Park is named in honor of Greg Cuoio, Lacey’s former City Manager, recognizing his 24 years of public service and instrumental role in securing these lands for public use.

To learn more about Greg Cuoio Park and discover other Lacey parks and trails, visit the Lacey Parks webpage.

Mark Your Calendar! Lacey Spring Fun Fair: Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18

Since 1988, Lacey Spring Fun Fair has provided thousands of people a weekend of FREE activities and entertainment including rides, games and activities, live music and performances, community booths, a car show (Sunday), and more! Attendees can also purchase food, arts and crafts, and other merchandise from vendors on-site.Since 1988, Lacey Spring Fun Fair has provided thousands of people a weekend of FREE activities and entertainment including rides, games and activities, live music and performances, community booths, a car show (Sunday), and more! Attendees can also purchase food, arts and crafts, and other merchandise from vendors on-site.