PORT ANGELES — Olympic National Park is in the first stage of planning for a new visitor center on Hurricane Ridge, and park officials want the public to help shape the design.
The original lodge, a 12,200-square-foot structure built in 1952, was lost to a fire in May 2023. A third-party investigation into the origin and cause of the fire found no definitive cause.
The project is in the conceptual, pre-design phase. A design contract was awarded to Anderson Hallas Architects on Sept. 19, and geotechnical surveys were performed a month later. The results of these surveys, which are currently being analyzed, will guide the design of a safe and resilient foundation.
A public listening session will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 14 at the Field Arts and Events Hall in Port Angeles. Park officials ask that park visitors bring their ideas, questions, and copies of old photos to contribute to a memory board honoring the original lodge.
Ideas and comments can also be submitted online at: parkplanning.nps.gov/ DayLodge_ListeningSession
(Photo: Debris pile left by the fire at the Day Lodge)