WHEREAS, Point Defiance Park provides an estimated two million visitors a year with memories to last a lifetime as an urban oasis, a forested refuge, and a place of gathering for occasions both leisurely and momentous; and
     WHEREAS, Forward-thinking Tacoma residents rallied to protect an unused federal military reservation as public green space and President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation granting title of Point Defiance Park to the City of Tacoma on March 3, 1905; and
     WHEREAS, Point Defiance Park is considered the crown jewel of Tacoma's public green spaces and an icon for the city, with only 150 of its 702 acres developed and maintained, resulting in stands of old growth forest, 10 miles of walking trails, rocky saltwater beaches, wave-battered cliffs, and breathtaking views across Puget Sound in the midst of an urban setting; and
     WHEREAS, Point Defiance Park is also home to eight landscaped gardens, the historic Lodge and Pagoda, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, the Boathouse Marina, Owen Beach, Five Mile Drive, and Camp 6 Logging Museum; and
     WHEREAS, Metro Parks Tacoma, which manages and maintains the park, is planning to celebrate Point Defiance Park's Centennial with special events, displays, lectures, a documentary, and more from March through September 2005; and
     WHEREAS, Residents and visitors who honor the people and events of the past through these celebrations are reminded of their responsibility to protect and enhance the park for future generations;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate do hereby recognize the year of the Point Defiance Park Centennial and encourage all citizens to support Point Defiance Park as an enduring legacy for future generations, to engage in planning for its future, and to participate in Centennial celebration activities.