Frequently asked questions

Freedom Park is open from dawn to dusk, every day of the year. There are no set opening or closing times — the park follows daylight hours. Admission is always free.

Freedom Park is located at 848 N. Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA 98282 — at the intersection of Highway 532 and East North Camano Drive, right at the entrance to Camano Island. You can't miss it.

The shelter at the playground is available on a first come, first served basis — there is no reservation policy for the sheltered pavilion in the playground. If you would like to reserve the park area for an event larger than 15 people, please contact us at least 45 days in advance for board approval and next steps. Please note there is no electricity or running water available at the park.

Freedom Park is set on a drain field for stormwater, as well as the Camano Commons septic system. The pipes in the ground are very delicate and cannot be driven on. Stakes or other ground-penetrating objects cannot be used anywhere in the park as the pipes are shallow.

Please help protect the park and keep our neighbors happy by following this important rule. No driving on the grass, no stakes, no ground-penetrating objects of any kind.

Yes — dogs are welcome at Freedom Park, but they must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pet and be mindful of other visitors, especially young children in the playground areas.

Renting the sign is easy. Visit our Rent the Sign page, select your date, enter your message, and complete your payment through PayPal. Sign rental is $20 per day. Once your order is confirmed, your message will be displayed on the sign at the gateway to Camano Island on your selected date.

Yes — here's how to book multiple dates in one order: fill out the product information for your first date and click "Add to Cart." Then scroll back up, clear the previous text, enter your next date and message, and click "Add to Cart" again. Repeat until you have all your dates added. They'll all appear in your cart and you can check out in one transaction.

The sign is available for community messages of all kinds — birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, memorials, business openings, event announcements, and more. All messages must be family-friendly and appropriate for public display. Freedom Park Association reserves the right to decline any message that is offensive, political, or otherwise inappropriate. We aim to keep the sign a positive, welcoming community space.

Sign rental payments are processed through PayPal, which accepts all major credit and debit cards as well as PayPal account balances. You do not need a PayPal account to complete your payment — you can check out as a guest using any major credit card.

Sign rental dates are first-come, first-served. If your preferred date is unavailable, please choose an alternative date or contact us to be placed on a waitlist in case of a cancellation.

The perimeter fence surrounding Freedom Park features over 1,000 individual pickets, each bearing the name of a community member, family, business, or organization that donated to support the park. The picket program was a major fundraising effort during the park's construction and continues to be one of its most beloved features — a permanent, physical record of the community's investment in this place.

The old fence was 15 years old and rotting, creating a safety issue for kids playing in the park. We replaced the posts, top rails, and bottom kick boards with a very durable engineered product made from recycled plastic — this frame will last for 50 years. The new wood pickets are expected to last the next 10 years, at which point the Association can raise additional funds with new pickets.

The installation of the new fence was completed on June 22, 2025. Thank you to everyone who donated and volunteered to make it happen.

There are over 1,000 pickets — so take your time and make a few slow passes around the fence. Many people who thought their picket was missing found it after a more careful look. If you still can't locate it after a thorough search, contact us and we can check our order records.

We respect and honor everyone who originally supported the park. Our plan is to preserve the old pickets as a memorial art installation right here at the park. We are constructing a backing for the large Camano Island sign next to the red building facing the playground — the old pickets will be freshened up and installed there as a permanent memorial. No named picket will be discarded.

We'd love to keep your picket as part of the memorial art installation — it's a meaningful piece of the park's history. But if you'd prefer not to have your picket displayed, contact us to make arrangements. Please do not remove your picket from the fence yourself — this creates a safety hazard for children in the park.

The original picket program from the park's construction phase is no longer active. However, if you're interested in a recognition opportunity of this kind, please contact us — we may have options available and would love to hear from you.

We'd love to have you. Visit our Volunteer page and fill out the interest form — let us know your availability and what kinds of projects interest you. You can also reach our volunteer coordinator, Kevin, directly at freedomparkvolunteers@gmail.com.

Visit our Donate page to make a gift of any size. We accept donations through PayPal and all major credit cards. Freedom Park Association is a registered nonprofit and donations may be tax-deductible — consult your tax advisor for details.

Yes. Freedom Park Association is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations to the Association may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Please consult your tax advisor for specific guidance on deductibility.

Freedom Park is 100% privately funded. The park receives no government grants or public funding of any kind. Every dollar spent on maintenance, improvements, and operations comes from community donations, sign rental revenue, and the generosity of local businesses and organizations. This is your park — built and sustained entirely by the people of Camano Island.

Freedom Park was built by volunteers, funded by the community, and made possible by the C.A.R.E. (Camano Association for Recreation and Environment) organization. The land was donated by Brown & Cole in 2002. Construction was completed and the park was dedicated on July 4th, 2003. Read the full history of the park.

The name Freedom Park reflects the park's deep connection to the Pearl Harbor memorial legacy and the values of freedom, service, and community that its founders wanted to honor. The park was dedicated on July 4th, 2003 — Independence Day — as a deliberate tribute to those values and to the veterans whose service the park memorializes.

Freedom Park is managed by Freedom Park Association, a volunteer-led nonprofit governed by a board of directors drawn from the Camano Island community. The board oversees finances, maintenance, improvements, and stewardship of the park. Learn more on our Board of Directors page.

The best way to reach us is through our Contact page. You can also find us on Facebook where we post regular updates about the park. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.