COCHRANE MEMORIAL PARK
In addition to being a beautiful park, Cochrane Memorial Park, located on Mill Road SE, is also a water reclamation facility. The wastewater generated by the City is reclaimed and reused, for the betterment of the community and the environment. Through treatment processes, the City’s sewage wastewater is transformed into water that is clean enough for all purposes except drinking water, such as irrigation for Yelm Middle School and Yelm City Park, school bus washing, and firefighting purposes. This is water that would otherwise be wasted.
The land for the park was donated by Lou and Mae E. Cochrane, in 1983, to be developed into a park for all citizens to enjoy. The park is on eight acres, 4 of which are wetland cells created for the purpose of further filtering the water prior to its reentering the aquifer. There is also a ¾ acre catch and release fish pond, with rainbow trout ranging in size from 6 – 12 inches.
The City of Yelm is committed to the preservation and conservation of water, and, with the creation of Cochrane Memorial Park, has also taken a huge step in protecting the environment by reducing the pollution entering the Nisqually River and protecting the salmon resources.
