A 17-foot-tall welcome figure, seen here in plans revealed at a Ballard District Council meeting in June 2009, will be unveiled July 17, pushed back from June 12, at the Salmon Bay Natural Area.
Due to some last minute fabrication hitches, the dedication of a sculpture at the Salmon Bay Natural Area has been postponed fron June 12 to July 17.
The statue, a welcome figure, is being created by Marvin Oliver, a renowned artist of Quinault heritage, and will help remind viewers of the stories, history and creativity inherent in local indigenous cultures.
Commissioned in partnership with Groundswell NW and the City of Seattle, the welcome figure will serve to identify Salmon Bay Natural Area while offering an aesthetic reminder to protect vulnerable watersheds, according to a Groundswell NW press release.
An aluminum and glass disc depicting the salmon life cycle is oriented to face upstream, giving thanks to the salmon as they migrate out to sea and creating a visual connection to the waterway with color and light, according to the press release.
The dedication ceremony on July 17 will feature Duwamish tribal leader Cecile Hanson to honor the unique artistry of the Salish people and people's connection with the landscape.
Groundswell NW is inviting neighbors to celebrate with them from 10 a.m. to noon on July 17 by giving thanks to the salmon returning to the water and welcoming them to come back next year.
Salmon Bay Natural Area is part of a collective effort with Seattle Public Utilities and other agencies to preserve habitat for the life cycle of Puget Sound salmon.
The natural area, located at the 34th Avenue Northwest shoreline street end, preserves and enhances nearly 700 lineal feet of shoreline habitat with native vegetation that provides shade and protection essential for juvenile salmon as they make a critical transformation from a freshwater to saltwater environment, Groundswell NW's Elizabeth Dunigan said in a press release.
