Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) asked the public to come and visit on Oct. 10 to review the design and provide final community input on possible additional features for the West Seattle Junction future park site at 4723-4731 40th Ave. SW. 

SEE THE CURRENT DESIGN HERE

The nearly quarter acre site has been landbanked since 2012  and tne new park is intended to provide open space for the West Seattle Junction neighborhood. It's adjacent to Sound and Fog Coffee and just behind Whole Foods and the Alki Masonic Temple.

SPR hosted a number of community events to gather input prior to the project being put on hold during the pandemic.  GGLO, the design firm for the park and SPR are encouraging the community to participate in this short survey https://seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/WestSeattleJunction  to provide final feedback on the park design.  The future park will incorporate accessibility features in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide access to open space.

But across the region and the nation, the unhoused can and do come to parks and stay, sometimes creating an environment unsuitable for children. Since this park is intended to have children's play elements what can be done in terms of design to make the park safe? SPR Project Manager Kelly Goold said, "There are some kinds of design things you can do. I don't think there's one real answer to any of it. But open spaces are what those people are going to be attracted to. The important part for any park is to have use for it. You want a reason for people to be there. If there's activity and a point and purpose for people to go there, it's less likely for some to use it in different ways. When this is built it will be less flat, less lawn area and with topography with more use than what it is currently. Some folks see it but don't camp here for whatever reason."

Goold drew a distinction between the Junction Plaza Park on Alaska Street where unhoused people have created a law enforcement issue. "That kind of park is more of 'stop and collect your thoughts' space. This one is much larger and has more variety."

To be clear SPR is not building in "hostile architecture" as it's sometimes called but rather creating a multifacted space meant to attract a variety of activities that will on their own attract positive uses of the space. There will be a sprinkler system installed which tends to discourage campers.

SPR will extend the corner near Sound and Fog to have a similar kind of use as the cafe for outdoor seating in the summer. A chess club has expressed interest in using the park for that purpose. There are two children's play areas including a climbing wall area in the design.

High on the list of those surveyed was native and adaptive plantings, pollinator lplanting, a shaded seating area, stormwater mitigation, a naturalistic play area. and a rainwater feature.

What will it be called? That will be decided by a three member panel but first. suggestions will be accepted from the public, Expect that to open up early next year.

If all goes according to plan the construction will out for bids in early 2024
with construction starting in Spring 2024, complete by Summer 2024.