Seattle Press Release
Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the public to submit potential names for parks in the West Seattle and Queen Anne neighborhoods. Suggestions for names are due to the Park Naming Committee by Thursday, Nov. 1.
The following describe the parks that need new names. The park names used below are working titles:
Ercolini: In 2005, Seattle Parks acquired property at 48th Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street, West of Seattle Junction. Funding from the first cycle of the Pro Parks Levy Opportunity Fund paid for acquisition of the site, and grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and a Neighborhood Matching Fund will pay for development.
Parks held several public meetings to solicit ideas on the program and design for the park. The preferred concepts include an open play meadow, children’s play structures, a sand box, a small plaza with tables and benches, a loop path and sidewalks, trees, landscaping, drainage and irrigation. Construction on the site begins in early October and will be completed in early 2008. For more information, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/proparks/projects/ercoliniDev.htm
Dexter Pit: This project, located on Dexter Avenue N, north of McGraw St, develops a 56,625 square foot (1.3-acre) site into a neighborhood park. This now vacant property was used until 1987 as a gravel pit and for material storage. The site is in the process of being transferred to Parks from Fleets and Facilities.
The Pro Parks Levy provides $745,185 for planning, design and construction of this new park that was identified in the Pro Parks Art Plan as one that would have an artist collaboration. The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs has selected Andrew Cao as the project artist to design the site. Parks has selected SiteWorkshop Landscape Architects to collaborate with the artist to develop a unified design which will support the proposed art work while addressing the environmental issues on site.
The park will be used for recreation and open space purposes, as well as to promote the value of arts and culture in and of communities throughout Seattle parks. Parks has held two of the proposed three public meetings for this project. The third meeting will be held in November 2007. Parks anticipates construction starting in April of 2008 with completion around mid July 2008. For more information please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/proparks/projects/dexterpit.htm
The Park Naming Committee is comprised of one representative designated by the Board of Park Commissioners, one by the Chair of the City Council Parks, Neighborhoods and Education Committee, and one by the Parks Superintendent. Criteria the committee considers in naming parks include: geographical location, historical or cultural significance, and natural or geological features. A park may be named for a person no longer living (deceased a minimum of three years) who made a significant contribution to parks and/or recreation. The Park Naming Committee will consider all suggestions and make a recommendation to the Superintendent, who makes the final decision.
Please submit suggestions for park names in writing by
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, and include an explanation of how your suggestion matches the naming criteria. Send to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Park Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109, or by e-mail to
paula.hoff@seattle.gov. In keeping with Seattle's "Paper Cuts" program, electronic submissions are preferred, if possible.
