PARK(ing) Day: New details on Junction Plaza Park project

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We dropped by the Seattle Parks Foundation‘s “park” in The Junction thinking it was a quick photo op – and instead, we found out a lot of new information that answers a question asked every time we show the site of Junction Plaza Park (northwest corner of 42nd/Alaska): “When is it going to be done and how much more money do they need?” Read on for details plus the latest park plan:

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That’s Woody Wheeler, project director for SPF, working with the West Seattle Junction Association to get Junction Plaza Park through the final phase of its development: “We’ve got new momentum,” he told WSB as we chatted next to the PARK(ing) Day park set up specifically to provide info on the project. One of the handouts has the park’s slightly revised design – we don’t have an electronic copy of it yet, so we took a photo of the art on the flyer:

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$350,000 is needed to complete the park. Wheeler says they’re talking now to potential major donors, like the local developers with projects in The Junction, as well as foundations, and they’re also planning to apply for more city funds (Pro Parks money has already gone into earlier phases of the park project, including the land acquisition three years ago). They’re hoping to wrap up fundraising by the end of next June – then if all goes well, construction could start about this time next year, and the park could be done in early 2010. If you want to know more – you’ve got till 4 pm to check out the informational PARK(ing) Day “park” and info table by KeyBank in The Junction:

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That’s Todd Burley, SPF communications director, who was also there with Wheeler when we visited. Here’s the SPF info page on Junction Plaza Park (more to be added);

11 Replies to "PARK(ing) Day: New details on Junction Plaza Park project"

  • arborheightist September 19, 2008 (1:52 pm)

    I don’t know if it’s feasible, but consider something like the park in Fairhaven (Bellingham) that includes a white-painted wall to show movies. Make it people friendly with benches, maybe even a coffee cart in the summer?

  • WSB September 19, 2008 (2:46 pm)

    there’s benches in the more detailed art on the other side of the flyer from which I took the photo above – it didn’t come out very well, though, so I stuck with the general shapes for this, and will publish an update when the folks at the Parks Foundation get me electronic copies including the street-level art view that shows benches, etc. – TR

  • KT September 19, 2008 (2:47 pm)

    I guess I was stupid. I thought when I agreed to tax myself for parks that the tax would take care of this stuff. Now they need to beg money to finish it? Ridiculous. With this new figure mentioned and the money already spent according to the city website, by my calculations this little piece of land will cost $1million when done.

  • war September 19, 2008 (2:56 pm)

    Another reason to vote NO on the new Parks Dept.levy!!!!

  • Dawson September 19, 2008 (7:03 pm)

    This might be a good candidate for some guerilla gardening. I’d be all up for ponying up some money and planting trees. In fact I’d donate some plants. Anyone else out there up for something like this? Seems like a million dollars for 14 trees (count the circles) is a bit ridiculous.

  • WILLIAM GAX September 19, 2008 (10:03 pm)

    Save $ go to ALKI.

  • MrJT September 20, 2008 (10:08 am)

    Hey Dawson, Ill bring a shovel and some cash.

  • Mickymse September 20, 2008 (1:01 pm)

    I hope you’re all joking… It’s a piece of land in a key location. Just purchasing the land eats up a good chunk of a million dollars. And design isn’t cheap, either…

  • Michael McGinn September 20, 2008 (5:56 pm)

    We need to keep up our investments in parks and open spaces to keep up with growth in this city. We have good parks because people before us made sure we did. We have that same responsibility to the next generation.

  • Brice Maryman September 20, 2008 (9:52 pm)

    In ProParks there appears to have been money set aside to acquire that parcel. That seems to have been done, and now it seem great that there is a public private partnership forming to make the development happen. Talk about smart investments, that’s what I call leveraging!

  • Brice Maryman September 20, 2008 (9:53 pm)

    Hey, check out the new parks levy. Maybe the $15 million opportunity fund could be used to make this park really amazing! http://www.seattleparksforall.org

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