Longer or shorter hours at your favorite park? Changes proposed

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As mentioned briefly toward the end of our report on the Elliott Bay Water Taxi year-round Seacrest dock briefing coming up at this Thursday’s city Parks Board meeting, the board is to be briefed about another notable item: A proposal to change operating hours at many of the city’s parks. Right now, 4 am-11:30 pm is the “standard” for most city parks, but as the briefing paper (see it here) notes, “several dozen exceptions” have been made over the years, and that’s led to some confusion, among the other problems listed in the document’s explanation of why park hours are now under review:

The purpose of this review is to consider 1) standardizing park operating hours so there is less opportunity for confusion about what the operating hours are, 2) alleviating actual and perceived safety issues – alcohol use, graffiti, and noise, 3) demonstrating Parks intention to be good neighbors by limiting negative impacts on our park neighbors, and 4) providing Seattle Police an additional tool for resolving issues in parks. Parks has an ongoing interest in being good neighbors and alleviating late night problems in our parks. Operating hours is one tool available to us and Seattle Police to address issues of noise, graffiti, and alcohol use.

The proposal suggests these hours:

Regional* (Alki and Lincoln Park included) – 4 am –11:30 pm year round
Neighborhood / Pocket – One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset
Downtown – One hour before sunrise –10:00 pm year round**
Parks with Indoor Facilities (Pools, community centers, ELC’s) – Parking lot hours would coincide with facility operation hours or surrounding park hours, whichever is later.
Boat ramps, Boulevards – Open 24 hours a day
Lighted Athletic Complexes – Governed by lighting / scheduling protocols

To compare the proposed hours with current park-hours exceptions, take a look at the briefing paper, starting on page 5. Among the potential changes under the proposal, Alki, as a “regional park,” would have earlier and later hours in summertime, moving to 4 am-11:30 pm year-round; right now, that’s when it’s open Oct. 2-April 14th, with the hours 6 am-11 pm the rest of the year. According to the briefing paper, public meetings will be scheduled around the city in March and April to talk about the proposed changes; then a public hearing is expected before the Parks Board on May 14th, and a vote on May 28th.

RobertSeattle February 24, 2009 (1:28 pm)

Slightly OT, but a little rant for what I think is lousy signage on City of Seattle Park’s signs – the “Park Closed” font size is too large in comparison to the hours information. If you are a newbie to Seattle and are driving by and quickly look at a Park sign, you can easily assume a Park is closed as the main thing you see is “Park Closed” – not the hours the park is closed.

Observe:
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/_images/flowers/DennySign.jpg

cami February 24, 2009 (2:55 pm)

Alki NEVER closes!

WSB February 24, 2009 (3:21 pm)

In reality, no (heaven knows we’ve been on a few 2 am walks), but at least the regulations cited in the parks briefing doc claim it does! – TR

mike February 24, 2009 (3:36 pm)

is west crest a regional or a neighborhood/pocket?

I’d argue its regional…

Forest February 24, 2009 (4:14 pm)

I agree with the first comment by RobertSeattle. The “closed” notice that dominates parks signs is confusing and annoying for both newbies and longtime neighbors. I’m unable to imagine any private store or business with the bad sense to squander its street facade showcasing the hours it’s closed instead of the hours it’s open.

JumboJim February 24, 2009 (5:20 pm)

I think closing neighborhood parks (which is prob. most parks) “one hour after sunset” will be too early during winter. In mid-winter that means most parks wopuld close about 5 P.M. Doesn’t seem reasonable. Granted, most people will have left by then, but joggers and others will want to use the park until some reasonable hour like, say 7 or 8 P.M.

Kevin February 24, 2009 (11:38 pm)

The current 4AM opening at Lincoln Park is a good idea because it gets light so early in the summer that this allows joggers and photographers time to be out at first light.

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