IT’S YOUR FOREST: Come talk about future West Duwamish Greenbelt trails

scenicviewtrails
It’s a crown jewel of West Seattle – and it’s yours: The city’s largest contiguous stretch of forest, known as the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Some trails provide access now, and more might be in its future. Your chance to help shape that future starts this Saturday morning. In case you haven’t already seen this in our calendar, here’s the invitation, from Paul West:

On Saturday, January 30, neighbors, trail users and other stakeholders are invited to a two-hour workshop at South Seattle College to discuss what the future trail system in the West Duwamish Greenbelt might look like.

The West Duwamish Greenbelt extends from the West Seattle Bridge south to Westcrest Park. … Currently a network of informal and improved trails provide some access. Participants will discuss potential connections to destinations such as South Seattle College, the Duwamish Longhouse, Pathfinder School, Riverview Playfield, and others.

The workshop will be held at the Chan Center at South Seattle College. It is at the north end of campus next to the arboretum. The workshop runs from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, with doors opening at 9:15 am. All are welcome.

SSC is on Puget Ridge, at 6000 16th SW. Find out more about the greenbelt and the trails here.

19 Replies to "IT'S YOUR FOREST: Come talk about future West Duwamish Greenbelt trails"

  • tk January 28, 2016 (12:32 pm)

    Leave my trails on the south side of Highland Park Way alone!  I like that nobody uses them.  Because the hike is more difficult, I get a really good workout.  I would be afraid they might level the trails out too much if they improve that side.  

  • JB January 28, 2016 (1:08 pm)

    Perfect area for Mountain Bike Trails. 

    • Jon January 28, 2016 (1:55 pm)

      I was crestfallen once I discovered bikes were not allowed there.  I would love to see that changed, and would be happy to volunteer for trail maintenance.   

      • datamuse January 28, 2016 (2:55 pm)

        There used to be unofficial mountain bike trails in there. They were poorly sited and caused drainage and other problems. If they were sited well and maintained I think they could work well.

    • Dan January 29, 2016 (4:53 pm)

      When I first moved here I spent weeks walking around those woods looking for some to no avail. I’d be willing to bet that a solid WS contingent would back trails in that area, especially if they were implemented correctly.

  • Cynical girl January 28, 2016 (2:23 pm)

    I’ve seen condom wrappers and human feces while dog walking. I know there’s a few people living in there.

    • smokeycretin9 January 28, 2016 (6:48 pm)

      That’s the reason I wont go there anymore.  ITs like an episode of Walking Dead some days.  There is a few homeless encampments in there.

  • datamuse January 28, 2016 (2:57 pm)

    I used to volunteer for Nature Consortium on a regular basis doing restoration and maintenance work in the Greenbelt. I’m going to try to make it to the meeting.

  • skeeter January 28, 2016 (3:44 pm)

    Yeah we really need mountain bike trails.  It’s crazy to drive to Issaquah to take the family mountain biking. 

  • smokeycretin9 January 28, 2016 (6:32 pm)

    Hey Skeeter  go to the Sea-Tac 200th Street Trails.  They are awesome. http://www.trailfu.com/mountain-bike/washington/seattle/south-seatac-park/Default.aspx

    • skeeter January 30, 2016 (12:57 pm)

      Thanks!  I’ve ridden those trails and they are fun.  I’d love something within biking distance of West Seattle, though, so I don’t have to take a car. 

  • DDelRio January 28, 2016 (7:35 pm)

    I used to volunteer with The Nature Consortium and Earth Corps there. I vividly remember the unofficial Mountain Bike trails there. Things were fine for awhile until all the replanted areas were being run over by some of the bike riders. I do stress some of them. 

  • Neighbor January 29, 2016 (10:01 am)

    There is, at least, one family that lets their kids ride dirt bikes into the greenbelt. If confronted, they are obscenely verbally abusive and threatening. I think these are responsible for more damage than the bicycles. When the police are called, the bikes are long gone by the time they arrive which is frustrating.

  • Nancy R January 29, 2016 (11:05 am)

    I would love to see mountain bike trails there too!  The more access you provide people,  the less likely it is to be taken over like the “Jungle” .     I would use Mt bike trails for sure as there are not many places to Mt bike in West Seattle,  you have to go out of West Seattle.

  • Craig January 30, 2016 (9:18 pm)

    TK,  check this out http://botnw.com/west-duwamish-trail/ I worked on these trails over a 6 year period and love the ups and downs of that section. Today’s meeting was inspiring.   Looking forward to collaborating down the trail…

  • Dagmar Cronn January 31, 2016 (10:43 pm)

    Those of us in South Park cannot access any of the park from the southwest corner that abuts South Park. It would be wonderful if an entrance were built there so people could get into the park without having to go up to Roxbury and around on 8th to enter.

    • Craig February 1, 2016 (8:00 am)

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/wdgtrails/

      Having a park access at the southeast corner of Westcrest is a great idea.  There were a lot of topics covered at this meeting and a connecting trail to Southpark was one of the suggested routes generated during the breakout sessions.  I pasted the trail advocacy group’s Facebook page above.   We are looking for more representation in our steering committee and currently don’t have representation from Southpark.   Please join the Facebook group or feel free to send me an email at doncrankin@gmail.com.  

  • Cass Turbull February 16, 2016 (8:17 am)

      The Mayor plans to sell Myers Parcels located at the south end of Westcrest Park across Olson Place. It should, instead, be saved (‘ land-banked’)  for future use as the John Beal Park and Environmental Learning Center. It is 32 acres of wooded hillsides, wetlands and open meadows. The meadows are the most important part because, unlike the steep, wooded hillside of most natural areas, they could be quite  accessible to people with health issues, seniors and the  handicapped with the addition of a boardwalk . A wildflower meadow is a way for people, who may be  leery of the dark woods, to experience Nature and it has  its own separate ecosystem with native butterflies, crickets, killdeer, gold finches, chorus frogs, songbirds, and the Westcrest redtailed hawk hunts voles there. The flatland is the parcel the city wishes to sell to LOWES to put up warehousing.

            The flatland  meadows would be the perfect place to have a ‘home’ for the Duwamish Greenbelt. The Greenbridge kids could learn about nature in a safe setting after school and during the summer when their parents might be working. The seniors from Arrowhead could use it for exercise and bird watching. Much more low income housing is planned to go in adjacent to Parcels, Wind Rose low income senior housing center, and 400 more units for Greenbridge. Young people could be trained in Environmental Restoration at Beal Park, and it would be a place for the summer jobs program that would also help maintain the park and keep Hamm creek clean. John Beal, you will remember, fought to keep the City from building i n the wetland on the other half of the land which is now the Joint Training Facility for firefighters and first responders ($33 million). A modest facility for the public at Myers could be used for classrooms,  local cultural events, and rented off-season for meetings and private events. Yes, there is no money right now to build such a thing, just as there is no money for transportation, low income housing, and jobs programs. But until the money comes the property could be used as an ‘official’ homeless encampment (using the facilities and security of the underused Joint Training Facility next door. ) And maybe some  mountain biking could be allowed. It has hills that were used for that unofficially for years.   There are only 10 days left to contact the City to ask that is not be sold. You should make that comment to Daniel.Bretzke@seattle.gov or send a prewritten email to the Seattle City council by going to the TreePAC.org website and following the quick, easy steps using the TAKE ACTION tab. Myers Parcels is the very last, largest piece of undeveloped property in Seattle that could become a major park and we already own it. We owe it to the future to preserve it. We have left our youth with a trashed world environment, lets not leave them with a trashed City environment too. The local residents deserve something nice between their homes and the pollution and noise of Myers Way south and Hiway 509. 

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