Another West Seattle park might get improvements. Your thoughts sought – but this time, it’s not the city asking

One of West Seattle’s smaller parks – which has an international backstory – might get some improvements. But first, a survey for you. Here’s the announcement:

The Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association is considering making some improvements to Nantes Park on Admiral Way in honor of our 40th anniversary of twinning with France in 2020. We would love to involve the neighborhood! As a start, we have created a very short, anonymous survey to solicit feedback on how people in West Seattle use the park currently and what sort of improvements might be valuable. Please help us by filling this out; there are only 8 questions. Thanks!

Craig July 5, 2019 (10:22 am)

I love parks and love open spaces, but personally this “park” is a city maintained yard for the residents on either side of it. No offense to the lucky residents, just my take on it. Personally, I’d prefer this very small parcel of land be sold and multi family be built there as it’s not what I consider a space worthy of city expense considering its low use or relative value to the community. I don’t see it occupied (could be my transit times), I don’t see it as a destination area, nor is it equipped for recreation (play gym) or observation (view). I’d be interested in other perspectives, but personally I’d like to see this side yard not maintained by the city and city funds provided to other WS parks (i.e. well used Ercolini).

sonic1002 July 5, 2019 (11:22 am)

Craig you are spot-on. I live close by and have never seen it occupied.
Yes July 5, 2019 (12:47 pm)

Craig, I agree with you. We live not very far away, but why on earth would we go to this park (even though it’s only blocks away) when there are other actual destination parks so close? It might change if it had something there–a play structure, water feature, SOMETHING (would handball courts fit? Do people in Seattle play handball?)…. but as it is I agree that it makes a lot of sense to sell and use the funds for other, larger parks.
Mike July 5, 2019 (11:31 pm)

I’m pretty sure this park exists to cover pumps. Not exactly a spot for building housing. Most small parks and some bigger ones like Jack Block exist in Seattle to make ugly facilities nicer and multi use. Most citizens here have no clue what is under the grass. If it doesn’t have really big trees growing on it, it’s probably covering something else. Jack Block is literally covering massive amounts of toxic waste that’s in barrels.
- WSB July 5, 2019 (11:42 pm)
  
  Nantes Park is a former City Light substation site. Money for Parks to acquire/develop i was approved by voters.
  http://www.seattle.gov/ethics/el00a/report/vpg/00vpall.pdf.

newnative July 5, 2019 (1:20 pm)

I sure hope y’all made your suggestions on the survey. I did and I suggested tables. This park is about halfway to Alki from Admiral Junction and I’ve stopped at it many times. Not all parks are “destination parks” but greenways that interrupt the urban landscape and provide respite for the neighborhood and environment.

Yes July 5, 2019 (1:33 pm)

Yes, I filled out the survey. I guess it could be called a greenway, but it really is just a small lawn, no? And I’m not so sure those are better for the environment than, say, a flowery or vegetabley or treeish backyard. But I am glad that it gets use–maybe if the city can figure out how many people actually use it (can’t be that hard, right?) I’d change my mind.

KBear July 5, 2019 (1:30 pm)

There is a value to open green space, and it adds to the value of the built-up areas around it. Not every park has to have a playground or other human amusement features. Why would you go there? If you click the link to the park’s web page, it will tell you. But the park will probably be better off if you don’t all go there, as it is very small.

Mary Batterson July 5, 2019 (1:55 pm)

I live close by and see the park used on a daily basis. It is a great place to rest on your way up or down Admiral Way. Also, a lot of people use the park as a place to play fetch with their dog(s). I live close by and end up picking up trash that is left behind by visitors on a weekly basis. The Parks Department removed the garbage cans several years ago–not sure why.The park seems over-planted and as the trees have grown, there is more cover for stuff you really don’t want going on in a public park: Overnight camping, people relieving themselves, illegal drug use, etc.I like the green space in a city that has less and less of it. I say, trim/remove some of the trees, add a picnic table or two, put the garbage cans back in and preserve this little pocket of green space.

Kathy July 5, 2019 (2:37 pm)

Could the fact that Admiral Way is a very pedestrian unfriendly environment around this park have something to do with its limited use? SDOT won’t install a crosswalk at this location so that people from the other side of Admiral Way can get there (they have said in the past that they consider the area too unsafe for a crosswalk). Curb cuts are practically non-existent on the south side of Admiral Way from here down to Alki. This excludes most of the population in the area from getting to the park safely. The city should focus on improving the walkshed around this park.I say install some eye-catching topiary/sculptures like the frog that they have in Nantes, France to draw people’s interest. Put a bike rack and maybe a tire pump on the parking strip to encourage people biking. Do something to honor our sister city. Take some advice from their gardeners. The current plantings are not very interesting.We do not need another multi-family dwelling instead of precious open green space. They are building these hand-over-fist down in Alki, removing front yards and building right up close to the sidewalk with a tiny strip filled with junk landscape plants and bark dust. I am all in favor of increased density but we need to do it in a smart way with minimal impact to the environment and leave some green space for all to enjoy in front. Otherwise we will just be turning our streets into reflector ovens as the temperatures keep climbing.

Ice July 5, 2019 (6:13 pm)

Yeah, Admiral way sucks for walking. It feels a bit better to walk on since they improved the bike lane but still pretty much sucks. Improving the walk-shed around this part would probably be better for the neighborhood than any direct improvements they could make to this park. I have my doubts that parks like this will ever see a decent about of use. Being the size of a postage stamp and being located directly on a high speed roadway make them pretty unpleasant to sit in. Noisy, stinky, fast-moving cars ruin green spaces.

Chuck July 5, 2019 (6:34 pm)

This park never has a soul in it. It’s not a place anyone would want to sit and relax in….with cars racing up and down in front of it. It’s completely exposed to the roadway. I can’t imagine anyone “playing fetch” with a dog here, just feet away from Admiral Way. Frankly, it’s a waste of resources. No further money should be spent on it beyond the current commitment to maintain it. It can’t be sold due to a law that restricts the city from selling park land. It’s essentially a nicely landscaped area for the adjoining homes, paid for by the tax payers.

Don Brubeck July 6, 2019 (8:45 am)

The park would get more use from the neighborhood if it was not an empty cul de sac. The survey has some nice choice for features to make it a place to visit. If it a path was added up to 51st and Pritchard, the park could be used by nearby residents. A path up would also create a nice alternative route to Admiral’s overgrown sidewalks along that section, using Pritchard, Garlough and Waite. Parks get more use when people have a reason to go through them.As Kathy noted, the plantings are overgrown and need to be trimmed an thinned to discourage camping. It would also be good to have something to represent and honor our sister city, and explain why Nantes had a relationship to Seattle.

Willy July 7, 2019 (2:12 pm)

I see it used quite often. And yes people do throw balls to their dogs and play catch with younger children. There was a geocaching going on for a few years also.I have seen people sitting on the benches waiting to catch the water taxi bus. There are quite a few air B&B’s around here. So yes the park does get used. Unfortunately I’ve seen people camping in the back because they can be hidden from the street. A good pruning of the trees in the back and a nice walkway or stairs up to Pritchard would be great.Living as close as I do I see activity.

Sorry, comment time is over.