Lowman Beach Park shoreline-restoration project celebration set for September 24th

(WSB photo, this morning)

We’ve had a few-details mention of this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for a while but now the city has just sent the full announcement:

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) and the Morgan Junction Community Association invite the community to celebrate the renovation of Lowman Beach Park! Please join us on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10 a.m. to noon at 7017 Beach Dr. SW. The morning will be fun and filled with opportunities to learn more about the beach restoration and the animals that depend on it.

During the event, Seattle Parks and Recreation Environmental Education Team and the Seattle Aquarium will have naturalists on site to help the community explore the beach. Additional activities include stand-up paddle boards and tips for successful paddling from Alki Kayak Tours and an opportunity to learn from Whale Trail volunteers about the trail and the marine mammals that live along the trail. The celebration will offer an opportunity to meet your neighbors, explore the new beach, enjoy refreshments and West Seattle’s Original Bakery donuts.

This shoreline restoration project work began when the south half of the seawall failed in the mid-1990s. This recent project removed the remainder of the seawall and created an approximately 7000 sq. ft unobstructed shoreline benefitting the natural environment, the park and the visitors who can access the beach in a much easier way. The remnant of Pelly Creek that previously flowed under the seawall was daylighted as part of the project. The completion of this project now offers a shoreline park with a swing set, an open lawn area and a gradual transition a vegetated upland habitat to the nearshore habitat which together restore ecological functions, habitat connections, and allow the beach to develop and move more naturally.

SPR awarded the construction contract to Mike McClung Construction and work began in the fall of 2021. Construction was funded in part with grants from the State of Washington through the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account and the King County Flood Control District through the Cooperative Watershed Management fund.

The project fences came down, fully reopening the park to the public, in late June.

Heylady September 15, 2022 (2:10 pm)

I went last week and was delighted. Nice work, everyone!

Carol September 15, 2022 (3:40 pm)

I agree! Every time i have been by this summer, lots of people were enjoying the park. Sitting on the logs, the grass, launching kayaks. It always makes me happy

Peepeepoopoo September 15, 2022 (3:13 pm)

Why don’t they have some type of bathroom/outhouse down there? Can they?

WSB September 15, 2022 (3:55 pm)

Seattle Parks seldom adds restrooms to projects, citing cost.

Lisa in Arbor Heights September 15, 2022 (3:27 pm)

I LOVE the restoration. One thing though, they didn’t put in a bathroom like I requested during the planning process. Seattle Parks, PLEASE put in, at least, a nice porta-potty. I always have to leave my nice spot and drive to find a bathroom!

N September 15, 2022 (4:40 pm)

This has become our favorite park and clearly the preferred park for paddle boarders, but yes not even having a porta potty is a downside. Sad we can’t have these things.

Mary September 15, 2022 (5:15 pm)

We attended numerous local meetings with the Park Dept over the last few years and at every meeting the request for a Porta Potty came up from people. The answer was always the same no money. Well now we have a gorgeous park that has hundreds, yes hundreds, on a sunny weekend visiting Lowman Park. Just because there isn’t a bathroom doesn’t stop people from using the bushes or even the little kids peeing in the sawdust under the swings! The nearest porta potty is at the tennis courts on Fauntleroy and yes they have 2 Porta Potties! This is a health issue and needs to be corrected !

Brian September 15, 2022 (6:50 pm)

I drove by the tennis courts earlier in the week and that porta potty had been tipped on its side.

Mj September 16, 2022 (9:34 am)

It’s very frustrating that the Park’s Department failed to listen to the community that on numerous occasions requested that a restroom facility be included. The claim of cost is dubious, look at how much money the Park’s Department spends to restore parks after they have been damaged by illegal use!

Brad September 17, 2022 (12:21 pm)

Do you happen to know why water never seems to run in the newly created stream? But just a few feet behind the stream opening the ground is always soaking wet? It’s almost like there’s a leak in the pipe that is supposed to carry the water to the exposed stream.

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