(Schmitz Preserve Park is the forest in the center of pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen‘s 2012 image)

Back in May, a new community-led effort to restore Schmitz Preserve Park‘s creek debuted at a memorable gathering on which we reported. Now Seattle Parks is joining forces with community advocates and UW students “to explore the unique identity of landscapes, fostering designs that celebrate and revive the wild within Seattle’s urban fabric.” A two-part open house is planned: First, on Friday, December 6, meet the design team at Alki Bathhouse (2701 Alki SW). Then, on Saturday, December 7, they’re offering “self-guided explorations.”

The backstory here is that Seattle-based landscape architect Paul Peters, a principal at Hood Design Studio and UW lecturer, “is leading graduate UW students in “an in-depth exploration of Schmitz Park’s ecological, historical, and cultural narratives … to develop designs that restore the connection between Schmitz Park’s 53-acre old-growth forest and Alki Beach.” Right now, the Schmitz Preserve Park creek goes underground before getting to Elliott Bay, but the students are envisioning “restoring the creek’s natural flow, creating a continuous ‘wild corridor’.” To learn what’s possible here, you’re invited to the bathhouse one or both days of the open house:

To showcase the students’ work and engage with the community, the UW Studio, Schmitz Park Creek Restore, and Seattle Parks and Recreation will host an open house at the Alki Bathhouse in West Seattle. Join us on December 6th, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, for discussions with the project team, or visit on December 7th, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM for a self-guided experience. This event will offer the public an opportunity to explore the students’ designs and understand the possibilities for restoring Schmitz Creek’s natural flow.

Restoration, of course, will cost money, so, Parks says, the project “plans a public fundraising initiative in 2025 to support Seattle Parks and Seattle Public Utilities in advancing restoration efforts. Additionally, a significant capital campaign titled “53 for 53” will seek to establish a $53 million endowment, providing one million dollars per acre of Schmitz Park to preserve its wild landscape for future generations.” Find out more about the project here; learn more about Schmitz Preserve Park’s history here.