West Seattle, Washington
12 Saturday
By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Members of the Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association (MJAWA) met online last week to discuss the latest plans and ideas for an all-wheeled “skate dot” area (dedicated to activities like skating, scooters, and biking) in the south part of eventually expanding Morgan Junction Park.
The overall “Morgan Junction Addition Project” timeline from Seattle Parks can be found here, with completion expected by Spring of 2025. For historical context: The site was purchased by the city in 2014 and then “landbanked” for park expansion (see our prior coverage here; the site was formerly a dry cleaning business, and “soil remediation” work has been required).
In recent months, MJAWA has been gathering community feedback about their three potential design concepts for the all-wheels area, which would be up to 1,500 square feet, within the larger park:
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(WSB photo)
1:07 PM: Thanks for the tips. A man was found dead this morning on a bench at Junction Plaza Park. SFD was dispatched just after 11:30 am and verified that the man had died; police responded to the scene too. We don’t yet know anything about the circumstances of his death or the discovery of his body, but we’re not seeing any indication of a crime investigation. Official determination of the cause of death will be up to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office (whose crew has arrived to take away the man’s body – that’s their van in our photo above).
4:24 PM: SFD says the man was in his early 50s.
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: According to the KCMEO, he was 52, and died of an unintentional overdose: “Acute drug intoxication including methamphetamine.”
(WSB file photo from a movie night at Camp Long)
Camp Long has set the date for three outdoor movies this August – now the park staff is hoping you’ll help choose which movies are shown. Movie nights will be Fridays – August 2, 9, 23 – “shortly after dusk.” You’re invited to choose your first, second, and third choices from a list of more than 30 movies – go here to cast your votes!
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
A new West Seattle community park with an inspiring origin story was officially opened to the public in an emotional celebration ceremony and ribbon-cutting on Sunday.
The new park, at the south end of the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene property at 4201 SW Juneau St, is called Maarten Park, named after neighbor and congregation member Maarten Verburg, who passed away in 2023 after battling leukemia, and who was instrumental in helping to realize the vision of converting the space into a park.
More than a decade ago, the church began plans to revitalize and redevelop its property, which included building six townhomes, and utilizing the outdoor open space known informally as “the park” which has been used over the years for outdoor movies and gatherings and other events. Sunday’s ceremony, which we previewed earlier last week, represented an important step in officially establishing the park as a true community resource, according to church leaders.
Here’s a video of the ribbon-cutting portion of the ceremony, with Verburg’s wife Marcy Mabry and son Jakob doing the honors, and with an introductory assist from pastor Shaun Mattson, as kids eagerly waited for the park to open:
Prior to the service, the congregation held a “church service in the park,” during which Mattson talked about the history of the church property and the support and generosity of Verburg, whom he said “started as a neighbor, became a friend, and turned into a church member” and was a “gift to us all”:
As the service concluded, the congregation and visitors moved toward the south end of the property, for the park dedication ceremony:
Mattson (at center) invited Joe Paar (at left), a local developer who was instrumental in helping with the church’s property plans including the development of the park, to say a few words, with help from church family member Jayden (at right) who held the ribbon-cutting scissors:
The group also acknowledged the efforts of John Mullan and his team at PlayCreation for donating time and materials to help get the project completed.
Mabry (with her son) then shared that her husband “loved living in this neighborhood; he loved this community and this church,” and she said she’s thankful “for all of the great things to come from having this space for kids, neighbors and community to gather:”
You may notice in the photos that both Mabry and Mattson were wearing Dutch wooden shoes, in honor of Verburg (who was born in the Netherlands, and famously wore the shoes often while working on the church grounds). Mattson joked that “You could always hear Maarten coming!” and Mabry said that she and Maarten even wore the shoes during their wedding):
After the ribbon was cut and the kids and their families happily ran into the park to play, the group prepared and enjoyed a BBQ lunch:
The park itself includes open play areas and playground equipment, in addition to toys for younger kids to enjoy:
Maarten Park is open to the public, south of the church building at the southwest corner of 42nd Ave SW and Juneau St.
(WSB photos)
“Somebody set fire to the forts,” a little girl informed us as we photographed the blackened driftwood on the shore at Lowman Beach Park. We went there after multiple tips about fires there this morning; those aren’t allowed anywhere at this park.
The SFD log shows two calls, one at about 4:50 am, one at about 7:50 am, both categorized as “brush fire” although we didn’t see any sign of burned vegetation (SFD’s automated log has a limited number of classifications). We did see extensive driftwood damage; impossible to tell if any was from prior dates. The little girl’s mom warned her to “avoid the charcoal – the burned part.” Lowman Beach’s north side was restored to a more natural state in a project completed two years ago.
(WSB photo, December 2023)
We first introduced you to West Seattle artist/author Danitra Hunter almost four years ago, as she worked on a children’s book featuring a character she created while working at the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor), Purrdie Burrdie, who encourages kids to love themselves. She launched her book a year later. And kids can get free copies during a series of events Danitra is leading in West Seattle parks for the next four Saturdays:
As shown above, her first event is at Roxhill Park (29th/Barton) tomorrow, 1-5 pm. Thanks to an Art in the Parks grant, Danitra says, these are free family events, all ages welcome.
That’s the wading pool at EC Hughes Playground. When Seattle Parks wading pools start opening for the season tomorrow (Saturday, June 22), it won’t be ready to go. We discovered this while checking the Parks pool-info page – “E.C. Hughes Playground wading pool is closed for repairs.” No explanation, and our subsequent visit to the park (2805 SW Holden) didn’t show anything obviously wrong with the pool, but we did see evidence of some water-related work elsewhere in the park, and Parks spokesperson Christina Hirsch tells us that’s related:
Our Facilities crews are addressing a pipe issue at this location. We replaced a substantial section of the waterline and when we re-energized the system another section failed. We are currently working with a contractor to replace another hundred feet of mainline using vertical boring to avoid a large excavation on the site. We hope to have a schedule for that work next week. Once we get that complete, barring any other issues, we should be able to open things up rapidly.
So for the start of the season, West Seattle will have three wading pools:
–Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), daily starting Saturday, noon-7 pm, last day September 2
–Delridge (4501 Delridge Way SW), Wednesdays-Thursdays-Fridays, noon-5:30 pm, June 26-August 16
–Hiawatha (2700 California SW), Thursdays-Fridays-Saturdays, noon-5:30 pm, June 27-August 17
(When EC Hughes does open, its scheduled open days are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays.) Remember that on cooler days (below 70) the pools generally don’t open; you can check the status every morning by calling 206-684-7796 (recorded info updated by 9:30 am), and we also include wading-pool info in our daily “what’s happening” lists.
P.S. Highland Park Spraypark is already open and continues daily operation, 11 am-8 pm, at 1100 SW Cloverdale, through September 2.
(WSB photo – part of Maarten Park)
More than a decade after the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene embarked on a project to redevelop part of its property long known as “the park,” what remains as open space is truly becoming one. The church will dedicated what it calls Maarten Park in a community celebration on Sunday. This update is from Marcy Mabry:
This Sunday, June 23, will be the grand opening celebration of Maarten Park! Located next to West Seattle Church of the Nazarene on the 5900 block of 42nd Ave, the church dreamed of this greenspace becoming a park where neighbors and kids can gather, have fun, get to know each other, and build community. Named for our neighbor and congregant Maarten Verburg, who passed away in 2023, Maarten loved anything that brought people together, and he loved a good party – so let’s celebrate!
The day will start with a special church service outside in the park at 10 am. Following, around 11:15, will be the opening ceremony. Then we party! At noon, hamburgers & hot dogs should be ready, feel free to bring a dish to share. West Seattle’s own The Viking Surfers will be playing a set around 1:30. ALL are welcome!
West Seattle Naz is a small church that does so much for so many with so little, and their gift of this greenspace transforming into a park for the community could not have happened without the generosity of friends, neighbors, congregants, and family who have pitched in – whether it be financially, with volunteering, and with cheering on the crew! Very special thanks to John Mullan and his crew at PlayCreation for donating time and materials to make this dream a reality!
There’s still more to do to make this an even more awesome park: Park lighting, more outdoor toys, hillside climb & explore objects, outdoor lighting, and recurring maintenance costs. If you’re able to donate to support the park, you can do so at either link:
westseattlenaz.org/about-us/maarten-park
gofundme.com/f/maarten-park
When last we asked Seattle Parks about the Lincoln Park South Play Area timeline – with construction finally under way, seven years after it was closed for wood damage – they told us it was expected to be complete this month. We went over the other day for a look, and noticed that despite June having less than two weeks left, the play area did not appear anywhere near complete. As the top photo shows, the new play structure is in place, but otherwise, the site still looks fairly raw:
The project webpage hadn’t been updated since January when we looked on Monday before sending Parks’ media team an inquiry. They have yet to reply, but we noticed that our inquiry has led to a small update on the website, where the anticipated completion date has changed from June to July.
This is the third-to-last day you’ll find Colman Pool covered in early afternoon, for a while – the historic heated-salt-water pool on the Lincoln Park shore goes 7 days a week starting Saturday (June 22), just in time for possible mid-80s temperatures! The season schedule is now online – noon-7 pm daily, broken into lap swim, rec swim, and swim lesson sessions. Also remember that the pool will be closed to the public five days for swim meets, June 27-29 and July 12-13. Fees are listed here; if you’re planning on going often, you might consider getting a pass. Colman Pool is scheduled to close for the season after Labor Day.
(Photos by Omar Abdulkadir for WSB)
Park visitors of all ages got a chance to experience climbing during Camp Long‘s Mountain Fest on Saturday. It’s the annual chance to explore the park’s unique features that give you the chance to climb without leaving West Seattle:
Mountain Fest also provided opportunities to learn about wildlife – whether from The Falconer‘s raptors like this owl …
or from Seattle Parks naturalists who were there to answer questions about other creatures you might see (all in a day’s work for them, since Camp Long is an Environmental Learning Ceter):
If you didn’t get to Mountain Fest, Camp Long is open to visitors at other times too – the main entrance is at 35th/Dawson, by the historic lodge, which is available for rentals (as are the 10 cabins at the park)
Another festival this Saturday – but this one lasts all day, so you can get to this as well as the Morgan Junction Community Festival! West Seattle’s environmental-learning center/park Camp Long is inviting you to its 2024 Mountain Fest, 11 am-5 pm Saturday. The park’s famous climbing rock/wall is a major attraction, as is its challenge course:
But you don’t have to climb to have a good time at Mountain Fest – lots of free fun is promised for those who plan to keep both feet on the ground, too. Here’s the map of what they’re planning, and where. (For bird fans, note that The Falconer is scheduled to be there!) Get more Mountain Fest info from this Parkways post. Haven’t been to Camp Long? 5200 35th SW.
(WSB photo – banner on kiosk at Morgan Junction Park)
We’re counting down to the next major summer event in West Seattle – the Morgan Junction Community Festival, 10 am-2 pm Saturday (June 15) in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW). Among the festival features will be your next chance to participate in planning the “all-wheels area” that’s on the drawing board for the southwest side of the soon-to-be-expanded park. The Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association has sent their official announcement of what they’re planning as part of the festival:
The Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association (MJAWA) is excited to announce our second community meeting for the Morgan Junction Park expansion.
Hosted at the Morgan Junction Community Festival, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the three skate spot design options from legendary West Seattle-based skatepark builder Grindline, participate in the interactive Skate Like a Girl “MJ Ramp-age,” and be entered to win a skate prize from By and By skate shop or project t-shirt. All community members are invited to vote for their favorite design on-site on Saturday, June 15.
“We are excited to present these design options to the Morgan Junction community,” said Matt Fluegge, CEO of Grindline. “Our goal is to create a space that not only meets the needs of local kids, but also enhances the overall park experience for everyone. The feedback we’ve received has been invaluable, and we’re committed to building a park that the community will be proud of.”
Grindline has incorporated feedback from the first community meeting on April 27, as well as a Seattle Parks and Recreation survey at last year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival.
In addition to the design presentations, Skate Like a Girl will be sponsoring the “MJ Ramp-age” feature. This interactive area will allow attendees to move real ramps around a 1,500 sq ft space, providing a hands-on experience to explore how different park features might feel and flow together.
Kristin Ebeling, executive director of Skate Like a Girl, added, “Skateboarding has the power to transform lives. It is both a physical and creative outlet with the power to build intergenerational community. We are proud to be part of a project that will create an accessible entry point for emerging skaters and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the Morgan Junction neighborhood.”
“Skateboarding teaches perseverance, creativity, and resilience,” said Jason Glover, Chief Sealth International High School teacher and local skateboarder. “I’ve seen firsthand how students who skateboard develop a strong sense of self-confidence and community. It’s more than just a sport; it’s a way for kids to express themselves and build essential life skills.”
Look for MJAWA in Morgan Junction Park during the festival, 10 am-2 pm Saturday. As the week continues, we’ll preview other festival features – entertainment, vendors, activities. (WSB is media sponsor for the festival, which is presented by the Morgan Community Association.)
ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: Thanks to Alki Community Council president Charlotte Starck for the tip. Extra city workers were at Alki Beach Park this morning for a “multi-district cleanup.” When we went over to find out what that entailed, a Parks worker told us it was over, explaining that they had focused on work such as tidying up the flower beds near the bathhouse and painting the restroom building further east:
The worker told us a new mural is planned for that building. We’ve had an inquiry out to Parks HQ asking for more details on what was done today (we’ll update whenever we hear back); the beach no doubt will be busy this weekend, with temperatures forecast to approach 80.
P.S. The Alki Community Council hopes to see you for its Summer Celebration at Alki Playfield, 5-8 pm Thursday, June 20 – our calendar listing has entertainment and other details for this free event.
ADDED THURSDAY: Here’s the response we received from Parks spokesperson Christina Hirsch:
These events are called “jamborees”, and they are cooperative projects amongst our district staff who work on larger scale projects rotating throughout the districts as the need arises. At the peak of this project, there were approximately 25 parks maintenance staff from 3 districts. This event included mowing, planting, chip spreading, and other grounds and maintenance activities. The teams were there for approximately 3 hours completing these tasks.
Thanks to Lisa McGinty, forest steward with Friends of Lincoln Park, for a report and photos on their latest restoration event:
We had a great time in the forest on Sunday. Twenty-five volunteers gathered to enjoy wildlife, nature education, and have fun getting muddy doing some forest restoration.
Grateful to the community for showing up and caring about our urban green spaces!
This event is part of the Society for Ecological Restoration’s Make a Difference Week – an annual week of global restoration action where individuals and organizations from around the world host and participate in local volunteer restoration events to achieve a tremendous global collective impact.
Missed it? If you have time tomorrow afternoon/evening, it’s not too late to get in on the World Environment Day restoration event at Pigeon Point Park!
The blustery weather should be gone just in time for a big outdoor event Wednesday afternoon/evening (June 5) in West Seattle – a restoration celebration at Pigeon Point Park in honor of World Environment Day. Organizers are still looking for dozens of volunteers to participate – here’s what’s happening:
Enjoy World Environment Day with a community celebration hosted by the Society for Ecological Restoration Northwest Chapter, Green Seattle Partnership, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the United Nations Environment Programme!
Join us at Pigeon Point Park for a fun afternoon of activities to celebrate Seattle as the only US Role Model City for the UN Decade of Restoration and to spotlight local young leaders working in our urban ecosystems.
The afternoon will include:
-Guided forest restoration, a bird walk, citizen science, a community mural, and more!
-Special presentations by local young stewards and community leaders!
-Gathering together for a community picnic!
-Free raffle from local businesses and partner organizations!Plus, several of our local partners will be tabling and participating in the event, so you can connect and learn about the many ways you can get involved in greening our urban landscape this summer season!
Registration is free and includes 5 raffle tickets to try your luck at winning some local swag and goodies! All ages are welcome and food will be provided for registered participants.
It all starts with a welcome at 3 pm, “guided activities” 3:30-5 pm, then speeches and picnic dinner. Go here to sign up. The park entrance is next to Pathfinder K-8 (1901 SW Genesee).
(Photos by Omar Abdulkadir for WSB)
Saturday was so busy, we still have a few more events to acknowledge, in case you weren’t there! Throughout Saturday afternoon, Roxhill Park filled with music, for this year’s Sounds from Around the World music festival. Above is the Lion of Judah Band, with musicians from the Virgin Islands, Ethiopia, and the Pacific Northwest; below, Bob and Chet, specializing in songs from Gambia, Senegal, and Mali, as well as originals:
The festival featured vendors including Africa Mama:
Organizer of the festival was Janean Wjvold of Urgent Africa, in partnership with Seattle Department of Arts and Culture’s Arts In the Parks program:
Lots more outdoor music yet to come this summer – watch our calendar!
(October 2023 WSB photo of Lincoln Park ex-site)
One week after Seattle Parks announced it had ditched the plan for converting former tennis courts in Lincoln Park to pickleball courts, it’s out with a citywide update on pickleball and tennis, including a reiteration of its Lincoln Park intentions, and a bit about Solstice Park (both of which we’ve boldfaced below for emphasis):
Seattle Parks and Recreation is excited to announce several developments based on the 2022 Outdoor Pickleball Study and the recent 2024 SPR Pickleball and Tennis Vision presented to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners …
… First and foremost, SPR is announcing the establishment of two sport-specific hubs: Green Lake Park (East Courts) will be a dedicated pickleball hub, and Lower Woodland Park (Lower Courts) will be a dedicated tennis hub! These two locations are excellent models for the start of sport-specific hubs in the city. SPR will use these models to pilot new initiatives as we refine the “hub specific” model for implementation elsewhere.
Additionally, the Belltown Pickleball Courts at the intersection of 5th Ave. and Taylor Ave. are now conducting a “Quiet-Paddles” only pilot. Players must use their own paddles – or check out a loaner paddle from nearby businesses – that meets criteria for Quiet-Category paddles certified by USA Pickleball. These products deliver essentially 50 percent or less of the acoustic footprint of equipment commonly used in the play of pickleball.
SPR is moving forward with new outdoor court capital development. This summer SPR will be resurfacing and restriping the tennis courts at David Rodgers Park tennis courts, Amy Yee Tennis Center outdoor courts, and, if budget allows half the tennis courts at Solstice Park (with the other half planned for resurfacing in 2025). Additionally, we will be adding noise-reducing fence technology to the courts located at Miller Park and Laurelhurst Park to mitigate noise associated with pickleball play.
SPR will not be pursuing the proposed pickleball courts at Lincoln Park. The fence surrounding the existing court slab will be removed and the area will remain “undeveloped” until a more suitable site can be identified and agreed on by community members.
SPR has launched a new online engagement hub at Project: Racquet & Paddle Sports (seattleparksandrec.com) which will be a one-stop shop for all racquet and paddle sports in the City. The community who visit the online hub may engage with planning efforts, connect with other community members, get updates about planned events, and provide feedback on SPR’s efforts to improve and increase all racquet and paddle sports courts and programs.
Lastly, SPR is working through re-vamping the online reservation system and the “Rules of the Court” at all facilities to simplify and clarify when and how the courts are used for the sports of pickleball or tennis. Look for changes coming to the online system, as well as new signs and banners posted at courts over the next few months.
We’re seeking comment from Parks on one followup point – whether the old slab at Lincoln Park will stay or go. As for Solstice Park, it was originally scheduled for resurfacing and restriping last year – and after we learned and reported the plan to add pickleball striping, the now-scrapped Lincoln Park pickleball alternative emerged.
(WSB file photo, sign at site last October)
9:18 AM: Seattle Parks has dropped its plan to convert former tennis courts in Lincoln Park into pickleball courts, according to the advocates who led a campaign against the plan. Sandy Shettler says, “Parks informed us that they will not be building pickleball courts in Lincoln Park! They even suggested that they are open to our hope to depave and rewild the cement pad.” Kersti Muul adds that Parks has told her “the fencing [around the site] will be removed by the end of the week.” We’re following up with Parks today to see what their West Seattle pickleball plan will now focus on.
We reported last month that Parks deputy superintendent Andy Sheffer had told the city Parks Board that a decision was close. We first told you about the pickleball-conversion proposal first in September, when Parks dropped a plan to add pickleball stripes to Solstice Park tennis courts, and pivoted to the Lincoln Park conversion concept, which drew intense opposition.
12:27 PM: Parks spokesperson Christina Hirsch confirms this: “Seattle Parks and Recreation has made great progress identifying another location to add another pickleball court to West Seattle and thus has decided to no longer pursue creating courts at Lincoln Park.” That new location has not yet been disclosed; there are various already-discussed possibilities – for example, while speaking to the Fauntleroy Community Association earlier this year, deputy superintendent Sheffer suggested there might be possibilities with the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (which is shared by Seattle Public Schools and Parks), and previously, Hiawatha had been under consideration as a “pickleball hub.”
Sent by Andras:
Not sure if this is well known or not but it’s my first time seeing them in Lincoln Park and I’m here every morning. Was stalked by a couple very resilient coyotes (Wednesday) morning while walking my dog; they were skittish as usual but kept coming back after running off. I managed to get a picture of one.
We have long published coyote sightings (click “coyotes” under the headline and scroll through our archive) – for awareness, not alarm. Here’s information on coexisting with coyotes.
SIDE NOTE: You can learn about urban wildlife from a naturalist while volunteering with Friends of Lincoln Park 10 am-noon Sunday, June 2 – sign-ups are open, here.
(2023 photo by Mike Mahanay, just before Colman Pool’s season opened)
While Colman Pool‘s opening date was announced last month, the full schedule wasn’t finalized – but we have it today, along with this year’s wading-pool and spraypark schedules.
COLMAN POOL (8603 Fauntleroy Way SW): The city’s heated outdoor saltwater pool on the Lincoln Park shore will open for “preseason” weekends May 25-27, June 1-2, June 8-9, June 15-16. Swim-session times are listed here. Daily operation starts June 22 and continues through Labor Day (Monday, September 2). Colman Pool will be closed to the public on these dates for swim meets: June 27-29 and July 12-13.
SPRAYPARK: West Seattle has one, at Highland Park Playground (1100 SW Cloverdale), and it will be open daily starting Saturday (May 25), through Labor Day, 11 am-8 pm each day.
WADING POOLS: West Seattle has four (citywide info is here):
Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), 12 pm-7 pm every day, June 22-September 2
EC Hughes Playground (2805 SW Holden), June 24-August 18, Mondays, Tuesdays, Sundays, 12 pm-7 pm
Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), June 26-August 16, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 12 pm-5:30 pm
Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW), June 27-August 17, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 12 pm-5:30 pm
*The South Park wading pool is closed this year “due to community-center closure and plans to convert to a spraypark,” Parks says.
INDOOR POOL: Southwest Pool continues regular operations through the summer.
(WSB file photo)
Once again calling it “a pilot,” Seattle Parks has just confirmed it’ll close Alki Beach (and Golden Gardens) nightly at 10:30 pm starting Friday (as the Alki Community Council had been told) and this year continuing for a few weeks beyond Labor Day. Beach-fire season will start Friday, too, with a later nightly end time. Here’s the announcement just sent by Parks (with a link you can use for feedback):
Seattle Parks and Recreation will enact a pilot shortening the hours at Golden Gardens and Alki Beach during the 2024 summer months from 4 A.M.-10:30 P.M. from May 24-September 22. And a return to 4 A.M. – 11:30 P.M after September 22.
The shortened hours will assist in addressing dangerous and/or illegal behavior typical of summer evening uses at these two parks in response to public input and nearby community complaints.
This program is a pilot and will be reviewed at a Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners meeting after the summer to help determine the best operating hours for the public. This review will be informed by public comments from the questionnaire below, public comment given at the Board meeting, and data collected throughout the pilot period.
During the Summer 2024 Season, Seattle Parks and Recreation staff, assisted by Seattle Police Department staff, will begin closing down these two beach locations starting at 10:00 P.M.
Public input can be provided here.
Additionally, designated fire pits will be available for beach fires this summer beginning Friday, May 24, 2024.
Beach Fire and Park Rules
Starting Friday, May 24, 2024, designated fire pits will be available for beach fires at Alki Beach and Golden Gardens seven days a week on a first come, first served basis. Bringing your own fire pit is not allowed, and no propane fire pits/rings are allowed.
-Fires must be extinguished by 10 p.m.
-Fires allowed 7 days a week starting Friday, May 24 through Sunday, September 22.
-Staff will be on-site to manage and assist with putting out fires at 10 p.m.
-Parking lot gates will be locked and the park will close at 10:30 p.m. for summer hours.
-Please only burn clean (natural, bare, dry cord-wood) wood and douse your fire completely before leaving.
-Light a fire ONLY in one of the installed fire containers
-Use only clean, dry firewood
-Please douse your fire with water, not sand
-Fires are not allowed during air pollution alerts; we will post sign
-Please don’t remove any materials from the park, beach or dunes
-Please dispose of trash and ashes in the containers provided for each. (SMC 18.12.260)
=Be considerate of others–please, no loud or amplified music! (SMC 18.12.170)Remember, no alcohol or smoking are allowed, and parks are drug-free zones. Beach fire rules are outlined in detail in the Seattle Municipal Code section 18.12.270 and in our Beach Fires Policy.
If you see an illegal fire, call 911. For current burn ban and air quality questions, contact Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
Fire pits at Golden Gardens and Alki are unlocked between 4-5 p.m. starting May 24. Please extinguish all beach fires (using water, not sand) by 10 p.m. in order to ensure that all fires are completely extinguished in ample time before the park’s closure.
The fires-out time is half an hour later than last year, and the end dates are later too; last year, the early closing time and beach fires all ended right after Labor Day.
(WSB photos)
Almost nine months after her installation, Bruun Idun the troll remains a popular attraction at Lincoln Park. Today, her visitors included dozens of students from Pathfinder K-8, on a doubleheader field trip. First they released salmon fry at Fauntleroy Creek, not far from the park; then they went to visit the troll. Their time there was highlighted by a short talk from docent Jane Gunwaldsen, who talked about the connection between the Nordic nations – including troll creator Thomas Dambo‘s native Denmark – and the Northwest, including Indigenous traditions caring for the land and water.
Bruun Idun and the other trolls, you might recall, are meant to be symbols of environmental stewardship, made from discarded/reclaimed/found material. Jane told the students that Dambo has installed trolls in 17 countries including ours. Also of note: The students along for today’s field trip included about half a dozen living with disabilities – Salmon in the Schools volunteer Judy Pickens explains that the program has expanded to find new ways of including students outside the general-education classroom environment. (This year’s Fauntleroy Creek releases run through the end of the month.)
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