(Information updated January 12)
Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park
Click here to view results from our Community Design Workshops
Why, How, What, & When
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is covering all the reservoirs in the city in order to improve water quality and increase security. The idea dates back to the 1990s, but received a boost in 2004 when the City Council approved Mayor Nickel’s plan to bury all reservoirs underground instead of simply covering them with floating covers.
While work on the Maple Leaf Reservoir was initially slated to begin in 2011 and to be completed in 2013, SPU came up with a plan to save money on the buriel costs by accelerating the process to begin in 2009 and to be completed in 2011/2012. The city council approved this acceleration, but initially didn't provide any funding that accelerated the planning of the park. The passage of the Parks & Green Spaces Levy provides $5 million for the planning and development of the reservoir park and $450,000 for a new playground area. There is also funding available in the 2009/10 budget to begin the planning of the park. For more information on the finances of this project, please see "Funding" below.
When the reservoir is covered, it will add approximately 15 acres to the already existing 5.5 acres of the Maple Leaf Playground and Playfields. Because of budget issues parks this size tend to be developed in three or more phases.
The present reservoir will be removed. A new two-cell reservoir made of reinforced concrete will be installed with columns every 12 feet. A concrete lid will be placed on top. Two feet of sod on top of that (two feet deep provides the insulation required and it also under the weight limit determined by SPU). Sod is seeded. Grass is established. Fences are removed. During these burial steps, the community will be working with the Parks Department on developing a plan for the park. The actual park development will most likely occur in several phases. Each phase will be determined by several factors, including what makes sense chronologically, the ranking of the needs, and budget availability. Once a plan for the phases has been established, the Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park Steering Committee will begin applying for grants in earnest.
| (ideal, updated as of July 3, 2008, and always in flux) |
2000
• $198m Pro Parks Levy passes.
2003
• City Council passes reservoir covering ordinance.
2005
• Cal Anderson Park (over Lincoln reservoir) opens.
2006
• Beacon Reservoir begins burial process.
2007
• Myrtle Reservoir begins burial process.
• Spring: Maple Leaf Community Council creates Reservoir Park Planning Committee.
• Sept: Tim Gallagher is named Parks Superintendent; entire city is hopeful.
2008
• Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) proposes and City Council approves acceleration of burial of Maple Leaf Reservoir.
• Mar: Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park (FGMLP) meetings begin.
• Spring: West Seattle reservoir goes out for bid.
• Summer: FGMLP committee begins concentrated outreach & fundraising.
• July: Letter writing to City Council to fund Maple Leaf reservoir at a fair level ($7.8 million) to allow completion of planning and the first phase of construction.
• Summer: Myrtle Reservoir is completed and sod is seeded.
• Fall: Beacon reservoir (Jefferson Park) is completed; West Seattle reservoir construction begins.
• Fall: FGMLP plans to hold at least one Park Community Meeting.
• November: Parks & Green Space Levy passes.
• November 5, 12, 15: FGMLP host Community Design Charrettes
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2009
• 2009: Bid request for Landscape Architect to create Use Plan for Maple Leaf Park.
•End of 2008/beginning of 2009: Myrtle Park development to begin.
•End of 2008/beginning of 2009: Beacon Hill reservoir to be completed; Jefferson Park development to begin.
• 2009, 2010, or 2011: FGMLP applies for Large Matching Neighborhood Fund.
• 1st quarter: SPU sends out reservoir burial project out for bid
• Spring: Choose a Landscape Architect.
• Jan/Feb/Mar: FGMLP may hold a Park Community Meeting.
•May - Dec: 3 to 4 public comment meetings with Landscape Architect and Parks for Maple Leaf Park.
• 2nd/3rd qtr: construction begins on Maple Leaf reservoir
• Winter: FGMLP Grants subcommittee begins grants fundraising process.
2010
• Winter: FGMLP Grants subcommittee continues grants fundraising process.
•Development of detailed site plan for Maple Leaf Park.
•Development of Engineering schematics for Maple Leaf Park.
• West Seattle reservoir completed.
2011
• 4th qtr 2011/1st qtr 2012: Maple Leaf reservoir burial completed.
2012
• 4th quarter 2011/ 1st quarter 2012: Maple Leaf reservoir burial completed . . . first phase of park to begin?
• Early spring 2012: Maple Leaf Park to be seeded.
• Late summer/Early fall 2012: once grass is established, the fences can be taken down.
2015
• Roosevelt reservoir possibly retired by SPU.
2016/17/18
• Possible second phase of Maple Leaf Park occurs. |
Update:
Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park held three Community Park Design Workshops in November 2008. These charrettes were facilitated by a group of UW Landscape Architect students.The workshops reflected the actual Parks Department planning process as closely as possible.
We began with:
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basic information about the necessity to discuss and plan ahead of time;
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what was happening with the reservoir, the covering process, and the upcoming park;
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the planning process our community is going through;
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a brief history of the neighborhood & the site;
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the restrictions set by SPU and physical challenges with the site; and
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the need to share ideas and concerns.
We then broke into groups of 6 to 10 people, who were provided with a map, foam core pieces cut to represent the different sizes of possible park features, and colored dry erase pens. Each group then talked about the issues, made some choices, then drew a rough park site plan on the map. Then they presented their vision for the park to the whole group. There were a total of 16 different concepts created and discussed during these meetings.
Much of the discussion focused on the character of the park and what individual/community needs it may need to fill. There were some thoughtful comments and visionary ideas that came out of the meetings. People were really focused on how new park could be connected to and integrated into the overall fabric of the Maple Leaf Community.
The three Community inspired concepts were developed from these meetings and the results from the community surveys we have been conducting over the last year; this workshop/charrette process is something we will be going through again officially with the Parks Dept. It is the Parks Dept planning process that will result in what the park will actually be developed. These workshops were designed to get a dialogue going about what this park could be and what it would mean for our neighborhood. We all were able to get our creative juices flowing and really have the opportunity to think through what our neighborhood needs are and what we would like the park to offer the people in our community.
The Parks & Green Spaces Levy provides $5 million over the next six years, for planning and beginning the development of our park. $450,000 is separately allocated for new playground equipment. There is also funds in the 2009/2010 budget assigned to begin the park planning we hope will be soon available. Due to budget constraints, parks this size tend to be developed in several phases. Each phase can last a few months to several years. No matter what the design finally looks like, the $5 million is almost certainly NOT going to be enough to totally plan and develop our park — there will most likely need to be more than one phase of development/ construction. How will future phases be funded? Nobody knows.
The decisions about the how the park will be developed will be determined by the Parks Dept and will no doubt take into consideration factors like what makes sense chronologically, what is an infrastrucure items vs an amenity, the ranking of the needs, and budget availability. We will get the benefit of their experiences from their already having worked on other reservoir parks like Cal Anderson, Jefferson, and Myrtle (in West Seattle).
These community developed designs are also available for viewing and comment in the window of 8521 Roosevelt, across the street from the reservoir, just north of Art Tile . Comment sheets are available at this location and can be mailed in or dropped off at Cloud City Coffee, Javasti, or Blue Saucer (thanks to all of them for being drop off points).
We want to know:
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What you think of these designs?
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What do you think is important for this park to offer?
• What do you like/dislike about these park designs?
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What do you like/dislike about the amenities/features chosen?
• What do you like/dislike about
the placement of the amenities?
• Do you have a favorite? What would make it better?
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And, of course, we welcome any other comments/opinions you have about the park and it’s relationship with the neighborhood. After viewing the concepts, please click here for a comment form
Concept #1 (“Athletic Fields) is a consensus design concept from the November 5th meeting; Concept #2 (“Central Labyrinth”) from November 12th; and Concept #3 from November 15th (“Sustainability”).
Click on the maps below to see a larger version and details.
These are rough estimates of the construction costs for each of these designs. These cover CONSTRUCTION COSTS ONLY — they are based on other recent Seattle Parks projects. There are many, many variables not known that can change these numbers up or down. These estimate numbers do NOT include design fees or project administrative costs, sales tax, permit fees, utilities for restrooms or the splash pad, additional costs of special footings for amenities atop the reservoir, or escalation. These items that are not included will be a considerable amount of money. These estimated numbers provide approximate costs for comparison of the concepts. |
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• Pathways
• P-Patches
• Restroom addition
• Parking
• Great Lawn
• Picnic and Chess areas
• Labyrinth
• Skatedot
• Ball Fields
• View Point
• Playground/Splash Pad
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run
• Micro Soccer/Sports field
• Boulder Field
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• Trails/Walkways/Paths
• P-Patches
• Restroom addition
• View Platform
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run
• Great Lawn with central labyrinth
• Picnic and Chess areas
• View Points
• Playground/Splash Pad
• Ball Fields
• Parking
• Boulder Field
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• Trails/Walkways/Paths
• P-Patches and bird/butterfly (pollinator) habitat
• Playground/Splash Pad/
• Restroom addition
• Great Lawn
• Labyrinth
• View Platform
• Picnic areas
• Sports Court area
• Skatedot
• Amphitheater/outdoor performance area
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run
• Ball Fields
• Boulder Field
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1)Click here for a comment form
OR
2) Emailing your comments into reservoirpark@MapleLeafCommunity.org
OR
3) Filling out one of the comment sheets in the document holder at 8521 Roosevelt Way NE and either mail it in to the address on the sheet or drop it off in the comment boxes located at Blue Saucer, Cafe Javasti, or Cloud City Coffee. We look forward to hearing from you.
Community comments will be a part of our report and presentations we will use in our lobbying for funding efforts.
The Parks Department has not been able to start planning for this park since they did not have the funds to do so. But with the passage of the Levy, that provides the monies needed. Levy funding becomes partially available late spring/early summer. This spring we will start lobbying to ensure our project receives a relatively small portion of the $5 million allocated to it so the Parks Department can start our planning process. We look forward to the Parks Department joining in our efforts and enthusiasm and start the official planning as soon as the necessary funds become available. It is our sincere hope to save money by having a plan done in time to (1) take advantage of the construction process (if possible) and (2) allow is to start our own fund raising to supplement the levy funds. As we all know, planning ahead is ALWAYS the smart thing to do. The Cal Anderson and Jefferson each had plans done before their construction process began. Planning ahead allows you to more easily deal with problems, allows more flexibility & creativity, and can save money.
First, send in your comments (see just above, under the concepts).
Then, later this spring, we will be asking you to write in a letter of support for our park planning to be funded in the first phase of monies available. When the time is right, we will send out an email with letter writing information and post it in the display window. If you don’t want to wait, send it to the Maple Leaf Community Council - FGMLP (PO Box 75595 — Seattle, WA 98175) and we will collect the letters and submit them together. Thank you for your support.
Athletic Fields
• A pathway coming from the right-of-way off of 12th will allow neighbors to enter the northend of the park without having to walk around on traffic heavy Roosevelt or 15th. (The placement of this path would depend upon whether or not the Gatehouse can be moved. This is a decision separate from the Park Development and is determined by SPU according to their operational needs.)
• Perimeter jogging/biking trail
• Pathways should also cross through the park to connect the two sides of the neighborhood.
• Two walking bridges that would go over the infiltration area, inorder to create options to enter the park.
• Fitness circuit items spread out along the paths. Includes items like chin-up bar, pushup/sit-up area, and parallel bars
• Along the back of the northern region of the park, off the reservoir lid, parallel to the fence line of the properties.
• An attractive-looking (not industrial) restroom located somewhere in the NE part of the park.
• Along Roosevelt and 82nd.
• Open grass area in the northern and eastern portions of the lid, allowing for spontaneous, non-league activities such as frisbee, kite-flying, etc.
• Grouped in a couple of locations on the lid. One picnic shelter should overlook the playground area.
• A Labyrinth (in-the-ground walking maze allows activity for children and contemplation for adults) in the NE corner of the great lawn.
• Located along Roosevelt, south of parking/west of the ballfield/north of the playground
• Jr. baseball/softball field added on the reservoir lid (back stop in SW corner just off of the lid).
• Refurbish existing lower Little/Pony League fields.
• On the southwestern corner of the reservoir cap (tucked up behind the back stop) provides views of downtown Seattle; On the SE corner of the lid, provides a view of Mt. Rainier and Lake Washington.
• Upgraded playground would remain in the current area.
• Add a slide on the hill between the upper and the lower park (behind the backstop area.
• Splash pad added to this area
• Located along 82nd on the western half (using the current fence and adding a fence to make it a long dog run). This would have to be graded to make it flat.
• A micro soccer/sports field between the lower ballfields COULD be added IF the Gatehouse and it’s function could be shifted off this space (this is a decision to be made by Seattle Public Utilities. This is a decision separate from the Park Development and is determined by SPU according to their operational needs).
• The infiltration area could become a dry river rock bed, that continues to become a boulder field.
Boulders would provide a natural recreational area and provide seats for viewing fireworks downtown.
Click here for a comment form
Central Labyrinth
• As well as the paths radiating out from the labyrinth in the center of the upper reservoir lid, provide measured jogging/biking trail around the park perimeter. (Placement of this path depends upon the Gatehouse and whether it will remain or not, a decision that will be made by SPU).
• A pathway from the right-of-way off of 12th will allow neighbors to enter the northend of the park without having to walk around on traffic heavy Roosevelt or 15th.
• A walking bridge that would go between street level on 14th to the bottom of the slope, with stairs going up to the viewpoint area.
• All along the back of the northern region of the park, off the reservoir lid, parallel to the fence line of the properties, west of the 12th Street right-of-way path to the water tower fence.
• Provide a restroom on the opposite side of the park from the current restrooms, in proximity to p-patches and entry to 12th.
• In front of the water tower, a viewing platform, possibly mimicking the water tower in order to take advantage of views to the south of Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, and downtown and provide some educational context of the site (the Cedar River Watershed, where the water in the reservoir comes from, is in the SE direction visible from this site).
• Along Roosevelt, north of the playground area, around the fenced in water tower/radio building area. A portion of it should be divided into a “small & shy” dog area.
• Open grass area should dominate the upper part of the park, allowing for spontaneous, non-league activities such as frisbee, kite-flying, etc.
• A Labyrinth (in-the-ground walking maze allows activity for children and contemplation for adults) in the center of the great lawn, with paths radiating off of it. The Labyrinth would be a part of the central walking areas.
• Grouped in a couple of locations on the lid. One picnic shelter should overlook the dog-park.
• Create a chess ares in the SE area of the lid, between the labyrinth and the SE view point benches.
• Benches in both the SE corner of the reservoir lid - provides views of downtown Seattle — and on the SE corner of the lid – providing a view of Mt. Rainier, the Cascades, and Lake Washington.
• Upgraded playground would remain in the current area. Add a slide on the hill between the upper and the lower park close by. Add a splash pad to this area.
• Refurbish existing lower Little/Pony League fields.
• The eastern field would be re-oriented and graded, placing the back stop in the SE corner in order to make the field a Jr. playing size IF the Gatehouse and it’s function could be shifted off this space (this is a decision to be made by Seattle Public Utilities, according to their operational needs and how they need to function in order to keep our water service rates low and safe).
• Parking would be added along 82nd.
• The infiltration area could become a dry river rock bed, that continues to become a boulder field.
Boulders would provide a natural recreational area and provide seats for viewing fireworks downtown.
Click here for a comment form
Sustainability
• Perimeter jogging/biking trail
• Meandering paths throughout the park; pathways should also cross through the park to connect the two sides of the neighborhood.
• A pathway from the right-of-way off of 12th allows people to enter the north end of the park without walking on traffic heavy Roosevelt or 15th.
• A walking bridge that would go between street level on 14th to the reservoir lid, over the infiltration area. The placement of this path will depend upon what happens with the Gatehouse on the lower fields. If its’ function can be shifted off this area (a decision to be made by SPU, according to their needs and analysis), a wide, welcoming pathway with trees on each side could go between the two ball fields and stretch up thru the upper park to connect with the 12th St right-of-way on the other side (this possibility is shown).
• Along the back of the northern edge of the park, off the reservoir lid, parallel to the fence line of the properties. A P-patch to the west of the 12th Street right-of-way path; a pollinating garden to the east of the path and curve along the eastern edge. The p-patch area could include rows of dwarf fruit trees.
• A second “Children’s p-patch” on Roosevelt, just south of the fence, across the street from Art Tile.
• Playground moved to the NW area, in front of the water tower, tucked up between the fenced area and the reservoir. Possibly incorporate interactive water features such as a merry-go-round pump that would be incorporated in an added splash pad area. There should be a restroom placed in close proximity to the playground area and p-patches.
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• Open grass area in the northern and eastern portions of the lid, allowing for spontaneous, non-league activities such as frisbee, kite-flying, etc.
• As a part of the viewpoint in the SE corner of the reservoir. A labyrinth is a flat, in-the-ground maze made of contrasting materials that can be used by children for fun and for adults for contemplation.
• Located in the center of the upper lawn, with paths radiating off of it. To take advantage of southern views of Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, and downtown and include historical photos of and from the site.
• In a couple of locations on the lid. At least one picnic shelter by the dog park and one by the playground.
• Just off the edge of the reservoir lid, lengthwise along the south edge or along the west edge (or both) would include tennis courts and basketball hoops. These are small footprint exercise activities that support both physical health, social opportunities, and sustainability.
• Placed along Roosevelt, providing a skateboarding opportunity within the neighborhood.
• Terraced seating within the slope from the reservoir.
• Amphitheater/stage for performances, summer movies, or possibly music; south/back side of the stage could be used as a climbing wall.
• Evergreen trees planted behind the amphitheater to provide a natural background for the performance area and provide much needed trees.
• Take advantage of the existing fence to be one side of the run and place in the location of the current playground area. Have a reduced size “small & shy” dog run across from the main dog run.
• Refurbish existing lower Little/Pony League fields. (Western field would shift to make room for stage and evergreen trees).
• The infiltration area could become a dry river rock bed, that continues to become a boulder field. Boulders would provide a natural recreational area and provide seats for viewing fireworks downtown.
Click here for a comment form
Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park (Maple Leaf Community Council ’s Park Steering Committee) held three Community Park Design Workshops in November 2008. There were over 70 attendees at these workshops, interested and excited about contributing to ideas that could be included in a concept for our park. These charrettes were facilitated by a group of Landscape Architect students from the UW who worked on developing a site plan for a Community, Environment, and Planning project. The results from these workshops will be presented at the Maple Leaf Community Meeting on January 28 (Olympic View Elementary, 7 to 9pm) and then will be up for view and comment after that in the display window in the building just to the north of Art Tile on Roosevelt.
The meeting began with basic information about why we are planning ahead of time, what was happening with the reservoir and the upcoming park, the process we were going through, a brief history about the neighborhood & the site, the restrictions and challenages with the site, and the need to share ideas and concerns. Then we broke into groups of 6 to 10 people, who were provided with a map, foam core pieces to represent the different sizes of possible park features, and colored dry erase pens. Each group then talked about the issues concerning them and the neighborhood and drew a rough park site plan on the map. Then each group presented their vision for the park.
The information presented at the three meetings was developed into a database from which the top or favorite options were derived. Then a site plan was created from the input provided in each meeting (also taking into account the data from the survey postcards FGMLP distributed over the last year). These community site plans can be seen just below.
Much of the discussion in the whole group and in the individual groups focused on the character of the park and what individual/community needs it may need to fill. Should the park provide our community with amenities for low, medium, or high intensity uses? Should there be spaces for contemplation, for recreation, or for both? There were some thoughtful comments and visionary ideas that came out of the meetings. People were really focused on how new park could be connected to and integrated into the overall fabric of the Maple Leaf Community.
Here are the site plans created by the community groups at the meetings. To see and comment on the "consolidated, themed" plans, please plan to attend the Maple Leaf Community Meeting on January 28 (Olympic View Elementary, 7 to 9pm) and then will be up for view and comment after that in the display window in the building just to the north of Art Tile on Roosevelt.
Here are the group plans drew at the charrettes. The maps are all oriented with the north on the top, so the water tower is in the upper left hand corner:
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, between the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and the fence around the tower.
• Dwarf fruit tree orchard on the east side, next to the Chlorination Building.
• Pathways around the perimeter of the park, and scattered throughout the park. Benches scattered along the pathways.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run along south edge of park, on 82nd.
• A flat, in-in-the ground labyrinth on the east side of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Add an amphitheater, using the hillside for terraced seating
• Move the playground area up on the reservoir lid, in the SW corner and add a splash pad.
• Tennis courts next to playground, on top of the reservoir lid
• Add a Jr/Sr size ball field on the lid, on the eastern half.
• Add parking along Roosevelt
• Add a restroom close to 14th & 85th
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Put a picnic area in the SW corner, near 82nd.
• Add an fenced-in off-leash dog run to the southern part of the rain garden/swale.
• A viewpoint in the middle of the southern edge of the reservoir.
• Upgrade playground area and keep it where it is; add a skate dot.
• Three ballfields added to the reservoir lid. Keep the eastern lower ball field; remove the western lower ball field and replace it with Micro Soccer fields.
• Add a parking lot off of 82nd, between the eastern ball field and the Micro Soccer fields; add another parking lot on Roosevelt, across from the buildings on the 8400 black and halfway up the 8500 block.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, between the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and the fence around the tower. Good location to keep eyes on the part of the park that is in the passive area.
• Place a fitness area in the NE corner of the reservoir lid.
• Place bike racks in the SE corner.
• Place chess tables behind the picnic area and in front of the viewpoint.
• Place picnic shelter on the SW corner and picnic tables scattered on the western edge of the reservoir lid.
• A flat, in-in-the ground labyrinth on the east side of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Upgrade playground area and keep it where it is; add a splash pad and place a skate dot nearby, visible to Roosevelt.
• Upgrade lower ball fields; add a soccer field if the gatehouse is torn down and that space become available.
• Add restrooms near the water tower.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Open, unprogrammed space/great lawn to north & east.
• Upgrade playground area and keep it where it is.
• Add a ballfield to the SW corner of the reservoir. Lower ball fields remain.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway to provide quiet for homeowners and offer some security.
• Landscaping all over, where possible (note: limited fertilizing is allowed on the reservoir lid).
• Calibrated walking paths to measure distance
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run along Roosevelt — placed there because it is already noisy from traffic.
• Chess tables area near dog run area.
• Viewpoint platform in center of the reservoir with paths radiating out from it.
• Flat, in-ground labyrinth in middle of southern edge of reservoir area.
• Shift the playground area slightly to the east; add a splash pad nearby.
• Horseshoe pits next to p-patches in NE
reservoir area.
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• Extension of the rain garden/swale with a boulder field, that will help take advantage of the views from the southeast.
• Walking paths around the perimeter of the reservoir lid area. Also, pathways that connect the north/south and east/west sides of the park. Perimeter pathways should have measurements for exercise.
• Benches located along pathways.
• Fitness circuit concentrated on the NE portion of the pathways.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog park discussed, but location not decided on.
• Viewpoint in SW corner of the reservoir.
Preserve as many views as possible.
• Open, unprogrammed green space/great lawn on the reservoir area. A blank slate for spontaneous use like frisbee or setting up volleyball nets.
• Flat, in-the-ground labyrinth in the NW corner of the reservoir.
• Keep playground in current location; add a splash pad.
• Keep the SW reservoir corner slope open for kids to use.
• Improve and retain lower ball fields.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, between the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and the fence around the tower; “quiet area” to the east of the pathway.
• River rock bed as part of the rain garden/swale and as an extension southwards of the rain garden/swale. Maybe add a water pump to make this a partial water feature.
• Meandering trails around perimeter of reservoir. Want to connect all sides of the neighborhood together with pathways.
• Would place a lot of benches scattered throughout the park.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run on Roosevelt between 84th and 85th, especially useful to keep adult eyes on the park.
• Picnic tables in the NE area of the reservoir. A covered picnic shelters between the dog park and the playground AND next to the restrooms and by the playground area.
• View tower in front of the water tank — maybe a miniature-looking water tower — with a telescope. Viewpoints in the SE and SW corners of the reservoir.
• Open, unprogrammed open space/great lawn in the NW corner of the reservoir area.
• Flat, in-ground labyrinth in center of the reservoir area with paths radiating off. A viewpoint as a part of the labyrinth.
• Some sort of a natural water feature or something that speaks to the water in the reservoir and the system it is a part of.
• Playground area in current location; addition of a splash pad.
• Remodel the current restrooms.
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• Meandering pathways around edge of reservoir and across the center both east/west and north/south. Outer pathway paved, inner pathways gravel or chips.
• Picnic shelters along Roosevelt behind parking and to the north of the playground area. Picnic tables scattered throughout the park.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run in the NE corner of the park.
• Viewpoint in the middle of the south side of the reservoir lid.
• Open area of a great lawn — where frisbee, kite flying, or performances could take place — in the SW corner of the reservoir lid area.
• Add a splash pad on or by the reservoir lid at the middle of the west side of the reservoir.
• Youth zone in lower park area with the Playground area remaining in the same location; add basketball courts and a skate dot south of the current restrooms; and upgrade the current lower ball fields.
• Add parking along Roosevelt.
• Restroom added in the NE corner of the park.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Meandering pathways.
• Picnic shelters scattered on east third of reservoir.
• Keep and upgrade the playground where it is.
• Keep the current lower ball fields. Add a Jr./Sr. baseball/ softball field to the lid area, back stop in the SW corner. Berm to indicate the outside edge of the outfield with a bike path on the other side of the berm. Bike path connects from 85th & Roosevelt to 14th.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway. Provides people to keep an eye on the park and takes advantage of southern exposure without being next to busy road and getting exhaust.
• In the NE corner, off the reservoir lid, create natural habitat/garden area that would work into the rain garden/swale.
• Pathways around reservoir perimeter. Try to keep bikes to certain pathways to provide safety to pedestrians.
• Bike racks close to main entries on NE, W, and So. sides.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run on Roosevelt, across from businesses (alternative location: on 82nd, in SW corner, across from the 1000 and the 1100 blocks).
• View points on SW and SE corners of reservoir. Place a view platform in the NW corner in front of the water tower OR an alternative location in the middle of the south edge of the reservoir.
• Flat, in-ground labyrinth in middle of reservoir area. Maple Leaf “shaped” pathways radiating out from the labyrinth.
• Childrens area along Roosevelt, from 85th to 83rd to include: upgraded playground equipment, a splash pad, and a skate dot.
• Add a tennis court and basketball court to the south of the restrooms and playground area.
• Lower ball fields to be updated.
• Add a restroom to the east side, close to 85th & 14th.
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• P-Patches on northern edge, east of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and along Roosevelt. P-patch on Roosevelt could possibly be a children’s garden.
• Flower garden placed behind the radio tower building security fence.
• Pathways around the reservoir perimeter. Shelter in the center of the reservoir. Pathways criss-crossing through park.
• Bike racks close to existing restrooms and between ball fields.
• Picnic area in NW corner of reservoir lid.
• Fenced-in off-leash dog run on northern edge, between the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and the fence around the tower.
• Raised viewpoint tower placed between the two ball fields to give views in both directions.
• Open, unprogrammed great lawn in NE corner of reservoir lid.
• Amphitheater surrounded by trees to replace western ball field with terraced seating in slope going up to the reservoir.
• Playground in existing location; add a splash pad.
• Tennis courts, volleyball pits, basketball courts, and horseshoe pits along Roosevelt.
• Add a skate dot on Roosevelt, near radio building security fence.
• Move ballfields to upper park — one Little League and one Jr./Sr. baseball/softball. If the lower park gatehouse is removed and space remaining allows, convert the eastern ball field to a soccer field. If it is not removed, create micro soccer fields.
• Add a restroom near the radio building security fence.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, between the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and the fence around the tower.
• A bird/butterfly (pollinator) habitat on the east side of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway, curving around into the swale.
• Plant trees along Roosevelt.
• Extend the rain garden/swale along 14th with native plantings.
• Pathways going around and through the park.
• Take advantage of existing fences, add fences to west and south and create fenced-in off-leash dog run in the current Playground area location.
• Viewpoint in the SE corner of the reservoir.
• Open, unprogrammed space/great lawn on the north side of the reservoir lid for pick up activities.
• Build an amphitheater in the slope.
• Playground area moves to the NW part of the upper park in front of the water tower; updated playground equipment should include a splash pad area, possibly with a pump that is powered by a merry-go-round, teeter-totter, and/or bicycle that could help to service the splash pad and other possible interactive water features.
• Add tennis courts, basketball courts, and volleyball pits to the SW corner of the reservoir lid.
• Keep and upgrade the existing lower park ball fields.
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• P-Patches on Roosevelt and tucked behind the radio tower/water tower security fence.
• Really approve of the rain garden/swale going in along the east side of the reservoir area.
• A walking path entrance off the 12th street Right-of-Way. Pathways along the perimeter of the reservoir.
• Picnic spots along the south edge of the reservoir.
• Take advantage of views from the site, but have a viewpoint on the SE corner of the reservoir (maybe move the pergola from the current playground area).
• “Peaceful” activities atop the reservoir could include a labyrinth, chess tables, a water feature, and benches.
• Improve and enlarge the playground area.
• Skate dot on Roosevelt across from Reservoir Tavern.
• A splash pad in the SW corner of the reservoir.
• A “Quiet” buffer zone along the north edge of the reservoir.
• Ball fields on lower park remain and are improved.
• Parking needs to be factored in: either change the parking on Roosevelt to back-in, and/or add back-in parking along 14th, and/or add back-in parking along 82nd.
• Improve existing restroom.
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• Combine a p-patch and tree habitat along the north side of the property.
• Continue both ends of the rain garden/ swale, with boulders or a butterfly garden.
• Walking path around the perimeter of the reservoir lid and a series of trails throughout the site, hopefully somehow going thru trees.
• Add a shelter in the NE corner area.
• Add a fenced-in off-leash dog area between the skate dot and the playground area.
• Viewpoint in the SE corner of the reservoir lid with a labyrinth nearby.
• Have a natural water feature on the slope in the SW corner.
• Open, gathering space/great lawn on the north and east sides of the reservoir lid.
• Playground to remain in the same location. Have a play space somewhere on the site that includes boulders for climbing.
• Place a skate dot on Roosevelt.
• Sports courts (tennis, basketball) tucked behind the security fence around the radio tower.
• Add a ballfield to the SW corner of the reservoir lid. Keep and upgrade the lower ballfields.
• Add parking to one of three spots - Roosevelt, 82nd, or 14th.
• Add a restroom in the NE corner area.
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• P-Patches and gardens on northern edge, on both sides of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway.
• Expand the rain garden/swale.
• A walking path around the perimeter of the park and a path cutting though it.
• Benches along paths and by labyrinth.
• Would like to add a fenced-in off-leash dog area, but not sure where. Maybe along 14th in the SE corner.
• Place a view platform on the south edge of the reservoir lid and have a picnic shelter underneath.
• Add terraced seating for an amphitheater to the west side of the south slope, close to the restrooms.
• Improve the playground and leave it where it exists.
• Add a splash pad in a sunny location by the existing playground equipment.
• Have a slide as a part of the slope from the upper park to the lower park.
• Consolidate the lower park ballfields closer together. Either add an additional ballfield to the SW corner of the reservoir lid OR place a labyrinth in this location. If there is a ballfield placed here, put a labyrinth in the NE corner of the reservoir lid.
• Expand the existing restroom.
• Add a restroom to the NE corner, close to the chlorination building security fence.
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• A lot of desire for attractive plantings and additional trees. Plantings along the northern edge, on the west side of the 12th street right-of-way entrance/pathway and a p-patch on the east side of the right-of-way pathway.
• A pathway around the perimeter of the reservoir lid with additional meandering trails around the park.
• Benches on the SE and SW corners of the reservoir lid to take advantage of the view.
• Would like a viewpoint included somewhere.
• A gathering area/great lawn in the center and eastern area of the reservoir lid with paths radiating out.
• The existing playground area to be updated to include a slide on the hill, a splash pad, a skate dot, and benches. Have an area for very small kids to play in this space.
• Rearrange the eastern ballfield to allow for a soccer field. (note: this would probably not be possible unless the gatehouse is removed and this area becomes available.
• Add a new restroom by the radio tower.
• Make the current restroom bigger.
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Some basic infor about possible Park features
~200’ foul lines; ~320’ centerfield
• Low profile except for backstop and fences
• Large footprint
• Provides some exercise, hand/eye coordination skills, and teamwork training
• Two miles to the east and to the west, there are state-of-the-art fields already existing or being built at Magnuson and Green Lake
• RUG (Roosevelt/University/Greenlake) Little League serves around 400 kids per season.
• Fields are usually scheduled full time from March to mid July and part time for the rest of the summer until soccer season starts.
• The fields at Maple Leaf are the home base for the league.
• 130 boys and 50 girls are served by the two Maple Leaf fields.
• The 9/10 year old Minor teams practice and play their regular season games there on the west field
(along with Ravenna field).
• The 11/12 year old Major teams practice and play their games on the east field.
• Five Minors and Majors softball teams practice and play on both the east and west fields. Their
season ending tournaments are held on these fields as well as hosting inter-league play in the early
summer for both baseball and softball.
• General feeling of the existing lower ballfields is positive by the homes in that immediate area.
• RUG says there is no need for and they are not interested in lighting for the fields.
• Keeping the existing fields is very important to this league continuing to serve the kids. The league requests
consideration of adding of a full size field for the three Junior/Senior teams (40 boys) who currently play at
highly scheduled Greenlake ball fields. If another field is built, the parking demands will increase. Ballfields added to the upper area will have back stops and fencing which can impede views.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on game days, with all available parking around the south edge of the
park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough
parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
84’ x 50’ (full court)
• Small footprint, good exercise (level depends upon individual) or relaxation
• Low profile
• Low cost, minimal equipment
• Serves single person shooting hoops to organized teams playing a game
• Beginner’s height vs standard . . . for different ages
100’ x 100’ (approximate size of current area)
• Small footprint
• Short profile
• $450,000 from Parks & Green Spaces Levy for playground equipment replacement.
• Maybe take advantage of the slope on the west side with a slide or a rock climbing wall . . . ?
• New playground designs have connected areas to accomodate different ages.
450’ diameter oval/circle
• Simple, uncomplicated design
• Large footprint
• Low profile
• Matches can last forever
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
Flexible
• Low level of exercise, high hand/eye coordination
• Low profile
• Minimal equipment needed by participant
• Disc golf (also called Frisbee Golf) is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, “The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc.”
• Disc Golf Course Components: Three basic components go into a course design, Disc Pole Holes, Tee Signs and Tee Pads.
Disc Pole Holes are the main and most important components of a disc golf course. A Disc Pole Hole comprises a center pole, chain holder and a basket. A set of chains hang down from the chain holder surrounding the center pole. Surrounding the pole below the chains is a circular basket that serves to catch a disc thrown at the chains of the Disc Pole Hole. The Disc Pole Hole is also commonly known as a basket or a catcher. When the disc drops into the basket the player moves to the next Tee.
For each hole, a tee pad provides a firm and level foundation to start play from, “tee off”. Tees are usually composed of poured concrete slabs, decomposed granite, or more recently dense rubber pads. Some courses have alternative tee pads for a given hole.
Located at each tee, Tee Signs are the map to the hole. They give important information like the distance, par, the preferred flight path, hazards and out of bounds.
• Needs to be in a paved area like a parking lot, so if we wanted this in the park, there would need to be an adequate sized area with access for vehicles. Parking area can also be used as a Farmer’s Market if: the parking lot is paved, not gravel AND the Farmer’s Market program sees a need.
• We do have two very good sized Farmer’s Markets (University on Saturdays; Lake City on Thursdays) close by.
• Parking and traffic would be issues on market days for five months of the year.
• There are other possible options in our neighborhood.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
Vary from .5 acre to 5+ acres
•According to the City of Seattle Animal Shelter, 98115 is the zip code with the highest number of licensed dogs with 3,275 registered currently.
• Off-leash areas promote healthy dogs and community amoung the humans that visit.
• Small & shy dog area are often smaller, adjacent areas for smaller, less active dogs.
• Low profile.
• Areas need to be primarily open space, not in trees.
• Dogs bark. When considering where to place an off-leash area, consider the homes on the reservoir and homes on the quiet streets.
• Any dog area must be at least 15’ from the edge of the reservoir lid.
• Dog areas ground cover could be turf (which can get muddy), sand, or wood chips.
• Owners are liable for damage or injury inflicted by their dog(s).
• Owners must be in control of their dog(s) at all times.
• Dogs that exhibit dangerous or aggressive behavior must be muzzled; biting, fighting, and excessive barking are not allowed.
• Dogs must be leashed outside the off-leash area; owners must carry a leash for each dog while inside the off-leash area.
• Owners must clean up after dog(s) and deposit feces in the containers at the site, and must visibly carry scoop equipment.
• Owners must closely supervise young children.
• Bring food into off-leash areas at your own risk.
• Leave bicycles outside off-leash area.
• Unattended dogs are not allowed in off-leash areas.
• Females in heat are not allowed in off-leash areas.
• Puppies younger than four months of age are not allowed in off-leash areas.
• All dogs must be licensed and vaccinated.
• An outdoor fitness “stations” along a path or route. Greenlake features a few fitness circuit stations.
• Stations offer strength exercises, stretching activities, and calisthenics.
• Many times these stations can also be used for Parkour activies (see below).
• Mostly low profile.
• Any age can use these.
• Level of exercise depends upon the individual.
• This could take advantage of the slope area on the west side of the park next to Roosevelt.
is an activity with the “goal” of providing yourself challenges to move from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible, using the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment—from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls—and can be practised in both rural and urban areas.
• Seattle Parkour group teaches classes to kids.
• Seattle Parkour group emphasizes their members help to keep parks clean and safe by picking up litter and reporting safety hazards to the Parks Dept.
42’ x 72”
• Concerns with safety and kids, consider attractive barriers to impede people from walking through a game accidentally
• We haven’t a center where people could check out the equipment, so people would have to bring their own.
• Most ages can play, not complicated or difficult to learn.
• Small footprint activity; low impact exercise
• Low profile
: Flexible
• Flat surface maze
• Low profile
• Size can vary
• Any age can use: Contemplative feature for adults, fun maze area for kids
~330’ x 180’
• Low profile
• Large footprint
• High level of exercise
• Team activity
• Grass does not hold up well and the area often is muddy.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
: 80’ x 12’
• Low profile
• Small footprint
• Low impact excercise, promotes hand/eye coordination
• Good social activity
• Adolescents through adults can play, not complicated or difficult to learn the basics
• Concerns with safety and kids, consider attractive barriers to impede people from walking through a game accidentally
• We haven’t a center where people could check out the equipment, so people would have to bring their own.
: Can vary
• Variety in how this can be: a raised stage with a backdrop to a pad of cement
• Profile can vary
• Small footprint
• Other community parks report getting performers is very, very difficult.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
start at 1,500 sq ft to 120,000 sq ft
• Low profile
• Average P-patch plot size is 350 sq ft
• Must be at least 15’ from the edge of the reservoir lid.
• The Department of Neighborhoods’ P-Patch Program, in conjunction with the not-for-profit P-Patch Trust, provides organic community garden space for residents of 70 Seattle neighborhoods. The community based program areas of the P-Patch Program are community gardening, market gardening, youth gardening, and community food security in the City of Seattle. These programs serve all citizens of Seattle with an emphasis on low-income and immigrant populations and youth. Our community gardens offer 2500 plots serve more than 6000 urban gardeners on 23 acres of land.
P-Patch community gardeners show their concern for the value of fresh organic vegetables by supplying 7 to 10 tons of produce to Seattle food banks each year. Supporting a strong environmental ethic, the P-Patch Program allows organic gardening only and since all our gardens are maintained by community members, we have an 8 hour annual volunteer requirement in our allotment gardens.
Current open space (where we have the summer social) is ~ 200x200
• Low profile
• Most parks of our size have a fairly good sized gathering area.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League game days, with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Remember: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
• Parking area can also be used as a Farmer’s Market if: the parking lot is paved, not gravel AND the Farmer’s Market program sees a need.
• Parking need not be a parking lot; consider options such as back-in parking a row of cars along Roosevelt, 82nd, or 14th.
• We have restrooms in the SW area, near the present playground equipment
• Others must be at least 50’ from the reservoir edge
From 10’ x 10’ to 20’ x 50’
• Profile varies. Profile could be kept very low by having a sunken picnic area, something that would blend in with the landscape.
• Small footprint
• How many?
• How big?
• What style?
• Visibility is important so it shouldn’t be tucked away in a corner.
• Should we consider green roofs? They are heavier and more expensive.
~ 1,500 sq ft or less
• Low profile
• Small footprint
• Provides some exercise, promotes balance and cooperation
• Great alternative for kids in the pre-teen age who are too young to go to big regional skateparks and end up skateboarding in the street on ramps they build.
• This could take advantage of the slope area on the west side of the park next to Roosevelt.
• Visibility is important so it shouldn’t be tucked away in a corner.
~340’ x 200’
• Low profile
• Large footprint
• High level of exercise, promotes coordination and teamwork
• Team activity
• Grass does not hold up well and the area often is muddy, which is why soccer organizations actively pursue synthetic turf.
• Soccer groups actively pursue lighting.
• Two miles to the east and to the west, there are state-of-the-art fields already existing or being built at Magnuson and Green Lake
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
• The addition of a soccer field will increase the demand on parking.
Varies, usually around 200 sq ft
• Can be low profile or have spouting columns
• Small footprint
• Safer than wading pools (drowning)
• Cleaner than wading pools.
• Lower maintenance and less cost than wading pools (does not require being emptied every day or a lifeguard)
• Highly popular with kids
• This should be located close to playground equipment so parents can keep an eye on multiple kids who each may want to do something different.
: 60’ x 120’
• Low profile, although fences can impede views
• Small footprint
• High level of exercise
• With a wall, a single person can get a workout too
180’ x 270’
• Low profile, often just put up cones to indicate playing area and endzones
• Medium to large footprint
• High level of exercise
• Ultimate Frisbee combines the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football.
• A game of ultimate is played by two seven-player squads with a high-tech plastic disc on a field similar to football.
• Ultimate is unique amongst competitive sports in that games are governed by Spirit of the Game™, a tradition of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the players rather than referees.
• Turf doesn’t matter, but if they share with soccer, they prefer synthetic turf as regular grass gets very muddy from soccer players shoes.
• An state-of-the-art ultimate frisbee field(s) is a part of the Magnuson Park Sports field complex.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on Little League games days with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
• This site is ~4 blocks from the third highest point in Seattle. There are views of the Cascades, Mt. Rainier, Lake Washington, the downtown skyline, and the Space Needle.
• Moving too far south you lose the view of Lake Washington; moving too far south and you lose the views of Cascades.
• There is a Seattle city ordinance SMC 25.05.675P that protects views from PUBLIC property.
• Weight-wise, a platform would work over the reservoir, but a tower wouldn’t be allowed.
• Small footprint, could both enhance and impede some views.
50’ x 80’
• Low profile.
• Small footprint
• High level of exercise
• There is no center or facility to hand out equipment so how nets would be handled is unknown
• Sandy area is low maintenance
• Low profile.
• Low impact, recommended exercise
• Think about the mixing of wheels and feet and how wide the paths would have to be. Wheels include strollers, walkers, wheelchairs, and bikes.
• Think about permeable vs impermeable surfaces
• Extraordinarily expensive
• SPU and Parks are not enthusiastic with large water features in reservoir parks after Cal Anderson
• Footprint can vary
• Profile can vary
• Think about the size and placement. Over the reservoir is not good.
: ~320’ foul lines; ~390’ to 435’ centerfield
• Low profile except for backstop and fences
• Large footprint
• Provides some exercise, hand/eye coordination skills, and
teamwork training
• Two miles to the east and to the west, there are state-of-the-art fields already existing or being built at Magnuson and Green Lake
• Fields are usually scheduled full time from March thru the early fall.
• General feeling of the existing lower ballfields is positive by the homes in that immediate area.
• Ballfields added to the upper area will have back stops and fencing which can impede views.
• Parking is street parking — there is currently no parking in the park itself.
• Parking is reportedly a challenge on game days, with all available parking around the south edge of the park on 14th, 82nd, Roosevelt, Brooklyn, 12th, and 11th being taken.
• Consider: If Waldo is demolished and the current plan for 39 townhomes goes forth, there are NOT enough parking places in the parking garage and there will be an additional 10 to 15+ vehicles parked on the street.
• If another field is built, the parking demands will increase.
Funding
$5 million was funded in the Parks & Green Spaces Levy to the Maple Leaf Reservoir Park. $450,000 is dedicated to upgrading the playground area.
Parks & Green Spaces Levy: On June 27, the P&GS Citizen's Advisory Committee presented a recommendation and report to the city council for a Parks & Green Spaces Levy. The City Council will be making the final decisions on exactly what projects are on the levy and how much each project will receive. Although the committee never got around to discussing the equity of the funding for the reservoir parks before passing the list along to the City Council, so the Maple Leaf Reservoir project was still inadequately funded at $3 million. $11 million for the Asian Art Museum remains on the list of projects the council is considering, even though the mayor is currently planning a levy that facilities are traditionally included on a ballot in 2010. For more details, here are the documents submitted to the Council for consideration. (Transmittal Letter, Advisory Committee Final Report, Advisory Committee Final Appendices, Final Report Addendum)
Parks & Green Spaces Levy: The Seattle City Council has created a Parks & Green Spaces Citizen's Advisory Committee to advise the Council on the pros and cons of asking voters to renew a parks levy on November's ballot. As part of this process, this Citizen's Committee will also be recommending which specific projects could listed on the new levy.
Previous reservoir parks have received funding ranging from generous to inadequate (see chart below). An example of generous funds can be seen at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill. It is an impressive 7-acre urban park that has features that meet that neighborhood's needs and I think it would be difficult to find someone who would say Cal Anderson Park has not been successful. Cal Anderson received $5.3 million dollars from the 2000 ProParks Levy. Myrtle Park in West Seattle is almost done with their planning process, the reservoir burial is being completed over the next few months, and construction on their park will probably begin this fall. Myrtle Park is a 5.6-acre nieghborhood park that is one away from High Point Playfield. High Point features a Community Center, a play area, restrooms, a tennis court, soccer, baseball/softball, and flag football. Myrtle Park was funded from ProParks at $1.5 million for planning, design, and construction of 5.6 acres useable open space will include a viewpoint, stairs, paths, drainage, a rain garden, playground equipment, and an informal open space. Jefferson Park is located on Beacon Hill and its' 52-acres are home to a community center, lawn bowling, the Jefferson Park Course, full basketball courts, a play area, rental facilities, lighted tennis courts, paths, extraordinary views, and cricket. With the burial of their reservoir (which should be completed later this year), 44 acres will be added to their park. Jefferson received $7.8 million from ProParks to be used for the final phase of design, and the first phase of contruction on a sports fields, lighting, tennis courts, paths, and an informal meadow. Unfortunately, with the rising construction costs, the money provided by the ProParks will probably not be enough to pay for all of their first phase of construction.
Our Park Planning Committee worked hard to make sure our reservoir is on the list and that it is adequately funded to support the planning stage and the first development phase of construction. We emphasized this as a deserving project, that the other reservoirs have already received ProParks funds, and when the mayor and city council determined the reservoirs were to be buried, they also said the open spaces created would be developed as funds became available. We had committee members and neighborhood citizens show they support this project by showing up for all four public comment meetings (especially the Northgate Community Center Meeting!) and for the Public Testimony meeting.
Archived info on Maple Leaf Reservoir & Park
The Seattle City Council voted to place the Parks Levy on the ballot this November. We were successful in securing $5M for the reservoir park and $450,000 for renovations to the equipment at Maple Leaf Playground. Thanks to everyone to wrote in letters of support - we would not have recieved the additional $2M without these letters.
What is the Parks and Green Spaces Levy?
The Levy is a renewal of the Pro Parks Levy adopted by voters in 2000. It provides $145 million over six years
for projects throughout the city. The average amount the typical homeowner will pay is $81 per year — $30 less than what we have been paying for parks.
It will pay for acquisition of green belts & natural areas, development of four reservoir parks, purchase open space & park land in rapidly growing urban villages, renovate parks & playgrounds, improve 23 playfields, add bike trails, restore forests & streams, provide life safety improvements at the Seattle Asian Art Museum & Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, and add land for at least four community gardens.
Besides the identified 53 city-wide projects, the levy features three special funds (Acquisition, Opportunity, Environment) that create the ability to purchase and/or develop land that may become available over the six years of the life of the levy.
Acquistion Fund: To acquire parks & open space in neighborhoods around the city that have already been identified as being deficient in park space.
Opportunity Fund: The Opportunity fund was one of the most successful parts of the ProParks levy and this has been increased for this levy. This fund is for neighborhood & community projects that could include the acquisition and/or development of trails, off-leash areas, neighborhood parks, and community gardens. Our Maple Leaf Community Garden is the result of the Opportunity Fund from the 1999 ProParks Levy.
Environment Fund: To re-establish healthy urban forests on city-owned land, restore habitat, and acquire/develop at least four new community gardens.
For information on the levy, you can visit their website: SeattleParksForAll.org.
AND click here to see the upbeat, positive commercial for the Parks Levy. A political commercial that doesn't have a heavy voice of doom or music that belongs in a melodrama . . . what a refreshing change!
This is a fiscally-responsible, environmentally-responsible, neighborhood-responsible, health-responsible, and density-responsible levy.
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It is FISCALLY-responsible because the Citizen's Committee that put it together realized that there are economic challenges in 2008 that need to be acknowledged along with the need for park development to keep up with the rest of the development our city is undergoing. This is a package that minimizes the tax burden; the Parks and Green Spaces Levy is actually a reduction in property taxes from the Pro Parks Levy, down $30 per year for the average homeowner. For less than a quarter a day, we can provide for more and improved parks in our city that are free and open for all to enjoy - no admission fee required. The citizens' committee also included a provision that directs Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Office of Finance to determine the best mechanism for ensuring sustainable funding for our neighborhood parks.
• It is ENVIRONMENTALLY-responsible because it includes greenbelt acquisition, forest & stream-side restoration, and improved access to shorelines. The Greenbelt acquisition will increase Seattle’s green legacy and contribute $6 million to natural areas identified in various neighborhood plans. Greenbelt projects include: East Duwamish, West Duwamish , Duwamish Head, NE Queen Anne, and Thornton Creek Greenbelts, Ravenna Woods, and Arroyos Natural Area. The Forest and stream-side restoration, identified by the Green Seattle Partnership, will provide opportunities to re-establish and maintain 130 acres of healthy urban forests. These projects include: West Duwamish Greenbelt, Longfellow Creek, Ravenna Park, Burke Gilman Trail and Cheasty Greenspace. And Shoreline access to Seattle’s lakes and waterways will be improved through the development of existing city-owned street ends.
• It is NEIGHBORHOOD-responsible because it includes 23 playgournd improvements, bringing these well used facilities up to federal safety standards; it will increase open space in 17 urban villages and single family areas that do not meet City standards for parks; it will create new neighborhood parks on reservoir lids, providing over 66 acres of new green space in Seattle; it will significantly improve parks in every sector of the city, including
Washington Park Arboretum, Discovery Park, the Children’s Play Garden, and Magnuson Park; it will provide critical infrastructure improvements to cultural park-owned facilities, including the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center and the Seattle Asian Art Museum; it will add active community space throughout the city, including the Northgate Urban Park, Hing Hay Park, Whittier Heights, Crown Hill, Camp Long, Cedar Park, Rainier Beach, Marra-Desimone Park, 7th Elect Church Site in Ballard, and Othello Park; and it will create a greater connection to our food and more space to support the growing demand for P-Patches with projects including gardens in Ballard, Queen Anne, Rainier Valley, and West Seattle.
• It is HEALTH-responsible, providing free and open space for exercise and other recreational activities that promote a healthier lifestyle. In these time of increased obesity, this benefit could be tremendous. There will be trail developments that will provide important connections to our parks and green spaces for cyclists and pedestrians. Trail projects include completion of the Burke Gilman Trail, the Duwamish Trail, the Kiwanis Ravine Trail, and portions of the Lake to Bay Trail. There are playfield improvement that could increase player safety and improve playability. There are skatepark improvements and additions, new children's spray parks, and off-leash dog areas planned for throughout the city.
• It is DENSITY-responsible for all of the above reasons. Parks are part of the infrastructure necessary for smart density. If we ignore parks while continuing to grow and develop with townhomes, condos, and McMansions, we need to balance this with open space and parks. There are many park and green spaces issues that will cost more money if they are not funded through this levy; many opportunities that will be lost. In this time of accelerated development and density in our city, we need to make sure that infrastructure like development of parks is maintained and that we don't fall behind in this area like we have with roads and public transportation.
What would it mean for our Maple Leaf Park if the levy doesn't pass? Well, I can think of two possibilities, you may be able to think of others. If our park gets its funding in small amounts, it would probably take 25 to 30 years of continual projects before our park is done. With these levy monies, it could be a third of that time. Also, we wouldn't be able to coordinate the park features with the buriel construction process, which could end up costing more money.
And an FYI, the funding for the buriel of the reservoir is already established and this levy will have no effect on the burying process itself, which is scheduled to begin next summer and be completed in 2011/2012.
If you are interested in helping with the levy, here is what you can do to help as we hit the home stretch of the campaign to pass the levy and help our park get a major boost in funding:
#1 - Make sure to Vote Yes on Prop 2!
#2 - E-mail your friends and neighbors about parks. In an election season with more political advertising and mail than ever before, no communication is more trusted and valuable than a message from a friend, neighbor or family member. That is what the Parks & Green Spaces Levy campaign is built upon. People coming together to make our city better. The following is a sample message. Feel free to personalize it and make it your own.
Proposed Message:
"Dear Friend
I am voting for Seattle Proposition 2, the Parks and Green Space Levy, and I hope you can too. As Seattle continues to grow and become more dense, we need to keep investing in parks and open spaces. Parks are essential to active healthy living, building community, and improving our quality of life.
Passage of the levy will mean more and improved parks, playfields, trails, and open spaces, and forest and stream restoration throughout Seattle. The campaign website, www.seattleparksforall.org, has more info about the levy. Please take a look at it, and take a look at the campaign’s upbeat, positive ad about the importance of parks.
Thanks for letting me share my passion for parks with you, and please vote yes on the Seattle Proposition 2!
Thanks,"
View the tv spot at our website: http://seattleparksforall.org
We will be scheduling some community meetings and workshops for this fall in order to get some specific input to what we would like our park to look like. We are the project for a group of UW landscape Architect students who will be facilitating design workshops and doing a site plan for our park. We will be posting the dates as soon as we have them scheduled as well as emailing them to our email update list (if you are interested in signing up on our email update list, click on the red box in the right hand column).
• If the levy passes, with this sort of planning and preparing, we will be in a perfect position to move forward as soon as possible to work with a landscape architect firm and get our plan done while the construction is taking place. This is the sort of planning that can make this process better reflect our community needs . . . and hopefully keep costs down so we can get a bigger bang for our bucks.
• If the levy does not pass, we will be in a much different situation, with no funding whatsoever and no plans for funding available.
The Seattle City Council voted to place the Parks Levy on the ballot this November. We were successful in securing $5M for the reservoir park and $450,000 for renovations to the equipment at Maple Leaf Playground. Any renovations to the playground equipment will not occur until we have developed a new plan that takes into account the burial of the reservoir.
We will be scheduling some community meetings and workshops for this fall in order to get some specific input to what we would like our park to look like.
• If the levy passes, with this sort of planning and preparing, we will be in a perfect position to move forward as soon as possible to work with a landscape architect firm and get our plan done while the construction is taking place. This is the sort of planning that can make this process better reflect our community needs . . . and hopefully keep costs down so we can get a bigger bang for our bucks.
• If the levy does not pass, we will be in a much different situation, with no funding whatsoever and no plans for funding available.
We had a great time at the summer social talking with people and finding out what our neighbors are thinking and wanting about the park that will be going on top of the reservoir. We asked people about what issues they think the neighborhood is facing, what they like about the neighborhood, what direction they want the neighborhood to go in — there are so many factors that will affect planning our the park and there are issues the park could help solve.
We had a "voting table" at the social that everyone seemed to enjoy. We gave people three green stickers and asked them to vote on what features they would like to see in the park. While by no means a "scientific" survey, it gave a good insight into what people are thinking about. We look forward to hearing from you (click here to e-mail Donna).
We also are searching for grant and/or fundraising sources and individual contributions from the neighborhood. Believe it or not, no matter what level of funding is provided from a potential levy, there will need to be more. Construction costs are rising at an alarming rate and even a simple park requires infrastructure items, which can be pricey. We have already received generous donations from individuals and hope everyone can take a look at their budget and make some level of contribution. Let's make this a park supported by and enjoyed on some level by everyone in the neighborhood.
Two other reservoir parks that are further along in the process — check out these links and see these really cool photos of the inside of Beacon Reservoir (Jefferson Park will expand by 44 acres!):
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=8534
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2008019372.html
Check out this update to the (creating a new 5.7 acre park in West Seattle):
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=8408
20-acre West Seattle is up next, followed closely by 17.6-acre Maple Leaf.
All indications are Seattle Public Utilities will be beginning construction in late spring/early summer 2009 instead of the previously scheduled 2011. While this is good because #1 - SPU saves money with this schedule and #2 - our park will be available sooner, it also means we have some immediate planning and fundraising to do.
This reservoir covering creates a rare opportunity to plan a park that can be a focal point of Maple Leaf. There is a great deal of work to do in order to make this park have a positive impact on the neighborhood. Our UMLP committee is working to create fundraising events and conduct research on the different park features. We are beginning to raise the money to hire a Landscape Architect who will help our community develop a plan. Then we will have a goal for the total amount of funds we will need to raise. You can hear more at the upcoming quarterly community meetings and other community outreach ideas the committee is considering.
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is covering all the reservoirs in the city in order to improve water quality and increase security. The idea dates back to the 1990s, but received a boost in 2004 when the City Council approved Mayor Nickel’s plan to place all reservoirs underground instead of simply covering them with floating covers.
While work on the Maple Leaf Reservoir was initially slated to begin in 2011 and to be completed in 2013, SPU is proposing that the covering be accelerated to begin in 2009 and to be completed in 2011. The City Council will be working on the budget and will vote on the final approval in November. Once that process has occurred, we will have a better idea of the schedule of the work to be done and can begin in earnest with the community planning for potential future use(s) of the covered site.
At this time, there is no money from the SPU, the Pro Parks Levy, or in the Seattle Parks & Recreation department (Parks) budget to do any more than cover the reservoirs with grass and low-maintenance plants. The costs and funding sources to transform the new open space into a new use, such as a public park, have not yet been identified, but our Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park (FGMLP) Steering Committee plans to work with the Parks Department in considering potential uses, planning, and identifying funding sources.
The present reservoir will be removed. A new two-cell reservoir made of reinforced concrete will be installed with columns every 12 feet. A concrete lid will be placed on top. Two feet of sod on top of that (two feet deep provides the insulation, and it also within the weight limit). Sod is seeded. Grass is established. Fences are removed. During these burial steps, the community will be working with the Parks Department on developing a plan for the park. The actual park development will most likely occur in several phases. Each phase will be determined by several factors, including what makes sense chronologically, the ranking of the needs, and budget availability. Once a plan for the phases has been established, the Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park Steering Committee will begin applying for grants in earnest.
Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park Steering Committee is working to facilitate planning, fundraising, and community participation in the design & development of the entire future park site. Because of the acceleration, the immediate need is funding to hire a Landscape Architect firm to develop a plan. This money will most likely come from a combination of sources including the potential Parks & Green Spaces Levy, the city budget for Parks, fundraising efforts, and grants. Once we have a plan, we will better know the budget and the amount of money to raise.
The covering of the reservoir means we have an exciting opportunity to help plan potential uses for this new open space. If you attended July’s Maple Leaf Summer Social, you probably saw we were soliciting ideas from the community. We will continue to do so at every opportunity and encourage all interested Maple Leaf residents to give input into what this space can become. There will be opportunity to provide comments at upcoming quarterly community meetings and there will be a section on the Maple Leaf website to keep everyone updated on the progress and opportunities to join in the process.
The future use(s) of this new open space and potential to create a new public park is a great opportunity and will dramatically affect our Maple Leaf neighborhood. If you’d like to comment or submit ideas for the new park, please click here to e-mail Donna.
• Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill - completed in 2005.
• Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill - Plans for the park are complete. Reservoir burial construction will be completed in the next few months, then the park construction process will begin. Unfortunately, with the rising construction costs, the money provided by the ProParks will probably not be enough to pay for all of their first phase of construction.
• Myrtle Park in West Seattle is almost done with their planning process, the reservoir burial is being completed over the next few months, and construction on their park will probably begin this fall.
• West Seattle Reservoir will be a part of 81-acre Westcrest Park in West Seattle. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is sending this construction project for the reservoir burial out for bid this summer. Their construction of the reservoir will probably begin later this year.
• Roosevelt Reservoir, just to the south of Maple Leaf at 75th, will probably be decommissioned. SPU wants to wait until the Maple Leaf reservoir has been buried and running smoothly for several years before making that final decision, so that wouldn't be happening until 2015 or later.
| To facilitate planning, fund raising, and community participation in the design and development of the Maple Leaf Reservoir site into the adjacent Maple Leaf Playground, thereby creating a unified, new park. |
| Donna Hartmann-Miller, Chair |
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| George Clubine |
Dale Marston |
Kerry Swayne |
| Susan Harney |
Suzanne Phillips |
Ginger Van Ry |
| Arden Hellman |
Marjorie Rhodes |
Wim Van Ry |
| Jeremey Johnson |
Mark Reider |
Peter Wagster |
| Laurel Kiichli |
Irene Schleicher |
Gwen Wilson |
March 6, 2008
March 24, 2008
April 10, 2008
April 21, 2008
May 19, 2008
June 16, 2008
Coming soon
View from Above
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