April 26, 2004October 28, 2008

Judith Pippin

City Clerk

City of Seattle

CH-03-10

Dear Ms. Pippin:

In accordance with the provisions of Ordinance 99911 as amended by Ordinance 104937, in my capacity as Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, I have designated the following as an official nameas an official name for a a park facilittyy:

Jim Ellis Freeway Park NEWS RELEASE

Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

Kenneth R. Bounds, Superintendent

For immediate release Dec. 2April 20, 20053

Contact: David Takami, 206-684-8020; e-mail david.takami@seattle.gov

HELP "Ballard Commons Park" Is Name for New ParkNAME PARKS IN

Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ken Bounds decided today to name a new park in Ballard, "Ballard Commons Park."

invites the public to submit potential names for four parks,.

Located at 5701 22nd Ave. NW in Ballard, this new 1.4-acre park was informally known as "Ballard Commons" or "Ballard Civic Center Park" during its development into a neighborhood park. Improvements to the park, which will be completed later this year, include a skateboard area, a lawn, central promenade, large "landmark" trees, and public art.

Funding for development of the park came from the Pro Parks Levy. For more information, please visit www.cityofseattle.net/parks/proparks/projects/BallardCivicCenterPark. htm

The Pro Parks Levy included the purchase of this property as a Neighborhood Parks Acquisition project to provide a small park in an underserved neighborhood. The surplused Seattle City Light substation is on the corner of 6th Ave NW and NW 76th St. The Levy provided the local matching funds to obtain a grant from the King County Conservation Futures Levy. This grant made it possible to purchase an additional lot to the west of the substation and to expand the small park site.

The Sixth Avenue Pocket Park Association has been working creating a park on this site since 1995. The substation acquisition and development was included in the Greenwood/Phinney neighborhood plan.

In addition to funds for acquisition, the Pro Parks Levy provides about $60,000 for park development of the site. There is $90,000 from the Neighborhood Matching Fund and the community has raised funds for additional park improvements.

The schematic design has been completed. The plan includes a large lawn area, landscaping, paths through a little new woodsy planted area, neighborhood gathering area and interactive features for children's play.

The community has been casually calling the park "Whittier Park", "The 6th Ave NW Pocket Park" and "Our Park".

In 2001, the community nominated this view property on 31st Ave. S. for acquisition by Seattle Parks and Recreation through the Pro Parks Levy Opportunity Fund. The Pro Parks Levy Oversight Committee recommended this acquisition project through the Opportunity Fund selection process, and in summer 2002 the project was approved by City Council and Mayor.

The property was acquired on January 9, 2003 from the Washington State Department of Transportation. It is 4,800 sf (.11 acre) and offers panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, and downtown from the Smith Tower to the Space Needle. It was the second property acquired through the Opportunity Fund.

While not specified exactly, acquisition of this parcel is consistent with the North Rainier Neighborhood Plan. The plan addresses the need for open space in areas taking on increasing density. Also, the plan encourages taking advantage of the unique topography of North Rainier and preventing sensitive hillsides form being purchased for residential development.

In 2003, using Neighborhood Matching Funds, the Mt. Baker Ridge Viewpoint Park Steering Committee hired Jones and Jones Landscape Architects to work with them and with the Parks Department to create a schematic plan for this new park. . Plans are to create a viewpoint that will also serve as a gathering place for neighbors; benches, seat walls, possibly a pier shaped deck and a good view for people who drive by.

Schematic design should be complete by January, 2004. The group is planning to apply for Opportunity Funds and Neighborhood Matching Funds for development

The neighborhood has many ideas for new names and will be contacting you in the appropriate manner soon.

Seattle Parks and Recreation acquired the Green Lake Open Space site in September 2001 with funding from the Pro Parks Levy, King County Conservation Futures Tax, and the Washington State IAC program. The property, 14,360 square feet, located at the northwest corner of Linden Ave N and N 67th St. The neighborhood is primarily residential and is located across Aurora from Greenlake. It appears to be a last remaining portion of an original homestead in the Green Lake Phinney neighborhood, and its preservation was a very high priority for the community. Mid-century assessment records describe the landscape as an "old orchard". Notes from a journal written at that timesay that the original fruit trees included apples, pears, plums, cherries and nuts and "chickens were everywhere"!

The parcel was also identified as a potential P-Patch in the Green Lake Neighborhood Plan, and was included in the unsuccessful 1996 King County Parks and Open Space levy.

In addition to funds for acquisition, the Pro Parks Levy provides about $60,000 for park development of the site, and the community has raised funds for additional park improvements.

In 2001, the Friends of Linden Orchard hired the Berger Partnership to work with them and with the Parks Department on the development of this new park. The project has $110,000 from the Neighborhood Matching Fund and $100,000 from community donations of cash, in-kind donations and labor. The scope of the final design includes a P Patch (almost complete) a cob tool shed (this is a building technique with straw, clay and water), paths, lawn, benches, planting, including fruit trees and a large stairway entrance. .

The park is under construction and should be complete by the end of the year.

The new park is casually called "Linden Orchard" by the neighborhood because of the remaining apple trees and in recognition of its history in the neighborhood.

Background

The following provides background relevant to naming theBoren Avenue between Spruce Street and Fir Street.

Size and Attributes

The 12,537 square foot triangular site Mount Rainier and Rainier Valley, and the Pac Med Building There are residential properties to the north and west. Boren Ave, the western border to the site, is a very busy arterial street. Access from the north is via an alley off of E. Spruce St. and from the south via a new stair connecting Boren Ave.

History

The site had originally been the location of several small apartment houses that were demolished when the City graded and constructed Boren Avenue in the late 1940s. Boren Ave now goes through a portion of the original parcel. King County records show that the site contained three, four unit apartments and one single family house. acquired thethe Fleets and Facilities, who has owned the site since acquisition. Community

The community is primarily multi-family with pockets of single family dwellings adjacent to the site. Seattle Housing Authority's Yesler Terrace development is located across Boren Ave. Seattle University and Numerous medical facilities provide employment and strong housing demand. There are few public parks in the area. Improvements

The Pro Parks Levy and Community Development Block Grant funds paid for design and construction of the new park. The improvements to the site include:

* Stairs leading to the site from Boren Ave and a small plaza;

* Removal of blackberry brambles and scrub trees;

* New trees along Boren Ave and adjacent to the plaza at the center of the site; and

* New ground cover along Boren and grass on the central portion of the site; and

* Irrigation.

The Park Naming Committee is comprised of one representative designated by the Board of Park Commissioners, one by the Chair of the City Council Parks, Education and Libraries Committee, and one by the Parks Superintendent. Criteria the Committee considers in naming parks include: geographical location, historical or cultural significance, and natural or geological features. A park may be named for a person no longer living (deceased a minimum of three years) who made a There was significant community support for "Ballard Commons" name, including from the Ballard District Council and Groundswell NW. The District Council is composed of representatives from 21 community and business organizations in Ballard. Groundswell NW advocates for parks and open space in the Ballard area, and has been very active in the development of the park. significant contribution to parks and/or recreation.

The Naming Committee will consider all suggestions and make a recommendation to Parks Superintendent Ken Bounds, who makes the final decision.

Please submit suggestions for park names in writing by Friday, Jan. 2. 2004, and include an explanation of how your suggestion matches the naming criteria. Send to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Park Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109, or by e-mail to paula.hoff@seattle.gov.

###Alaskan Way Boulevard

In January 2005, the City Council transferred jurisdiction over a portion of Alaskan Way, from Bay Street to Broad Street, from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks). In addition, the legislation designated this portion of Alaskan Way as a park boulevard. Although the property will be designated as a park boulevard, it will function as an extension of Myrtle Edwards Park, provide public shoreline access and serve as an element of the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Jim Ellis has been a lifelong civic leader who led the effort to create Freeway Park in 1976. Ellis also spearheaded initiatives to clean up Lake Washington in the 1950s; to finance mass transit, parks, pools, and other public facilities through "Forward Thrust" bond issues in the 1960s; to preserve farmlands in the 1970s; to build and later expand the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in the 1980s; and to establish the Mountains to Sound Greenway along the I-90 corridor in the 1990s. Most of the projects he was involved in happened only after years of opposition and were a direct result of Mr. Ellis' tenacity. Freeway Park was championed by Jim Ellis and built with Forward Thrust funds in 1976. This name will replace the existing name of Freeway Park.

Sincerely,

Kenneth R. BoundsTimothy Gallagher

Superintendent

Cc: Mayor Greg Nickels

Councilmember David DellaTom Rasmussen

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