Interim Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) Superintendent Christopher Williams has approved the names of three new parks: newly acquired park properties between N 81st and N 82nd streets on the east side of Greenwood near the Greenwood branch library; the site of the former UW Police Station and Bryant’s Marina, on the shore of Portage Bay in the SE corner of the UW campus; and an 8,722-square foot property at 2100 Westlake Ave. in the Denny Triangle Urban Center Village. SPR invited the public to submit potential names for these sites to the Parks Naming Committee.

The park supporting the Greenwood/Phinney Urban Village will be named Alice Ball Park. The park design features a multi-use space that includes natural play elements, an open lawn, a gathering/plaza space with seating, a loop path, and planted areas. The project also includes low-impact design strategies featuring amended soils, porous concrete, and increased infiltration created by the new open space. In addition, better community connections will be provided through street improvements and a raised crosswalk connecting the Greenwood branch library to the park. These elements were identified by the community during the design phase of this project. The project is under construction and should be completed in late fall. Alice Ball was an African American chemist who developed an injectable oil extract that was the most effective treatment for leprosy until the 1940s. Born in Seattle in 1892, Ball graduated from the University of Washington in 1915 and became the first woman, and African American, to graduate with a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii. Her life was cut short at the age of 24. More information can be found here.

The new park in Portage Bay will be named Fritz Hedges Waterway Park. Fredrick “Fritz” Hedges was a long-term Seattle Parks and Recreation professional, last serving as the Director of Policy, Planning and Evaluation. Fritz dedicated his life to the idea that parks and recreation are vital components of urban life for all residents. The park will include historical elements, water access for people and hand-carried boats, shoreline restoration, open lawn space for passive recreation, and opportunities for interpretation and education. The project also includes cleanup of site contamination, building demolition, potential partial re-use of building elements, shoreline enhancement and right-of-way improvements. SPR recently awarded the construction contract to Orion Marine. We anticipate the park will be completed in 2019. More information on the project can be found here.

The park located at Westlake and Lenora will be named Urban Triangle Park. In December 2008, SPR purchased this site for a new neighborhood park in the Denny Triangle Urban Center Village. This project redevelops the previous Enterprise Car Rental site into park land that will serve downtown businesses and residences. Planning for the project was completed in 2014 in conjunction with other neighborhood growth to provide a seamless transition between the park and the adjacent development. The design includes an open lawn, new central play structure, seating edge, lighting, ADA access, places for vendors, landscaping, and other park elements. SPR is finalizing design and permitting and anticipates construction beginning summer 2018. More information on the project can be found here.

Criteria considered in naming parks include geographical location, historical or cultural significance, and natural or geological features. The Park Naming Policy, clarifying the criteria applied when naming a park, is available here. For more information about the park naming process, please contact Paula Hoff, Seattle Parks and Recreation, at 206-615-0368 or paula.hoff@seattle.gov.