Gas Works Park: Wallingford’s Landmark Faces Renewed Safety Debate

Gas Works Park is the number one attraction in the Wallingford neighborhood, as well as one of the top tourist destinations in Seattle. The park is also popular among locals for walking, outdoor yoga, kids’ playgrounds, summer picnics, concerts, kite flying, and even sledding during the rare winter snow. The park also draws thousands of visitors for the 4th of July celebration and for watching the New Year’s fireworks going off from the Space Needle. The 19.1-acre park, located on the…

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Read more about the article Wallyhood Waters: Our Salmon Neighbors
Salmon swimming upstream (photo courtesy of Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group)

Wallyhood Waters: Our Salmon Neighbors

A Wallyhood Waters series Hello fellow Wallyhooders, This fall, I had the opportunity to learn about our watershed by participating in a training offered through Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, called Community Action Training School (CATS). Mid Sound helps restore habitat within the Sammamish watershed to support salmon recovery. Through CATS, I’ve developed a newfound appreciation for the rainy season. Here’s why: This fall season kicked off with warm and dry conditions—not ideal for our salmon neighbors, who need abundant cool and…

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Celebrate the original “Brexit” at Gas Works this Monday

Unlike Brexit, things moved swiftly following the vote for Independence on July 2, 1776, formalized by the adoption of the Declaration of Independence just two days later. The Founding Fathers were so pleased with themselves that John Adams foretold of celebrations for generations to come that would include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other". But because Adams believed the holiday should be occur on July 2, he was known to turn down invitations…

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Pesticides at the Parks

Last week, after reading this piece about Wallingford's sewage ending up in Lake Union and the new incentive program for building rain gardens, I contacted the RainWise program through the City of Seattle. My children attend school in the Lincoln High building, which I learned is eligible for the rain garden program due to its proximity to Stone Way N. So, imagine my surprise when I walked past this a few days later: This sign was posted in the shrubbery that…

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Move-A-Tree, Plant-A-Tree in Wallingford

In 2014, City Fruit harvested over 28,000 pounds of fresh, organic fruit from residential and public trees in Seattle. Of that total, nearly 5,000 pounds came from Wallingford fruit trees. This was the first year City Fruit has harvested in Wallingford. The fruit was donated to food banks, meal programs, and homeless shelters, including FamilyWorks Food Bank, the University District Food Bank, and the Wallingford Community Senior Center. From March through October 2014, over 250 volunteers with City Fruit's orchard steward…

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4th of July Fireworks are a ‘go’

Ready or not, Wallingford, the 4th of July fireworks show for this year is a done deal. The Seattle Chamber of Commerce, along with Mayor McGinn and Seafair, just announced that the 4th of July Fireworks are going to take place this year on Lake Union, with Gas Works Park as the location for day long festivities including food booths, a beer garden, music, displays, and activities. Beth Knox, President and CEO for Seafair, announced that Western Display Fireworks will launch…

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You may hear a helicopter hovering over Gas Works Park…

Not to cause alarm, but if you hear helicopter activity over Gas Works Park this evening (Monday), around 8 or 8:30pm, it's just the film crew we mentioned on Saturday. Dave Drummond tells us, "It will be there sometime around 8 or 830 and may be flying for about an hour.  Every effort will be made to make it quick and not use the chopper late, to minimize noise concerns.   It should vacate the area by 10 pm at the…

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