South Lake Union Park
Encyclopedia
Lake Union
Lake Union is a freshwater lake entirely within the Seattle, Washington city limits.-Origins:A glacial lake, its basin was dug 12,000 years ago by the Vashon glacier, which also created Lake Washington and Seattle's Green, Bitter, and Haller Lakes.-Name:...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in the South Lake Union neighborhood. The park is owned by the City of Seattle and operated by Seattle Parks and Recreation
Seattle Parks and Recreation
Seattle Parks and Recreation is the department of government of the city of Seattle, Washington, responsible for maintaining the city's parks, open space, and community centers.The total area of the properties maintained by the department is over , which makes up approximately 11% of the total...
. The park property was gradually acquired by the City, and the final 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) were transferred from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to the City of Seattle on July 1, 2000. After renovation, the current park space officially opened on September 25, 2010.http://blog.seattlepi.com/insouthlakeunion/archives/222292.asp
While the property was acquired by the City for the purpose of providing public park space, it was underutilized for a prolonged period due to a lack of attractive park features. The Seattle Parks Foundation attempted to address that issue by conducting a campaign to raise the funds needed to substantially improve the park's facilities. The capital campaign goal was $20 million. In addition, the Seattle City Council appropriated $4.228 million in funds to repair the property's bulkhead and $5 million went to the project from the voter-approved 2000 Pro Parks Levy.
The park design is optimized to provide access to water and green space, connect the surrounding neighborhoods, and celebrate the cultural, industrial, and maritime heritage of the city and region. Lake Union Park includes: restored shoreline, a pedestrian bridge, a model boat pond, a history trail, a fountain of water jets, a beach for launching boats, The Center for Wooden Boats
Center for Wooden Boats
The Center for Wooden Boats is a museum dedicated to preserving and documenting the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. Unlike most other museums, at CWB the public is invited to touch the exhibits and explore maritime history first hand by rowing, paddling or...
' new Education Center, a grove of trees, a great lawn, footpaths, park benches, and infrastructure that can support large events. Lake Union Park also has a station for the South Lake Union Streetcar
South Lake Union Streetcar
The Seattle Streetcar—South Lake Union Line is a streetcar line connecting the South Lake Union neighborhood to Downtown Seattle, United States. Service began on December 12, 2007...
, which began operating in late 2007.
Already in the park is a Historic Ships Wharf that houses several historic vessels, including the tug Arthur Foss
Arthur Foss
The Arthur Foss, built in 1889, is one of the oldest wooden-hulled tugboats afloat in the United States. In 1898, in response to the Alaskan gold rush, she transported barges full of gold seeking miners and supplies up the Inside Passage. There are no other Alaskan Gold Rush vessels still...
, the fireboat Duwamish
Duwamish (fireboat)
The Duwamish reigned as one of the most powerful fireboats in the United States several times over her 75-year working life.She is the second oldest vessel designed to fight fires in the USA, after the Edward M Cotter, in Buffalo, New York....
, the lightship Swiftsure
Swiftsure
Lightship #83, now called Swiftsure, is a lightvessel launched in Camden, New Jersey, USA in 1904 and now moored in Seattle, Washington. She steamed around the tip of South America to her first station at Blunts Reef in California, where she saved 150 people when their ship ran aground in dense fog...
, and the steamer Virginia V
Virginia V
The steamship Virginia V is the last operational example of a Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet steamer...
. Several other large historic vessels visit the wharf, including the Hawaiian Chieftain
Hawaiian Chieftain
Hawaiian Chieftain is the name of a sailing vessel briefly known as the Spirit of Larinda. Built in 1988 in Lahaina on the island of Maui, the Hawaiian Chieftain is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional design. She is unique with the rig of an 19th century trading vessel and a modern...
and the Lady Washington
Lady Washington
Lady Washington is a ship name that is shared by at least 4 different small wooden merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. They should not be confused with USS Lady Washington. The original sailed for about 10 years in the 18th century. A somewhat updated modern replica was...
, which was featured in movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
.
The property has several buildings, the largest of which is the former Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
building, colloquially called the Armory. The Armory is currently being remodeled as the new home of MOHAI, the Museum of History and Industry, which has leased the space for 55 years.
The Armory's office space is currently occupied by Seattle Parks and Recreation and several nonprofit groups, including Center for Wooden Boats
Center for Wooden Boats
The Center for Wooden Boats is a museum dedicated to preserving and documenting the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. Unlike most other museums, at CWB the public is invited to touch the exhibits and explore maritime history first hand by rowing, paddling or...
, the Virginia V, Seattle Parks Foundation, and The Associated Recreation Council.
External links
- Lake Union Park, Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Seattle Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting Seattle parks.
- Maritime Heritage Network, a not-for-profit directory of maritime history resources in the Pacific NorthwestPacific NorthwestThe Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. - at Lake Union Park, Find out what's happening at Lake Union Park!