This Wednesday at the Wallingford Community Council (7:00 – 9:00 pm, Good Shepherd Center, Room 202) we’ll have Pamela from the Parks Department attending. I was fortunate to work with her and Ron from the Meridian School on the Meridian Playground renovation a few years back and she is being brought back to deal with maintenance issues.
First, we’re looking to have the Meridian Playground sculptor, Patrick Maher, replace the sculpture that had the arm ripped off a couple years ago. The design has been in disrepair for a long time and the recent kerfuffle around the machine gun arm inspired some action to get things fixed. Patrick is looking into a wizard boy design that’s cool like the dragon. We hope to have designs that the parks department approves for maintenance ready for the meeting. Patrick will also be touching up the paint on the other sculptures.
Second, we’ll discuss shutting off the Meridian Playground water run permanently. The water run has a bad design flaw that results in it filling with water, then filling with apples, then filling with wasps. The parks department tried replacing the sand a few times and tried reducing the water run rate a few times, but neither change has worked for long. If anyone is interested in seeing the water run fixed and wants to invest the energy to make that happen please leave a comment and I’ll get in touch. There were plans to fix things, but 5 years ago the parks department was too busy to even agree to review them, and now they don’t have the money either.
Also at the meeting there will be an update on Wallingford Community Council negotiations with Seattle Public Utilities concerning an agreement governing the rebuilding of the transfer station. Finally, we’ll discuss the relationship between the WCC and the Neighborhood Office and the Chamber of Commerce. We hope to see you there!
I think the bigger questions include the potential for interaction between vagrants camping all over the park–some just north of the playground.
Also the total degradation of the lawn where the market has been.
I’ll raise the lawn issue with parks as a maintenance request. As for the homelessness issues, there is no solution that’s been found. The parks department will not run them off the property as they have nowhere to put them. GSC tenants frequently interact with the homeless residents and most of them are respectful and responsible. The police department asks that 911 be called if there are ever disturbances or suspicious behavior.
Admit it Judy, you have a bias against homeless people as well as the farmer’s market in general.
….. should have the courage to identify her/himself. If I can identify myself with what I know are likely to be unpopular opinions, so can you. We can even talk in person about our concerns.
I do not have a bias against homeless. I have worked much of my career working with homeless and low income populations as an urban planner on housing and shelter programs. Now that I am in my “golden years” I also feel more vulnerable than formerly. I have issues with people camping permanently (suitcases, large packs) in a park populated with many children.
As for the Market, I was initially opposed to the site and later, on this site, said I had been wrong, it was a good location (except for the grass).
“Anonymous,” the bums (sorry, “homeless”) have to more of a right to hang out in the park after hours than the rest of us. And if they’re engaging in typical activities in the park that we all know they do, then I’d argue they have LESS of a right to be there. Sorry, but you have no right to defecate, urinate, drink and drug in public parks, regardless of your circumstances.
About 4-5 years ago, the hedges were cut significatly back all the way around GSC/Meridian Park. I heard at that time it was to discourage crime and improve visibility to the park. Is that anything that is being considered again? The noise/drunkeness level at the park at night has been bad the past 6 months to a year there.
One thing to consider is that Meridian Park is immediately west of the boundary for the “North Alcohol Impact area- AIA ” that bans sale of cheap fortified beer and wines, and limits time that retailers can sell alcohol.. This area was designated by the city in 2006.. IMO that pushed more of the folks who would formerly purchase their cheap booze in the U-District to the retailers that can now sell it: 50th St. Market and 7-11 on N. 50th, just outside the boundary. This then makes Meridian park the most convenient place to relax and drink your beverage.
There seemed to be a consistent presence of vagrants in the park on 50th across from the University Library. I don’t seem to notice that same presence any longer. I have definitely noticed an increase in the presence of shady characters drinking in Meridian Park since the AIA was implemented, and don’t think this is a coincidence. As many folks chimed in during that proposal designating the AIA’s doesn’t stop an alcoholic from drinking it just changes their venue.
That being said I haven’t felt particularly unsafe or uncomfortable w/ my kids in Meridian Park given the increased presence of more drinkers, but it definitely degrades the carefree experience.
http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/aia/
http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/aia/pubs/aia_map_north_2003.pdf
Response to bmacke: neighbors don’t want the foliage near the fence removed, but I think it would be good to get the inner layer removed again. How to approach?
To Ted: how do we approach the city about expanding the AIA? I (older/female) do feel less safe and always carry my cellphone. I do prefer to help homeless find appropriate housing, but many who live in the park do not trust shelters or just prefer the independence of outdoor living. While I have compassion for these choices, there can get to be a limit. Yesterday someone was sleeping on top of the table in the SW lawn; another was puking at the north end of the park. I guess we can all let these isolated instances alone, but what if there were 25 or more homeless living in the park? Have any of you ever visited the former (I guess) homeless village at the southwestern edge of Queen Anne? I decided to take this trail down from 8th NW I think and backed off.
Again, I have worked with homeless directly as well as planning transitional and permanent housing. Please don’t brand me. I just want to work with others on a humane approach that helps the homeless and preserves the magnificence of our urban park.
A few follow up comments from the meeting last night:
– The contact for parks maintenance is [email protected]. Contact her with any asks for maintenance to the grounds, such as trimming bushes or reseeding grass.
– The contact for the Good Shepherd Center advisory board is Kathleen Cromp, at [email protected]. Contact Kathleen for any issues with the building or with site use in general.
– The sculpture changes were approved, and the water run will be turned off until spring. If nobody steps forward to help renovate the water run, the water feature will be permanently removed (mainly meaning the blue post and spigot will be removed).
Judy, I’m a neighbor to the park on Meridian Ave. and I definitely DO want the fence foliage removed again. I really liked how it was cleared 4-5 years ago and was hoping that would happen again. Last year I was excited to see the trimmers return but was disappointed at how little they really removed. It didn’t change the visibility at all! Just wanted to comment that not all neighbors want it kept.