The drive to renew the North Transfer Station (NTS, or, colloquially, the Dump) continues on apace. We received this update from Bill Benzer, the SPU project manager for the effort:
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) recently formed a new group of neighbors and community members to build off of the work of the North Transfer Station (NTS) Stakeholder Group process, which ended in June, by planning programming elements of the green space around the new transfer station.
This past June, the NTS Stakeholder Group recommended a conceptual design and community amenities to be part of the new station after working with SPU staff through the conceptual design process. The Green Group, as it is known, met last night for the first time to begin identifying and discussing potential programming elements that will make up some of the community amenities.
After orientation to the project and the NTS Stakeholder Recommendation Report, the group began working with a landscape architect to analyze the project site and identify possibilities for the green space areas. Some of the programming elements the group considered included:
- Public gathering space
- Multi-use fields and courts
- Ways to connect the neighborhood green spaces
- A water feature
- A viewing space at the transfer station to educate about recycling
- Native trees
- Play spaces for children
The Green Group will continue work with the landscape architect to narrow and further develop the programming elements over the next month. Another workshop will be held in late September or early October – more information will be posted when it becomes available. For more information on the project and the station, please visit www.seattle.gov/util/transferstations.
(Photo collage by Luke McGuff)