Frederick Law Olmsted, the legendary 19th-century landscape architect and park planner, famously said that parks are the lungs of a city. So the prospect of adding two small parks to Capitol Hill might bring a smile to his face.
Seattle Parks and Recreation purchased two small sites on Capitol Hill this summer, using money from the voter-approved Pro Parks levy. Last week, 20 people met in the basement of the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church to talk about the sites. One is at Summit Avenue East and East John Street, across the street and north of Starbucks, and the other is at 16th Avenue East and East Howell Street, adjacent to the former Church of Christian Scientists. Community Gardening advocates are interested in using at least a part of each site for gardening plots urban gardeners can rent from the city.
Those attending were presently or would- be community gardeners, apartment-dwelling urbanites with an urge, maybe a compulsion, to get their hands dirty, work the earth and grow things.
"When we heard there was a space purchased for parks we thought, 'Ah, community garden,'" said Glenn MacGilvra, who organized last week's meeting. The meeting was dedicated to discussing the Summit Avenue East site, which is 9,600 square feet and occupied by an asphalt parking lot. MacGilvra was instrumental in creating the Thomas Street P-Patch nearly a decade ago. The meeting began with an informal viewing of two large drawings of possible park plans and photographs of various community gardens, sometimes called p-patches, in other parts of the city. "We are not pawns of the city," MacGilvra announced, to general laughter, as participants took seats.
The drawings, prepared by Kelly Clark and Derek Hevel, nearby residents interested in gardening, were based on ideas and suggestions raised at previous meetings. Clark's drawing featured blocks of irregularly shaped garden plots separated by curving paths. The Hevel plan offered rectangular plots in rectangular blocks. Both plans included passive-use community spaces within the design.
"Those of us who want p-patches don't see it as either-or," said Dotty DeCoster, who is actively involved in the East Howell Street site. She said the gardeners just want to use some of the park property, not all of it.
The meetings so far have been in advance of any formal planning by Parks and Recreation. Both MacGilvra and DeCoster said going to the city with definite suggestions and a group of interested citizens as soon as Parks and Recreation starts its public involvement process will be a good way to get attention for their ideas.
MacGilvra stressed that the drawings are still preliminary and can change based on community comment. Even so, they offer some visions of what the group hopes will take place.
The Clark plan is about 70-percent gardens and 30-percent community space. The largest part of the community space is on the southwest corner of the property. It would provide a planted seating area for pedestrians.
An audience member suggested that the Clark plan is the most aesthetically pleasing, because it invites the community to stroll wide paths between the gardens. However, he said, the irregular plot shapes may pose a challenge to gardeners. He said the rectangular plots of the Hevel plan would be much simpler to maintain.
Water features are desired by many in the group. The Hevel plan includes a fountain that will cascade water with a hand pump. Hevel thought that would be especially attractive to active children.
MacGilvra said he received two e-mails from neighborhood residents who wanted to retain the site as a parking lot. "That decision has already been made," MacGilvra said of the parking lot's status. "It's just a question of what kind of open space we are going to have there."
Along with the purchase of the 9,600-square-foot Summit and John site, the city has allotted $280,000 for park development, which includes removing the asphalt paving and preparing the land. MacGilvra said there is also $4,500 for developing the community garden, a donation from an unidentified Microsoft employee. He said that means there is money available, but the more the community can do for the site, the more money will be available for what the community cannot do.
At the meeting's conclusion MacGilvra invited anyone who wanted to stay and formally establish the Capitol Hill Gardens group; most stayed. Most also signed a petition calling on the city to include parts of the Capitol Hill park sites in the community gardening program.
Seattle Parks and Recreation plans to have its first community involvement meeting concerning the Capitol Hill sites on Nov. 8.
For more information about community gardening on Capitol Hill contact Glenn MacGilvra, 726-8554, or Dotty DeCoster, 325-3167.
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