A surprise party held in Gas Works Park last Saturday night was met with some criticism from area residents who believe that such events should not be held in the park.
The party was reportedly hosted by Stuart Sloan, a local businessman celebrating his recent wedding. The party was attended by 300 guests and included live music and performers, as well as a fireworks display.
Members of the Friends of Gas Works Park, a local advocacy group, contend that events such as this threaten the integrity of the ground and soil in the park. With Gas Works Park being a former oil refinery, they believe that putting up structures like stages and stands can dig up toxic soil.
However, The Workshop, a party-planning company in charge of setting up the event, said that they followed all of the city requirements. "We're following all the guidelines that we were given; we're in compliance with all of them," said Gary Tucker, spokesperson for The Workshop.
NOT A RARE EVENT
For much of the week leading up to the event, many area residents were simply curious as to who was behind the event, as both individuals from The Workshop and the city were keeping it a secret.
Tucker even declined to confirm the identity of the host after the event, saying that it was part of the agreement not to disclose the host.
In order to put on the party, The Workshop had to obtain two separate permits with the city: a Parks Use Permit, allowing them to use the area of the park; and a Special Events Permit, which is required for larger events such as this. In total, the permits cost more than $5,000, said Joelle Ligon, spokesperson for Seattle City Parks and Recreation.
While criticism of the event had risen as Saturday drew closer, events such as this, while may be not as big of a scale, are not rare at Gas Works Park. According to Ligon, numerous events - large and small - are held within the park yearly.
"Last year, in Gas Works Park alone, we had 18 weddings, 145 picnics and 12 special events," Ligon said.
Saturday's party, according to Ligon, is considered one of the four "large" special events that the park has hosted in the last year. The others include the Fourth of July celebration, the Fremont Arts Festival and the Worldwide Games, an event put on by Microsoft.
'ENTIRELY DIFFERENT' EVENTS
Many people remember one such event that was to be held last year at the park: the One Reel Summer Concert Series. The series, which would have consisted of around 20 concerts over several months, was canceled after a lawsuit filed by the Friends of Gas Works Park.
While Saturday's private party received similar criticism for some of the impacts it might have on the park, Ligon believes that the events are entirely different.
"We see the comparison of these events as an apples-to-oranges thing," Ligon said. "The concerts would have taken place over several months and include many more people. This event takes up a small portion of the park for a very small portion of time."
According to Tucker, employees of The Workshop welcomed those who wanted to see how things were being set up. "I've had a number of people walking through the park focusing on environmental concerns," he said, adding that these were not inspections, but merely people wanting to see how things were being done.
While the party itself took up a portion of the lakeside property of the park, most of the park's main attractions - such as Kite Hill, the Meadows and the northwest corner - remained open throughout the whole setup process and party.
Ultimately, those involved with setting up the event believe that the impact of this event is nothing to worry over and even say that some benefits are being made to the parks infrastructure.
According to Ligon, The Workshop paid to fill in potholes in the park's service road, as well as putting in and donating new sod to the park.[[In-content Ad]]
