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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Magnuson Park To Gain Wetlands, Habitat And Five New Athletic Fields
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/13/2008 3:03:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dewey Potter (206) 684-7241
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Magnuson Park To Gain Wetlands, Habitat And
Five New Athletic Fields
Construction will affect traffic flow, parking, picnic shelter availability
As Parks and Recreation takes another step toward achieving the vision for
Magnuson Park through the construction of restored natural habitat and wetlands
and new athletic fields over the next year and a half, it may take park users
a little more time to get in and out of the park, find a parking spot, or secure
a picnic table.
The proposed 43-acre development project, funded primarily by the Pro Parks
Levy, will provide new amenities for a variety of users. Parks will develop
10 acres of new wetlands at the south end of the park, and will demolish 12
acres of asphalt and replace it with natural habitat. The project also provides
for the construction of two lighted synthetic soccer fields, two baseball diamonds,
and a synthetic rugby field. Construction will take place daily from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. and is slated to begin in late March and end in the fall of 2009.
During the construction period, parts of several parking lots will be closed
and roads may periodically be blocked, resulting in traffic slowdowns in and
out of the park. Picnic shelters #2 (near the swim beach) and #4 (south of the
Junior League Playground) will be closed throughout the construction period.
The project also includes restoration of electrical power at the beach, which
is necessary for functional bathrooms. However, electricity will not be available
until next fall. During the summer, Parks will provide additional portable toilets
that will be serviced daily.
The Wetland, Habitat and Athletic Field Development project calls for the removal
of the parking lot next to the Sports Meadow and tennis courts, and return of
the land to its natural state. This new habitat area will complement the reconstructed
wetlands and is consistent with the Magnuson Park Master Plan's goal to create
a large natural area in the middle of the park.
Parks encourages sports facility users to use either the parking lot closest
to the dog off-leash area, which has plenty of capacity, or the lot near the
swimming beach bathhouse, which often fills up on sunny summer days. Parks will
clearly mark walking paths that lead from the parking lots to the sports facilities.
The access road leading to the north end of the parking lot along NE 65th St.
will also be demolished, so visitors should access the lot from NE 65th St.
Please download the following map for details: Construction at Magnuson Map (PDF)
The new amenities, when completed, will bring us a huge step closer to realizing
the vision of Magnuson as a great urban park. We appreciate park users' patience
while construction is under way. Please contact Charles Ng, 206-684-8001, charles.ng@seattle.gov with questions and concerns.
For more information on the project visit www.seattle.gov/parks/ProParks/projects/Magnuson.htm.
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Seattle Parks and Recreation
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