Northwest Native Canoe Center

Updated: July 14, 2025

Summer 2025

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) and the United Indians of All Tribes (UIATF) are happy to announce that we have awarded the construction contract for the Northwest Native Canoe Center Carving House to Western Ventures Construction. Western Ventures will mobilize on the southwest corner of Lake Union Park on July 14 to begin construction. They will work to minimize the impact for park, trail and water visitors. Thank you in advance to the South Lake Union community for their patience and cooperation as we build this new asset.

Building in South Lake Union requires extra attention associated with a variety of complex environmental conditions. Western Ventures will be installing auger-cast piles in late summer 2025 and anticipates completing the project in late 2026.

Project History

In February 2021, the design team from Jones & Jones presented the project to the Seattle Design Commission. In April, SPR updated the South Lake Union Community Council. Both groups were excited to see the project moving forward. Visit past presentations at the links below to learn more.

This is a package of the project's historic highlights from the last 25 years and comprises two phases.

Phase 1: Canoe Carving house – Construction start anticipated Summer 2025
Phase 2: Welcome House – currently in funding

"This first phase of the Northwest Native Canoe Center (the Canoe Carving House) has been a dream of ours for many years," said Mike Tulee, Executive Director of UIATF. "The facility fits directly into our mission and will provide educational and cultural opportunities that reconnect Indigenous people to their heritage and will strengthen their sense of belonging."

The entire center will comprise the Canoe Carving House and the Welcome House. The Phase 2 Welcome House will provide educational interactive displays, a gift shop, a catering kitchen and a multi-use space for cultural events. UIATF is launching fundraising efforts for the Welcome House portion of the project. Please visit the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation's website to contribute. Once funding is secured, SPR and UIATF will move forward with the second phase of the Center.

Location

Lake Union Park, 900 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Budget

Seattle Parks and Recreation: $2,147,700
King County: contributing $1,164,000
State of Washington Department of Commerce: Three grants contributing $1,984,780
Federal Community Project Funding (HUD) contributing: $524,300

Schedule

Planning and Design: 2019 - 2025
Construction: Summer 2025
Completion: Late 2026

Project Description

The Carving House will provide insight into distinctive varieties of Native American culture and be a place where Native carvers are safe, and the public is welcome. In addition to creating a gathering space to learn about canoe carving and culture, it also provides storage for canoes that will be hand-launched into the lake during operating hours. The project will provide opportunities for visitors to physically interact with and participate actively within a portion of Native Culture that is largely unseen today and provides a space where practices and thousand-year-old traditions can be witnessed once again. The Carving House project will include a living roof and the beach will have a carved Welcome Figure; docents will help explain the Northwest Native American skills and beliefs used over generations in building canoes.