Let me start. It's just warning. But.
Okay. Excellent, excellent. Okay, it is 6 30. We're gonna call this meeting.
Go ahead and start with some introductions. We'll go with in the room first starting on the right.
Jasper, Sabr, Bill Meng, get engaged commissioner. Christopher Williams, Parks Chief of Staff.
Justin, we got just one butcher. I'm Marlborough, co-chair.
Oh, a hospital person recreation.
Oh, you do? Denver, it's a sales person recreation. And those online.
That's cool Contras, commission at large.
Hey everybody, Jessica. Farmer, and Commissioner at large.
Excellent. And. Yeah, 2 more on there.
Yes. Okay. And you're good to go. All right, going into our land acknowledgement.
Seattle parks and reparation acknowledges and the firms and digit coast salish as the original care acres of our waters and landscape.
Nurtured and shaped today's Parkland. We honor our legacy of gratitude and appreciation and will save our knowledge and stewardship as enduring treasures to promote community welfare.
Call to VAT, and, expressions of nature and recreation, and commit to land, often for each and soon generation.
Okay.
Alright, so next towards business is the approval of consent agenda items, which includes the minutes from our August tenth meeting and today's agenda.
Yeah, the motion for approval. Okay. Hello, second. So, nice.
I don't have been motion in second. And yes, so can we do it? Yes. So can we do it? Yes.
So can we do a plug to vote of the All in favor, say, I resent. Or not opposed.
Hi.
That's it.
All of, do we have?
Okay. Okay, the first one up is Sally Kenny. And do not see.
Okay. Don't see Sally in the room or online. Okay, welcome back and see if Sally joins us.
Next up. Hey Lib and Shawn Crowder. I don't see.
Okay, Carrie, no one. Secondary. Kerry, I'm gonna unmute you.
I just.
And you can unmute yourself and go ahead. And you're gonna, I'm gonna, 2 min for public comments.
Okay.
I just did. Thank you. Good evening, board members. My name is Chris Nolan and I am the steward for Magnus and Dog Park.
First, let me thank you for all that you do to serve the incredible Olmstead Plus Seattle Park system.
After nearly 40 years as a Seattle light, I can say that the top reason I've loved the city is because of her amazing parts and I have provided you with a view of a lovely park behind me.
It's an incredible green gift we share. I have limited time here, so have provided this text and attachments for your full review later.
The boxes and snapshot are but a preview of the full dog park risk assessment that will be available for you and the public at large next month.
This was always a goal of my stewardship, but it is especially needed now. After 2 years of serving as steward and when my chief goal was to transmit educational programs, most of my volunteer time spent serving the city's largest and most popular dog park was spent dealing with special issues and requesting operational improvements.
In addition to 20 plus years in the dog park and the time stewarding my previous 10 years was spent as a licensed risk and safety advisor.
It is my hope this assessment will aid future program management as well as inform future disbursements. And that is why I am here tonight and most specifically to raise a large cautionary flag about the 3.6 million proposed for 2 new dog parks and one additional dog park design.
This is not because Seattle doesn't need them. It does. And especially it means more than one large dog park with water access.
Either lake, river, or some sort of feature. Sadly, there is no tail wagging about this sum because it soars over the dire needs presented in the existing 15 dog parts system and some dog parks which range from disrepair to decrepit.
Most importantly, basic life safety concerns are raised. All the dog parks suffer from inattention and overuse, both from the pandemic and ever-growing population.
Certainly each is beset by waves of crime and vandalism. In fact, in June at Magnuson, a portaponti in 2 storage sheds.
We're lost to arson, including, included, were thousands of dollars of uninsurable tools, equipment, signage, and refuse bags.
And this was after numerous previous break-ins. This.
Harry, 2 min is up. We're going to have to pause for a second. And Kerry, you're welcome to send written comments that we'll make sure everybody gets so.
Thanks. Okay, next up is,a. Hey, Laura, I'm going to unmute, allow you to unmute.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay, I'm actually gonna cede my time to carry. Thank you very much.
Yes.
Hello, can you hear me? Okay, okay, and this was after numerous previous breakdowns the Seattle Barkery a valued tenant is leaving the park for this reason.
In many ways, the Dog Park system is still functioning much the same as it did in 1,998.
25 years ago in a city with 250,000 less people and maybe 250,000 less dogs too.
Sea box one for population. And the 3.6 million GERS because a 125,000 shared annual budget for them is grossly insignificant based on park usage.
In fact, many of the key yardsticks usually. In fact, many of the key yardsticks usually reference to trap usage and thereby as accurately reference to trap usage and thereby as accurately as possible respond to trap usage and thereby as accurately as possible respond to evolving as accurately as possible respond to evolving issues seem unmeasured.
And as unrealized as it is in many areas, the 2,017 Seattle People Dogs and Part Strategic Plan works as a benchmark.
In part. What is needed still is a master vision for the next 25 years of Seattle dog park recreation and a proactive plan to communicate accurately with the public and express stated goals to them.
Dug parks themselves should be considered a point of purchase type operation and a great place to transmit an overarching message.
As mentioned, the inability to evolve puts the public at risk. Sometimes this is because SPR is searching for the perfect rather than adapting the good.
And when you are talking about a park where risk is inherent, dogs, teeth, bites, we all know this.
The goal is to minimise it, not add to it, especially not when every visitor's expectation for a park trip is to leave refreshed, rejuvenated, and happy.
For these reasons and others that will be presented next month, please pause any. Consideration or planning for 3.6 million when part of that money should go toward a more well-rounded dog part program for a 2,023 to 2048 beast.
The next 25 years. Absolutely.
Thank you. Time is up, but we'll, we'll give everyone the materials that they can. So thanks.
Thank you. Jen, you are up next. Go ahead. Yes.
Can you hear me? Thank you, everyone. I'd like to see it. Mine's time to carry as well.
Thank you.
It mutes every time. I was actually almost done. For these reasons and others that will be presented next month, please pause any consideration.
Planning or planning for 3.6 million when part of that money should go toward a more well-rounded dog park program for a 2,023 to 2,048 beast.
All solutions for improvement must be on the table. Especially those addressing the need for greener parks and ideally some plans willing to include some innovation.
Putting Seattle in the spot it should be. Top dog. Parkboard members. Dog parks need what they need.
If the political apparatus cannot meet those needs, then discussions about different revenue streams must be pursued also.
Other recommendations will most likely include. Development of a new supervisory board. A new disease tracking program, which will aid the health of the dog citywide and provide better, a better environmental index for the impacts of the dogs themselves.
And the hiring of at least one if not 2 more employees. One of which might be funded under the New Ranger Hire program.
Minor point, I might recommend you call them ambassadors rather than rangers. That is a much more friendly and approachable moniker.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to future discussion about the Dog Park system meets.
I'm dead.
Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, sure. I will take an opportunity to.
Respond to care to creases of a comment, and mainly to acknowledge that we hear you, and your call for a more comprehensive.
Awfully sharing a program that could include more staffing. And off leash area, advisory board. And really your overall comment to.
Let's fix what we have. Before we expand. So we hear you on that and I just wanted to, that back to you as an acknowledgement.
Okay. Well, thank you to all of the commissioners. Who are here in person and who those who are on the call and to members of the public who are taking the time to be here.
This evening. There's a Beyonce concert tonight and there was a improv 2 protest.
So we really commend you for making a crackdown. Let's see here. Maybe in order of business here, we're gonna amend the agenda this evening.
Before I get into the superintendent's report. And not do the downtown Seattle association contract renewal we just need more time on that so that'll give us a little bit more time tonight.
So now I'll get into the superintendents report. Okay, so, next slide here.
Okay, so the mayor's proposed budget. Will be delivered on Tuesday, September 20 sixth.
The mayor will announce this 2024 budget proposal. We don't anticipate any major additions or reductions for the sale partner creation department.
City Council will review the budget during the October early November timeframe. And conduct public comment periods and usually by Thanksgiving or just before Thanksgiving, the city council will adopt the budget.
We are transitioning from a busy Pete summer operating season. Where we permitted 1,800 picnics 385 outdoor events 130 different ceremonies and parks 168 indoor rentals 77 film permits were issued and 27 somewhere along day camp or rather, 27.
Summer day camp programs were permitted in our parks. We're transitioning into ball programming. Many of the programs started last week.
Examples of these programs include dropping programs, environmental education programs, lifelong recreation. Sports programs for youth a childcare and aquatics program or full listing of our winter program offering.
You can go to seattle.com or slash parks. So the Denny Awards are returning.
The Dating Awards are the Seattle Park Recreations effort to recognize the extraordinary contribution that volunteers make to the public park recreation system in our city.
The award is named after David. Whose family donated Seattle's very first part in fact this building is located in Beatty Park.
Yeah. And. The award has that family name. Frequently, members of the Denny family often show up at the dating awards.
This year we have 5 award categories. One will be the equity champion award, healthy people award, friving environment, vibrant community award and then.
An award category that the superintendent will hand select.
Hey, and more information will follow on that. We anticipate the award ceremony will occur. And well occur on December sixth at the Salvation Art Museum.
That is a beautiful space. It's been recently renovated and we will have information to the board about attending.
That, getting award ceremony. You have received tons of email and, requests from the community to enact the same early closure at Stan Sayers.
A bulk watch on Lake Washington Boulevard. As we have an effect at the Atlanta Street Program.
We recently as a result of communication, the city attorney's office. And SVD based on SVD crime statistics and crime data.
Made a decision to enact a ninety-day closure. Or this park, which means It's gonna close early.
From, 10 PM. Until 6 a. M.
This is a A modified hours of operation, the goal to the tear. Nuisance and illegal behavior in that parking lot and we will do this for 90 days and then work with SVD to reassess this decision.
Okay, what you see there is a troll that was recently installed as at Lincoln Art. His name is Run.
It's a Danish environmental. Troll that was created by an artist by the name of Thomas Tambo.
This troll is part of 30 that are being placed across the country. This is ambitious public art project.
Presented by Scandinavian. There are 6 giant hand built troll sculptures around the Pacific Northwest.
The precise location has not been publicly shared, but this is part of the adventures. Thank you, how to find and locate these, but this one we know where it's at. It's a.
We had a wonderful dedication event and encourage you to go down. Next slide. Self Park Community Center continues through temporary closure of September for South Park Community Center close for a major building renovation.
Patrol trust maintenance, accessibility, and program needs to extend the life of the facility and increase programming potential.
Most of the community, most of the community center program is moved to the nearby Concorde International Elementary School.
Which will include a square, the spray park. Play area picnic area. Long extended parking lot.
Awfully sharing a full size multi sport court. Additionally, the project includes. In the all season synthetic litter field.
With a circular walking trail, in partnership with the Seattle Academy. This project will truly have something for everyone.
Whether you play organized sports or you just wanna bring the kids to the park it is truly a transformation.
Of a beloved community center and parks that we're assigned to be getting off the ground. Her feeding is a big part of our work on the top picture.
On the right I'm sorry on the left that you'll see graffiti at the salmon bay, our restaurant and it's pretty amazing what our staff is able to do.
In a short period of time that just really transforms sort of the look, feel, and safety. A public space and graffiti is removed in a timely That's off to them.
Our tree crew recently removed the disease tree along Mount Baker Boulevard. And there's a photo of that tree removal.
The crew was in full PPE with respite with respirators in Typex suits.
Due to the restatory hazards from the scores of the fungal disease. And, that's, you know, you wouldn't think you'd have to be in a tie back suit and a respirator to remove the tree.
But some of these force, they get in your lung material can be very tasked with this. So We're glad we're able to get that down.
Next slide. Okay, so, ADA parking facilities. I'd rather, new 88 parking and accessibility ramp was installed at Magnuson Park.
This was done by our metal machine shop, our cruise work with the conservation court to construct a new parking.
An accessibility ramp at the. Swim beach just west of the public restrooms and provides access to the restroom swim area and path along the waterfront
Next slide.
Our planning and capital development division as busy as usual in many areas of our work. Oh, recently, completed a renovated BF Day playground in the Fremont neighborhood at this recently open.
The play theme is nature of play elements which have been carefully chosen for the site. Including the balance beam logs.
What's he saw and mushroom. High off the play field. We're also reopening.
This site recently. Site was resurfaced. We resurfence Ohio off the Plateville, must be able to project replace the Asian synthetic curve at the field with markings for baseball, soccer, softball.
Football and we research this, a 3 line running track at this location. The Ballard Commons play area launched.
And construction begin on that project. The first part of August. And we expect to have that project complete.
In the middle of fall winter timeframe here so That's underway at the North Rainier Land Bank.
Park. Construction begins on the Rainier Lambate Park site in Southeast Seattle. There was a slight delay as we work to acquire additional 1.2 acres of plan to create a larger part for this densely populated neighborhood.
This new multi-generational part will be completed in late September, 24. It literally took us 9 years to assemble all of the parcels to create this part site.
And this, this, began under the Donald Harris. Who was a part property manager for 37 years.
Glass, Livizo, play area. Design for the nuclear area, the central area neighborhood is underway.
The renovation project will replace and will replace the play equipment with a new phase structure. We anticipate construction starting.
In October, but's completion by the end of the, by end of year, 23.
The King Trony Park Levy recently announced nearly 30 million dollars in Kingshong Park by the funding for 53 projects and we build and upgrade the quiet facilities, enhance parts, trails, protect and store river corridors and make access.
Help you recreation more equitable across King County. There were 4 SPR projects. Included in the funding.
The soup, the Garco Super Block. The Ranger Beach State Park. Little Brook Park renovation and the Kabota Garden visitor facility planning.
It's also included in that. Next slide. Okay. Our financial performance dashboard, our public facing financial performance dashboard portal.
It's been updated and published last month to include. 2023 mid year. Through January through June actual revenues expenditures and key performance and indicators for KPIs.
Community members can access this. On our department website. By going to seattle.com forward slash parks and click on about us.
So this is part of an ongoing commitment. Part of the park district to transparency. Key or for key performance indicators and to keep the public apprised of our spending and where we're making progress on partnership projects.
Next slide. Okay, so boy, we've had a Okay. Got some big events coming up, but I wanna tell you about the.
Youth basketball, 3 out 3 tournament that occurred this past weekend. At downtown and we did that in partnership with the associate of recreation council provided some of the funding for that.
There were a massive number of youth and families. On Saturday and Sunday. And, it was really done to I think really demonstrate to the public that we can.
Activate downtown in a way that's safe. That encourages people to bring their families downtown that provides some level of activation, engagement for people to engage in and feel safe.
And, we achieved that this past weekend with the youth basketball tournament. This weekend, we're probably gonna cater to maybe a slightly older group of folks.
We're having a pickle ball. Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. And, we have.
She's probably over a hundred people signed up to play at this tournament and we've got sponsors.
The Sale Park Foundation is a partner on this. There will be round robin play. A wheelchair pickle ball.
The registration is now closed because we have so many people we expect to have a huge crowd. Their Herald is expected to show up.
On Saturday and to put on a pickle ball clank and show this. Pickleball skills there.
And then on September 20 fourth. On Sunday September 20 fourth from 11 AM, one PM, come to the Washington Park.
Are you either for free? Public opening. Union. A studying large scale outdoor sculpture created by one of the world's leading contemporary artists.
Seattle Base, John, the sculpture will be suspended from too large naps standing more than 100 feet between 8 cedar trees just west of Magnolia collection.
That would be pretty, You know, we may not even have rain by them. So I will pause right there and convert to this group.
Yes.
Hi, thank you. Thanks for all of that. It's always so great to hear what is going on.
I've got a couple of things I just want to ask questions on.
Oh, first of that. Tons of art, tons of really cool art installations, which is so neat to hear about.
I'm curious about the troll. How long is that gonna be there? Is that a permanent installation?
Cool.
Yes, it is a permanent installation. And, boy, you know, so this idea came to us maybe 5 or 6 years ago, which I tell people demonstrate sort of the long arc.
Yeah.
Of time an idea comes to us before it's actually implemented. So we're excited to have it.
Yeah.
Artist has committed to work with us on vandalism to I keep it patrol and not demolished and destroyed.
Yeah. Cool. Yeah, and the, the, our, BREATURE, Makes a bit sounds really amazing.
I've heard quite a bit about that. And then, I also just really want to commend the department on the monuments.
Exhibit installation at City Hall Park that opened earlier this week. I have not been down to see it yet.
I couldn't make it the night of the opening, but I'm really excited to go see that.
Just looks incredible.
And then I have one question, which I just didn't catch the web address for the performance and financial management dashboard.
Oh sure, give me 1 s. Yeah, forward slash.
Oh, got it.
Alright.
Mentioned we go to the home page and click on about us. Yeah, there. Yeah. So it is that, Seattle.
Dot. Slash parks and then click on about us. You're absolutely together.
Okay. Okay. Great. I'll find my way there to check it out.
Thank you.
Awesome. Okay. Oh, yeah, so, and so another note here. I'm reminded by Rebecca.
That 200 people have registered but we're expecting over a thousand people at the event this week now.
Hmm.
So, Come early. Slide parking. Thank you, Rebecca. I had a quick comment just again I know we talked quickly about the care financial portal and the KPIs as a related to the NPD, right?
Well, from that pretty quickly, but I also know there was a ton of work that went into that.
So just once says, yes, I know Michelle and staff is here, but I'm gonna give a lot of those to them because I know that that was quite the process to really own it.
Those APIs were to kind of make sure that we're doing all the said we're going to do. So, like that. Absolutely.
And I think November is gonna be our first opportunity to report out at the governing board of the City Council Park District.
Yeah. We have one person who is not available for public comment at the time. So, we're going to unmute you and give you 2 min.
So I'm gonna ask you to unmute. Okay.
So, you should have a prompt asking you to unmute.
Awesome, she's 7 away. Yeah. Okay, we'll try again. So I guess we'll step to the next item on the agenda.
Okay. Where do you feel, Alright, sounds good.
Hello everybody. Thanks for having me. My name is Elena. I am the mayor's fellow with SPR this summer.
I am currently studying urban planning and public health at UD. I'm about to start my final year.
It's been a really good summer here in the department. I spent the summer working on the, program and I'm here to talk about my experience and some recommendations.
So here's an overview of what I'm going to talk about tonight. Chris, just describing what the best is all about.
I'm giving you some background on the talking about why this issue is important in the first place and then getting into some of the data on the demographics of the cohort this summer.
Going into a logic model that I developed and then presenting some recommendations.
So the Mayor's Fellowship, we had, I was one of 9 fellows this summer, each working on a different male priority and we are spread out over 8 different departments in the city.
I apply to this position because I previously worked on issues with each parts of my whole job and I wanted to see what that looked like on government side.
And I also had a friend to come up with public health department last year and that was related to drowning prevention so this project fit in really well with my previous work.
So the mayor's collision used to run in 2,007 2,900 and near Nichols, but it hadn't been.
Sort, of, again, until Mary and I started it this summer. So, for the first cohort in a few years.
So this is a really cool experience to be part of first cohort in a while. The 9 of us were all from different grad programs and it's called the public policy fellowship but only a few of us for policy students they had people from urban planning, public health, social work, economics and organizational psychology.
And it was a cool experience to get to meet the other fellows and also get to know what happens in the city.
So we had some networking events with city staff and leadership. We learned about city operations. We got a tour of the emergency operations center.
We've ever the project planning team, we learned about the recent social justice initiative and had some really cool sessions just learning more about city government.
And 2 weeks ago we presented to Mayor, each of our, projects directly to him and his cabinet and he was really enthusiastic about different projects and gave us some good feedback and questions.
So I'll be presenting to you the same thing that I have with him.
Okay, so, This is a program that was launched by the Parks Department earlier this year in April as a way to increase access to swimming by providing kids with free swim lessons.
So this is the first cohort of kids that run through the summer and there are 195 participants that went through.
And it's opportunity was first given to families who were already receiving scholarships and lessons and they were allowed to register one week before the general population.
And these lessons fill up really quickly, so this early registration is really important for giving them priority access.
Okay, so this data draws on my previous work with the public health department. Recent trends have shown us that preventable drowning deaths are on the rise over the past 5 years.
We've seen 135 unintentional deaths with an increase in 2,019 and recent heat rates since 2,020 have contributed to this increase with more people looking for refuge in the cold water and as we expect key issues to increase as climate change intensifies, this will continue to be an issue.
And over half of these drownings happen in open water, which is why water competence is really important for us the future sound region we're surrounded by really great maximum our opportunities but it's important to also be saved in the water.
And studies have shown that swimming lessons are a protective factor against drowning, so Swim Seattle is hoping to reverse these trends long term.
They're also racial disparities in grounding rates. This graph shows that black and American Indian last Native residents are over represented in unattentional drownings.
That blue line is the county average. And so you can see those populations have higher than their due, a burden for their population in drowning rates.
And these disparities exist for a variety of reasons from historic racism wolves to intergenerational water trauma to barriers at the cost of snow lessons.
And so Seattle is trying to close these racial gaps by limiting that cost barrier, her families of color.
So this summer we had a hundred 95 participants and most of the cohort that we have data for have been children of color but you can see we are missing data for 41% of participants so we don't know what race those people are so it's hard to make definitive conclusions about that without having the full picture and we're currently working on a survey that'll help close some of those data
gaps. And in terms of age, it's mostly under kids participating in beginning swim. You can see that participation drops off in teenage years and I'll be coming back to this point in my applications.
So I came on at the beginning of the summer. I was tasked with identifying success measures for the program, which also meant pinpointing goals for the program and knowing what I need to know what we're trying to accomplish with Seattle and how we would know if you were successful.
And my deliverables to the summer will be a logic model that I developed to show connections between activities and goals.
And the final report that all presents the department.
So this is the logic model that I came up with. This is a lot. I'm not going to go into the details, but I want to show you my thought process for coming up with the inputs in the yellow box, the things that we need to make this program successful, what activities and outputs will be carried out in the green box.
So that's like the meet of the program, what actually will be done. And then what this is all working towards the outcomes in the blue box.
That I divided to short. Me and long share outcomes. And I developed this after meeting with staff partners and visiting 3 of the pools and seeing how this is work in the pools, make sure that recommendations that I need are going to be relevant and actionable.
So you're gonna zoom into that outcomes box and after meeting with staff and partners we agreed on these 3 outcomes to work towards.
First, increasing access to some lessons as a short-term goal. Focusing on vipod communities, standards of low incomes and areas of those with participation.
And I identified these populations because of those racial disparities we saw earlier and the financial burden on low income families, pressure lessons and then also wanting to bring in new participants that have been taking lessons before.
Our medium term goal is increasing water competence and this part is important because we can reduce various lessons but it's not going to matter if kids are showing up to lessons or if they're not improving their skills.
So this is measuring steel progression and attendance. And then finally I locked their goal of reducing droning deaths and racial experience.
And it was helpful to identify these first and then work backwards in that logic model to come up with the activities that would get us here.
So I'm gonna go to some of the recommendations. With these outcomes in mind, my first recommendation is to have water safety workshops for families.
To improve water competence, which is a combination of swim skills, knowledge, and attitudes. So the 3 lessons which are the main point of Seattle about and cover the swim skills card and then these workshops that address knowledge and attitudes.
And these workshops to talk about things like the importance of school supervision for kids, how to wear, how to fit a life jacket properly, how to respond to common driving situations and sharing community partner resources.
And so, the parents significantly overestimate their child's training, their child slip abilities.
So, most child drownings happen when parents aren't supervising. So these workshops would really emphasize parents role in water safety.
And I set the recommendations about Teams. So we saw on the graph earlier that participation in beginning lessons drops off in teenage years, but teams are the second highest age group at risk for drowning after toddlers.
So this recommendation brings teams to the pool for late 19 only programming. And offers job pathways for them to become lifebarton swim instructors.
So this is a way for them to come build community so they're having fun in a more age appropriate way that feels comfortable for them and then also providing that base for them to become lifeguards or some instructors.
And there's a severe product stepping shortage right now. My bed with full staff, they're number one barrier to capacity.
It's a huge issue and especially since COVID not having enough staff to run these lessons and So this would create more job opportunities for you who are already in the system.
And my third recommendation is overarching and will drive the success of everything else in the program, which is building community with partner organizations.
And we already have a great coalition partners listed here and I recommend deepening these partnerships and expanding them to include more community-based organizations that can help build trust with community members and bring those people into the program.
So again, here are my 3 primary recommendations that will further the short medium as long term goal, building water safety skills, knowledge, partnerships, and employment.
I believe that's, and these recommendations will help improve the program. Push for equitable access to lessons, increased water competence, and drowning prevention for Seattle visits.
Thank you very much. And I'll take any questions you have. You say a little bit more about sort of the risk.
Proposition for teens in particular for 2 boys. Yes, there's, there more likely to take risks.
So, but so I mentioned that teams have the second highest risk. So, but so I mentioned that teams have the second highest risk after toddlers and that's because they're more Oh, and then, yeah, the gender, yeah, males are significantly more likely to get in these kinds of situations and sadly drown.
So this could be a good way of bringing those people together and coming up with some ways of engagement and teaching them about not only skills but also the knowledge of what kind of behavior might be good to do around water.
Okay, it's from commissioners.
Alright, getting all my buttons pushed here. Elena, I just want to say, a fantastic job.
This was such a wonderful project. So important. I think your recommendations are incredible and spot on.
So I just, I have to throw in there that 15 years ago I was in that one of those older mayors.
Oh.
Fellow cohorts. And worked on a project with the Parks Department too. So, Just get ready, cause in 5 or 10 years you might find yourself, sitting on the other side of the table in these meetings.
Okay.
But it's, such a great experience, for exposure to city government and obviously you've had some experience already in the field, but just really appreciate your work and your time on this.
So thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much. It's been like talk to a couple of people that weren't here.
Hmm.
Sales and that work for the city. Good. Yeah. Great presentation.
Thank you. Yeah. Just, I'd like that for everyone's gratitude. Thank you so much.
And I think just from knowledge, it was denied and I can't remember who else was there at the launches.
And I think just from knowledge, it was denied and I can't remember who else was there at the launches from Seattle.
But do I remember, In recent history, we have 0 preventable deaths. Is that? So yes, Yeah, I, Got it pool, your beach.
And like 2030 years. It's very, very low. Like maybe, it's, it's very, very low. Like, maybe, same with 0.
So I think the end of the day preventable deaths are they're preventable. I think the end of the day, preventable, that's, they're preventable.
Good. Just had 2 comments. And none of them are questions, but I love the opportunity to give early access for registration for folks that are on scholarship.
I have 2 young kids when we go to try assign it for some lessons. It's a popular program, right?
There's not enough lifeboats, right? So I think that's awesome that the demographics that we're trying to serve, they get an opportunity to get in their especially if we're already providing scholarship, right?
From scholarship and then they can't register. So I appreciate that very intentional and I'll follow comment you know again on a personal note.
I grew up with a bunch of people who did that late 19 swim program and they ended up being left bars and continued for a long time and in their circles of friends.
They say the same thing. You're like, okay, no, nobody wants a life card. It's such a fun thing.
They got to hang out with their friends. They got to swim and all of them continue to stay in community together.
So I think that has awesome that you're recommending that because there is like a big generational gap where it was cool and then now for some reason that's 9. So, yeah, there's one late night cool program right now right here.
So I'm hoping to expand other pools and And that's for all people. That's where all the people I knew.
They all went there together. They just, some, contain to be some instructors now. You love Slim, but it's a tight community.
And so if we can, you know, extend that opportunity to others and show them how fun it can be and also great recommendations.
Thank you. Great job. Thank you all.
I've never. But since we're skipping that one, Christopher, I'll toss it back to you or part of our toss it back to you or part of IT.
I just wanna say regarding Swing Seattle here that this is one of the key's top priorities that you brought this idea from Los Angeles and it's also a project that mayor chairs a lot about.
So. It's a really big deal here. You really have to have Spell walking house project.
Okay, so, frequently in the Sale Park and recreation department. I don't know, I think people think about the work we do.
You know, sometimes, you know, people take care of you, well, it's a, it's a perfect partner.
You can build basketball so they long, right? Some of that is true. But we also do some very technical.
Work and a good number of our parks. That we have acquired since time in Memorial. That environmental issues have required soil remediation work.
Have required environmental. Work. In fact, one reason they are affordable as part land is because they come with So, some condition that requires remediation or mitigation.
What we'd like to talk to you about today is a parcel of property. We purchase back in 19 or 20.
It was 2,019 and during the Durkin administration. Is located in the area called the South Park Plaza.
And, it's got quite a story, so I wanna walk through this. It's fairly complicated.
There is pending legislation. That we are gonna take from city council that authorizes us to do 2 things.
And authorizes a department to sign an agreed order with the State Department of Ecology to clean up the site.
At the legislation also connects our department to a certain, the,Al environmental investigation work. And actions to make the department eligible to apply for state grant.
To support this work up to 50% reimbursement. So we think this is gonna be about a million dollars to clean up.
We have about a $500,000 match. And we would be requesting the authority to apply for and to accept an additional $500,000 match from the state.
Okay, the agreed order will include the current Wamish waterway part including the adjacent Seattle Department of Transportation right of way.
And then the park addition property still operated under a commercial lease. So actually all of that yellow. Area will be included.
Next slide. So a brief history here. This is located on the south end of the Fourteenth Avenue Bridge in South Park.
Along the lower to Washwater way. We've been operating this site. As a part since 1975 the area to the right.
As an area we recently purchased from King County. Back in 2,019. But all of the site, including the red site, which we have owned forever.
And at the release the site we were operating since 1975 and recently purchased from Keene County will be part of this cleanup border.
Next slide. During the purchase of the property, environmental tests identified our second lead and therefore preparation for construction.
The department submitted a soil remediation plan to the Washington Department of Ecology. In July, 2020, we entered into a voluntary cleanup program.
And in September, 2020 the Park renovation project began primarily. Supported by funds raised by the Sale Park Foundation and friends of the Wamish Waterway.
The park improvements included more welcoming park entries. And all ages accessible playground and new park furnishes.
Environmental remedial actions included selective soil evacuation. Rather excavation. Remove and replacement with clean fill.
Construction of concrete pathways and placement of vegetation and laying soft materials and then installation and capping technology was also instituted here.
In 2022, the Department of Ecology moved the site from the voluntary clean up. Compliance program to their more formal program referencing the complexity of the site.
And the adjacency of the river, which makes us a super fun site. So normally we would be dealing with the environmental remediation work at the front end.
And because this is a super fun site. The state decided that this needed to be more closely monitored by Department of Ecology and is now therefore requiring a consent to create order from State Department of College, which we need to take to the City Council to have legislative.
Next slide. Another complexity here is that the is that concurrent with the park improvement project in 2021.
And Jason site was acquired by the city. This site had been identified by the community. That's a location to meet many of the goals identified as part of the city's Swami.
The support equitable opportunities and to mitigate the displacement. Pressures. While the department acquired the property, OPCD continues to work with the community.
To lead site planning that advanced community priorities for developing community support. Spaces and open space increasing access to the Duwamish River, restoring aquatic habitat, creating a network of connected open spaces along with the Wash River and expanding our communities for cultural activities and uses for the site.
Concurrently SPR. Is managing the lease with the existing tenant. And is reserving lease revenues for future.
Expenses. So what we mean there is in that red box area there we have a tenant, who has been on that site since we acquired it from Team County.
The plan is ultimately to end that tendency. After we rather as we move to restore this site and green it up for a part but we will use the revenues to help out with the park.
Development for this site. So. Not just being used for, like, the project, for, the, also on the, space that is currently being released.
Yes. Okay, so this needs to go before the city council. And as mentioned, this is a more formal process we would be consenting to.
It set support the process to develop and implement. The plan sort of illustrated above the next step in the process after this legislation is approved.
Superintendent side, the agreed order. This is a remedial investigation and feasibility steady phase.
We anticipate this phase will take about 18 months. We will learn much more through this process. But based on what we know now, we estimate the clean up costs to be about 1.2 million dollars.
We've identified approximately $500,000 to date. And we plan to hone on this, but hold in on the spudge a little further and apply for grants.
As you move the process forward. One important note throughout the whole process is that DOE is responsible for the public engagement process.
Though we of course will participate and collaborate with the public on the engagement process here. So this is really Department of Ecology taking the reins and our following their lead to investigate.
And more of a face to kind of environmental study. The soil conditions, what is going to be responsive for cleanup and or mediation and.
We will also partner with them on the public day chat. Okay. Okay, current use and safety.
We wanted to end this presentation beside depicting the current use. Of the park. A small area of the park remains Spencer.
Community use outlined in red. This is a shoreline area. And that's outlined in red because that is the part of most closely associated with the Clean up.
No, no, remediation was done in dispensed area. During the TARK improvement project, in part because of the proximity to shoreline.
. You as the lead on in water work and shoreline work so we will participate in that but SPU was in the lead we of course are in the lead on the upland area or the park.
Area and are responsible for that. The potential impact of the existing trees, soil. Removal might require some tree removal.
And other negative impacts. And Part of this is because.
Yeah, so there's a area there just to the right. On the shoreline that is actually port of Seattle property as well.
So. The area not. Ordered by red.
Is still open. That area to the immediate right and below the red bordering and to the left of the green.
Line is being leased to a private tenant and that is the, well actually the whole park. As candidate for this clean up, but we really think the focus is going to be on this area.
That was mostly to the right. There so
I want it to. I wanna pause here and I begin this discussion by saying that we do more than hand out basketball.
Is fairly complex and we have a lot of environmental staff. Who engage in this work every day and this is part of what it takes to make our parks.
Accessible and safe to the public. So I will pause right there.
Right, I'll throw in my first comment. First just wanna appreciate, presentation press for good stuff there.
You know, I'm no stranger to doing kind of make a profits to having local stakeholders in multiple sources of money and whatever you have that recipe you should results in a very complex.
Project there and I really appreciate the time and effort going into that because at the end of the day it's gonna result in a benefits of community celebrate.
Just want to give that. I've done a lot of work in the Duwamish over my time too.
And the folks are not aware of the, my time too. And the folks are not aware of the Superfund program.
I'm sure I've heard of it, but the folks are not aware of the Superfund program.
I'm sure all heard of it, but solicit the EPA's priority sites. That was for live in places in America that both the greatest threats to health of the environment.
So Seattle, the county, the state, Boeing, all the port, all stateholders, we've got expunal work to clean it up.
I'm really owed to the community. So congratulations on 50% caution.
Yeah, I think one of the questions will be why are we here so late after we acquired this? This is these are discussions that usually happen with Department of Ecology at the point of acquiring the property.
You don't usually have on the property before they come back and say, okay, you have to enter into a consent degree, but a lot of that has to do with.
It's a proximity to the Superfund site. Right. And of course, you know, we're, we're in the software community center and their closure.
It's definitely an area of the city that could be. And you know, just given the demographic of the South Park community, we want to go the extra mile to make sure that the spark is clean and safer.
Excellent.
Another comments?
Yes.
Yeah, I just wanna ask, I'm just looking at the site. Here on on the map and having that waterfront be fenced up that it looks like it's about the only riverfront.
Well, so.
That's publicly accessible. Is that? Is that the case? Is just curious about the impacts on use and I understand the safety needs and and all that.
But.
Yeah. So there is a portion of that that kind of goes off that. To the immediate left. That extends several 100 feet that is port of Seattle property that isn't included.
Okay.
And this consent, that is part of the super fund or so. The, you know, that's still accessible to the public.
Okay, thank you.
We have other. That will in the future. On marketing way.
That some portion of that part is fenced as well. We're still working with Department of Ecology to determine what the next steps are going to be.
There we don't think because it's not as close to the shoreline that it's gonna fall under a consent degree because it is further upland.
But there are concerns with arsenic. And other heavy. Metal contamination and that whole, or way already there.
And not to mention the part, Seattle, as long as you have access. Training at Vover Island, 1 4 1.
Yeah. Okay, I'm sure you're, you know, proudly for Singapore, like you mentioned, in any major city, yeah, the land.
Most easily available to quiet. Soartland is always going to be, you know, slightly jeopardized due to, you know, behaviors of the past and and just it's probably something for the department to keep an eye on in terms of future acquisitions.
Very likely going to be. Substantial costs associated with just. Cleaning something, absolutely. Before you can think about it, absolutely.
You know what we're experiencing here recently with the property transactor. Is The property owner notes they have contaminated soil, right?
Well, we want a quarter 1 million dollar. Right off the top right up front, you know, so, you know, either the top right up front, you know, so, you know, either the company, you know, so, you know, either the property, right up front, you know, so, you know, either the property or can clean it up or, you know, we take a deduct right off the top and we can clean it up later.
but. That hasn't been part of our thinking in the past and serve it to your point. It's gotta be part of our thinking.
Great point Josh. Oh, this is in good hands because for the many history lesson, you know, we're, that long ago.
That's right. To be first in the country. So it's a good pioneering spirit.
That's right. To be one of the first in the country. So it's a good pioneering spirit.
Yeah, just a moment of hope too. Like Washington, a few generations, it was unspeakable.
Yes. And there may be a day where, you know, they'll hop into lunch. Absolutely.
See no more hands, on line. Sounds like we're all good in the room. Moving on.
Welcome.
Oh, I was just gonna say, Lauren, yeah, who is hanging out online there is going to be our new That's gonna go to full time board number.
Okay, well do we have anything for new and old business from the collective? Let's see anything.
Should try and sings up there on the agenda anyways. All right, well, I guess that brings to the end of the meeting.
Appreciate everybody showing up. I think the next meeting on schedule is September fourteenth and here it's September 20 eighth.
Say I'm like 14. 2 weeks, and yes, right. Excellent. All right.
SureThanks everybody