North Rainier Landbanked Site Park Development - Cheryl Chow Park
Updated: March 13, 2025
Spring 2025
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is happy to announce the new park in the Rainier Valley will open on April 5 and has been named Cheryl Chow Park. The ribbon cutting celebration will take place on April 5 from 12-2 p.m. and will be filled with entertainment, food and an opportunity to explore the new park. We invite everyone to celebrate with us at the park!
The park is named after the late Seattle Councilmember Cheryl Chow, whose life and career were dedicated to public service. As a long-time Councilmember, Chow devoted her life to serving the people of Seattle, particularly those in marginalized communities. Cheryl Chow Park is located at S Charlestown Street between 34th and 35th Avenue South and creates a new multi-generational neighborhood park for the North Rainier community. This park space consists of property acquired by SPR over the past 10 years, with a design that incorporates accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as SPR’s intent to create access to open space in areas of high urban density. The park will be a multi-generational community gathering space with adult exercise equipment, a half-court basketball feature, BBQ grills, picnic areas and colorful play equipment. Community-provided graphics of textile fabric designs that hang as banners in the park reflect a broad representation of cultures in the North Rainier neighborhood.
Cheryl Chow Park was created with support from numerous community members, Seattle Park District funding, King County Parks Capital and Open Space funding, National Park Service Land and Water Conservation funding, Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office funding and Group Health/Kaiser Permanente for fitness equipment.
SPR and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) are coordinating on installing a new raised crosswalk and pavement mural along South Charlestown Street which is anticipated to be implemented this year.
SPR would like to thank the community for their patience as we acquired 1.2 acres of land to create a large urban village park for the high-density neighborhood and for participating in the design process.
Location
S Charlestown Street between 34th and 35th Avenues S
Budget
The Seattle Park District provided $2.1 million for the acquisition and remediation of the future park property and $2 million for the planning, design, and construction phases. Additionally, the project is graciously supported by the following grant funders.
- King County Parks Capital and Open Space ($500,000)
- National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund ($960,000)
- RCO Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program ($500,000)
- Group Health/Kaiser Permanente to install adult fitness equipment ($80,000)
Schedule
Planning: Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
Concept Design: Spring - Fall 2017
Fundraising: Winter 2017/18 - Spring 2019
Additional Parcel Acquired: Spring 2019
Re-Design: Spring 2019 - Summer 2020
Additional Parcel Acquired: Fall 2021
Revised Design/Permits: Fall 2021 - Summer 2022
Grant Contract Executed: Fall 2022
Construction: Summer 2023 - Winter 2024
Completion: Spring 2025
Project Description
This Seattle Park District project will create a new neighborhood park for the North Rainier Community. The project will develop the open space acquired by Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) with the first parcel being purchased in 2011 and the most recent in 2016 and a final parcel in 2019. The design will incorporate accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as SPR's intent to create access to open space in areas of high urban density. Impervious surfacing shall be limited to 15% or less, excluding trail and circulation surfaces.
In late 2011 Parks finalized the purchase of a 0.15-acre (6,650 sq.ft.) property, located at the northwest corner of 35th Avenue S & S Charlestown Street. This was followed by the purchase of an adjacent site at 3655 35th Ave S in 2016 and the final parcel at 3656 34th Ave S in 2019. An opportunity arose for an additional purchase, and in the fall of 2021 SPR purchased adjacent property at 3638 34th Ave S, which increases the size of the park by 33%, from 0.9 acre to 1.2 acres. Together these parcels will provide the largest urban village park planned for in the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy. The 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy provided $24 million for the acquisition of neighborhood parks in up to 20 identified areas throughout the City. The North Rainier Residential Urban Village was included in that list.
Download the Gaps In Open Space Map
Community Participation
Public Meeting and Open House - 4/5/2017
- Meeting Poster in Amharic, Chinese, English, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Vietnamese
- Meeting Notes
Community Input Opportunity at Rainier Court Festival - 9/16/2017
- Event Poster in Amharic, Chinese, English, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Vietnamese
- Meeting Notes
Community Input Opportunity and Open House - 9/28/2019
Open House - 8/19/2020
| Amharic | Informational Flyer |
| Chinese | Informational Flyer |
| English | Informational Flyer |
| Oromo | Informational Flyer |
| Somali | Informational Flyer |
| Spanish | Informational Flyer |
| Tigrinya | Informational Flyer |
| Vietnamese | Informational Flyer |
Project Documents:
- Aerial context map here
- September 2017 presentation to the Seattle Design Commission
- Download the DNS document for additional information
- View the SEPA Environmental Checklist document here
- October 28, 2019 Presentation to Proview
- March 5, 2020, Final Park Development Presentation to Seattle Design Commission