A New Public Park for a Local Community

Lake City Park

A new park designed with the features most-desired by the community it serves.

Lake City Park is the newest green space in the heavily urbanized neighborhood of Lake City in northeast Seattle. This area is economically and ethnically diverse, and home to over 28 different languages. Seattle Parks and Recreation purchased the vacant lot that would eventually become Lake City Park in hopes of creating more usable open space for this community to enjoy. Just a few minutes from the town center, Lake City Park is easily accessible to a diverse group of surrounding neighbors.

Such varied populations would have different needs and desires for a park, so collaborating directly with community members was key to a successful design. We conducted a series of meetings, each in multiple languages, to gather input from children and adults regarding what programs best suited their community. Project artist Beth Gahan also worked with the community to create artwork that would reflect the spirit of the neighborhood under the 1% for Art Fund, which allocates capital funds for the inclusion of art.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
A Neighborhood Beacon

The centerpiece of Lake City Park is the cairn-inspired sculpture designed by local artist Elizabeth R. Gahan. The multifaceted piece is viewable from all angles, which gives it a more interactive experience. The design was shaped by the community’s desire for a welcoming, colorful, highly visible gathering point for neighborhood activity. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

A Neighborhood Beacon

The centerpiece of Lake City Park is the cairn-inspired sculpture designed by local artist Elizabeth R. Gahan. The multifaceted piece is viewable from all angles, which gives it a more interactive experience. The design was shaped by the community’s desire for a welcoming, colorful, highly visible gathering point for neighborhood activity. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Porous Concrete Walking Path

A plant-lined walking path paved in porous concrete leads from the small plaza and curves between a P-Patch and turf play area, while benches create opportunities to rest and observe. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Porous Concrete Walking Path

A plant-lined walking path paved in porous concrete leads from the small plaza and curves between a P-Patch and turf play area, while benches create opportunities to rest and observe. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Thanks to close collaboration with the residents of Lake City, the new park represents the themes of celebration, healing, and unity. The centerpiece of the park is Gahan’s “Rock Stack,” a cairn-inspired sculpture rising from the main plaza to greet visitors as they enter the park. This multifaceted piece is visible from all directions and is the distillation of the community’s desire for a welcoming, colorful, highly visible gathering place for activities. “Rock Stack” symbolizes the park’s overarching goal: building connections as a symbol of community growth and strength.

From the sculpture plaza, a wide, winding path connects visitors to all the new opportunities for outdoor activities, while large trees provide shade for hot days. The half basketball court, made from the same porous concrete used for all paving on the project, provides a space for all ages to enjoy the sport. A seat wall wraps along the adjoining path, providing a place for spectators to rest while cheering on athletes.

Further along, a mounded lawn rises from the ground until it hits the retaining wall, dividing the space from the play-climber structure. A custom climbing net connects the wall to the dome net-climber play feature as a novel way to increase activity and maintain the flow of each space into the next. Rock-climbing holds were installed onto the retaining wall so younger climbers also have options in exploring their mobility skills. The turf that covers the play area cushions any climbers that lose their balance while serving as an accessible surface for all users.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum Site Design & Landscape Architecture
Community-Led Park Programming

Overall, this new park provides many new amenities for the community as well as visitors. People can now more easily play, socialize, garden, and lounge in the same area and build community at the same time. Lake City Park | Rendering by B&V team.

Community-Led Park Programming

Overall, this new park provides many new amenities for the community as well as visitors. People can now more easily play, socialize, garden, and lounge in the same area and build community at the same time. Lake City Park | Rendering by B&V team.

Across from the play area is a P-Patch community gardening plot where community gardeners grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers that can be shared with the rest of the community. Edible plants are also intermixed throughout the planting area for gleaning. These programs are at the heart of what this park is meant to accomplish – provide open space for this neighborhood to continue building community between diverse members.

We also focused on sustainability efforts that would help decrease maintenance needs and increase the park’s longevity. The porous pavement allows stormwater to infiltrate into the ground and not overwhelm the municipal stormwater system. Even though the park is lush thanks to varied and textured plantings, the plants are drought-tolerant to reduce municipal water demand. The park’s urban setting is surrounded by roadways and buildings, putting the space at risk of overheating on hot days due to the heat-island effect. Now, large street trees and landscaped areas combat the heat-island effect by providing plenty of shade and greenery.

With the help of collaborative design sessions and community partners, we were able to create a park that offered multi-generational appeal with a wide range of active and passive activities for generations to come, all infused with the hopes and desires of the communities living there.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Access to Edible Plants

A walking path loops through the park, connecting all of the park’s varied program spaces, bordered by established trees and edible plants for gleaning. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Access to Edible Plants

A walking path loops through the park, connecting all of the park’s varied program spaces, bordered by established trees and edible plants for gleaning. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Community-Centered Space

Surrounded by housing and community resources, Lake City Park adds to the neighborhood’s tapestry of community-centered spaces, providing opportunity for neighbors of all backgrounds to connect to each other and the outdoors. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Community-Centered Space

Surrounded by housing and community resources, Lake City Park adds to the neighborhood’s tapestry of community-centered spaces, providing opportunity for neighbors of all backgrounds to connect to each other and the outdoors. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Active Physical Play

The large net climber offers lower ropes for youngsters and higher levels for challenge seekers. A custom addition allows children to start at one end of the net climber and connect to the climbing wall without touching the ground. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Active Physical Play

The large net climber offers lower ropes for youngsters and higher levels for challenge seekers. A custom addition allows children to start at one end of the net climber and connect to the climbing wall without touching the ground. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Climbing Wall

An undulating lawn and climbing wall form some of the distinct play programs wished for by the community. Physical, sensory, and nature play experiences that invite challenge and discovery are encouraged throughout the park. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Climbing Wall

An undulating lawn and climbing wall form some of the distinct play programs wished for by the community. Physical, sensory, and nature play experiences that invite challenge and discovery are encouraged throughout the park. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Neighborhood Hub

With careful design planning, Lake City Park accommodates a diverse mix of community-requested programs, allowing the small site to serve as a neighborhood hub and community gathering space. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Neighborhood Hub

With careful design planning, Lake City Park accommodates a diverse mix of community-requested programs, allowing the small site to serve as a neighborhood hub and community gathering space. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum
Basketball Court

Just beyond the park’s main plaza, a half basketball court with a seating wall for spectators highlights the balance of both active and passive pursuits within the park’s boundaries. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Basketball Court

Just beyond the park’s main plaza, a half basketball court with a seating wall for spectators highlights the balance of both active and passive pursuits within the park’s boundaries. Lake City Park | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.

Lake City Park – Board & Vellum Site Design & Landscape Architecture
Site Diagram

Nestled in the urban heart of Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood, Lake City Park offers much needed open space for the community, easily accessed by pedestrians, bikes, and transit. Lake City Park | Diagram by B&V team.

Site Diagram

Nestled in the urban heart of Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood, Lake City Park offers much needed open space for the community, easily accessed by pedestrians, bikes, and transit. Lake City Park | Diagram by B&V team.

Notes & Credits
Learn about this project from Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Civil engineering by Sitewise Design.
Structural engineering by Swenson Say Faget.
Sculpture by Elizabeth R. Gahan.
Photography by Meghan Montgomery.

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