Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), in partnership with the Kubota Garden Foundation, invites community members to participate in shaping the future of Kubota Garden by sharing feedback on the design of a proposed new Visitor Center. Join us for the open house on Saturday, October 18, from 11 AM to 1 PM, just inside the Kubota Garden entry gate, 9817 55th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98178
Community members are encouraged to attend the open house to learn more about the project and speak with the project team. Feedback can also be shared online through the survey at engageseattleparks.com/kubota-garden-visitor-center.
This planning project will explore the feasibility and schematic design of a proposed Kubota Garden Visitor Center. The 1990 Kubota Garden Master Plan and updated 2019 plan identified the need for a Visitor Center to provide services that would improve the visitor experience. With yearly increases in visitation and rising expectations from garden guests, the need for additional facilities has continued to grow. The new facilities are proposed to be located within a natural, historic, and culturally significant landscape, with its structures designed to be secondary to the Garden setting.
The proposed Visitor Center anticipated primary uses include a welcoming space with a reception and exhibit area, a small gift shop, a meeting room for programs and exhibitions, restrooms, outdoor courtyards and decks for informal gatherings, and an office space. Planning, programming, and early design efforts are underway, and this community meeting will give neighbors and visitors the chance to learn about progress and share their input on the design.
The current planning phase is supported by a $500,000 King County Parks Capital and Open Space Program grant and a King County Waterworks grant. SPR and the Kubota Garden Foundation are working together to secure additional funding sources.
For more information about the proposed Kubota Garden Visitor Center, please visit engageseattleparks.com/kubota-garden-visitor-center or contact Rachel Banner at Rachel.Banner@seattle.gov
