City Will Review Pesticides as Part of Update to the Integrated Pest Management Program 

Seattle (August 23, 2019) – To help protect residents and City employees from toxic chemicals, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that she has signed Executive Order 2019-05 restricting the use of pesticides containing glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, by City departments.  

Effective immediately, City of Seattle departments who engage in pest management – including Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Center, Seattle Finance and Administrative Services, and the Seattle Department of Transportation – have been directed to avoid the use of glyphosate. In addition, an interdepartmental team will update the City’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan, including the list of approved pesticides, using a risk-reduction model. 

Glyphosate is considered a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization, but still approved for use by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Out of an abundance of caution, the City has joined cities like San Francisco and decided to highly restrict the usage of glyphosate and look for alternative solutions to controlling non-native and invasive weeds.  

“As a City, we are committed to developing better approaches to maintaining our public land without the use of dangerous pesticides. We will continue to lead the nation in reducing the use of toxic chemicals,” said Mayor Durkan. “The health and safety our neighbors and the City’s public servants comes first. We are immediately moving forward with a severely restricting the use of glyphosate to ensure that our public spaces are safe both for the community and for the public servants who maintain them.” 

This restriction on glyphosate builds on the City of Seattle’s work to significantly reduce its use of pesticides since the 1970s, including adopting a ban 10 years ago on the use of pesticides at over 250 playfields, picnic areas, community gardens, and play areas. In addition, Seattle currently has 22 pesticide-free parks. 

“Seattle has been a leader in reducing the use of pesticides and finding alternatives to managing public lands in a way that preserves our environment and protects the health of our community,” stated Megan Dunn, People and Communities Program Director at Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides. “We are glad to see this glyphosate restriction, which illustrates the thoughtful and precautionary approach Seattle is known for.” 

“Restricting glyphosate is the right thing to do,” said Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Superintendent Jesús Aguirre. “We continue to adapt our landscape management practices to the best available science, always seeking to support our vision of Healthy People, a Healthy Environment, and a Strong Community.” 

“We are proud to support this executive order, which prioritizes the health and safety of Seattle’s community members and our employees,” said Calvin W. Goings, Director of the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, which manages many of the City’s buildings and facilities. “We are committed to this effort to improve the City’s pesticide practices.” 

The IPM interdepartmental team will focus their efforts on identifying promising practices to control noxious weeds in spaces where glyphosate had been used for this purpose, such as forest restoration projects, hardscapes, and shrub beds. An updated Integrated Pest Management Plan, approved pesticide list, and public online portal will be completed by the end of 2019.   

For residents wishing to help maintain parks and open spaces through manual practices as part of Seattle’s Integrated Pest Management process, volunteer work parties are listed on the City’s calendar, available at http://www.seattle.gov/event-calendar.  

Learn more: Integrated Pest Management at Seattle Parks and Recreation

After the closure of other roller derby facilities in King County, Seattle Parks and Recreation heard from several roller derby teams and programs that were seeking space to hold games and practices.

After reviewing the various sizes of our gyms, gathering input from the roller derby community, we are proposing the painting of permanent roller derby lines at up to 17 sites across Seattle Parks & Recreation Community Centers over the next two years as floors are refinished on our typical cycle.  Furthermore, we are allowing the use of tape to continue at Magnuson Park Community Center until permanent lines can be painted on the gym floor after the remodel of the Community Center which is planned to commence in the later part of 2020. 

Thanks to all those who reached out to us, and for you patience as we figured out a way to make it work!

The following list contains major events taking place in parks across the city that will impact park use. Be safe, have fun, and plan your park visits accordingly.

October 18 deadline for submitting names

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the public to submit potential names for two new parks in the Wedgwood and Genesee-Schmitz neighborhoods. The deadline for submitting names to the Parks Naming Committee is Friday, October 18, 2019.

Wedgwood

To support the Wedgwood neighborhood with more open space, SPR purchased the .33-acre future park site at 8605 35^th Ave. NE in 2014. SPR and the design consultant, Studio 41 have worked closely with the community over the last year on the design. The design is a multi-use space that includes an open central lawn with curved seat walls, natural log and boulder nodes organized throughout the park and a concrete pedestal for a potential future art installation. The Wedgwood neighborhood has a strong sense of community with a history rooted in farming, gardening, bird watching, art and the natural landscape. Mature, heritage trees and natural rock outcroppings have long been signature elements attracting people to the nature of the area. The neighborhood was developed by Edith and Albert Balch in the 1940’s. Its namesake was given by Edith to commemorate her favorite brand of China. The project will be constructed in summer 2020 we anticipate completion by the end of 2020. To learn more about the project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/wedgwood-landbanked-site-park-development.

48^th & Charlestown

SPR purchased .33 acres at 4801 SW Charlestown St. in 2014 for the future development of a park. The corner property had been a small community garden and prior to that a neighborhood grocery store. It has a history as a community gathering space. Osborn Consulting and SPR worked with the community on the design for the new park, which will provide a “neighborhood green” for the people of all ages to meet, eat, play, and celebrate. The design includes an oval lawn surrounded by a loop path with arching seat walls, imaginative and active play for young children, picnic areas, and a small stage. Native and drought-tolerant plants will express the natural history of this area, and trees will frame the park and provide shade. The new park will be completed in 2021. More information on the project can be found. At http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/48th-and-charlestown-landbanked-site-park-development.

About the Parks Naming Committee and how to submit suggestions

The Parks Naming Committee is comprised of one representative designated by the Board of Park Commissioners; one by the Chair of the City Council Civic Development, Public Assets and Native Communities Committee; and one by the Parks Superintendent. Criteria the committee considers in naming parks include: geographical location, historical or cultural significance, and natural or geological features. The Park Naming Policy, clarifying the criteria applied when naming a park, can be found at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/Publications/namingPolicy.htm.

The Parks Naming Committee will consider all suggestions and make a recommendation to Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre, who will make the final decision.

Please submit suggestions for park names in writing by Friday, October 18, 2019 and include an explanation of how your suggestion matches the naming criteria. Send to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Parks Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109, or by e-mail to paula.hoff@seattle.gov.

Come join the Citywide Youth Athletics family and support young sports enthusiasts while having fun! We are currently looking for volunteer coaches and paid referees for our upcoming Fall season. Pay for referees is $17-20 per hour, based on experience.

Practices begin in mid August; games start in mid September.

For flag football, games will be held at the Meadowbrook Playfield behind the Meadowbrook Community Center but one or two other locations may host the flag football games throughout the season.

For girls volleyball, games will be held during weekday evenings at various community centers throughout Seattle.

If you are interested in coaching or being a ref for either flag football or girls volleyball, please contact Billy.Nong@Seattle.gov.

Big Day of Play can’t happen with YOU! We are looking for volunteers on Saturday, August 17 between 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Rainier Community Center for:

-Event Set-up and Take-Down
-Monitoring field and water activities
-Passing out water
-Photography/videography
-Greeting and surveying guests
… AND MORE!

Register for a 2 or 4-hour shift and spend the rest of your day at play!

Sign up today at: Tinyurl.com/BDOPVolunteer

For more information, contact us at: volunteer@bigdayofplay.com or call 206-733-9703.

Sign up for the popular nighttime walks, bird tours, mushroom walks and so much more!

Registration available online here.

All events are free, fun, and family-friendly. Go to www.VisitBallard.com/SummerinPark for a complete listing

New in the park:

The “Park Your Thoughts” interactive public art installation returns to the park during July and August. A black monolith with words velcroed all over it will allow for all to express themselves with street poetry. Located near the fountain. Artist: Blanca Santander; www.blancasantander.com

Friday, August 9:

• Park in the Heart Kids Art Booth 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.. Drop by and make fun creative projects with local artist Blanca Santander.
• Busker in the park: musician from noon – 2 p.m.

Saturday, August 10:

• Fitness in the Park 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Join local gym www.TheSixSeattle.com. All ability levels welcome. Bring a yoga mat if you can, and water.
• Yoga for Every Body 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Join Ballard Health Club for weekly yoga in the park. Bring a yoga mat if you can, and water.
• Busker in the park: musician from noon – 2 p.m.

Sunday, August 11:

• Busker in the park: musician from noon – 2 p.m.

Monday, August 12:

• Start of daily Park Concierge staffing from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., and of daily buskers (street musicians) from noon – 2 p.m.

Tuesday, August 13:

• Concerts at the Commons 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Come bounce to the dynamic rhythms of Gansango Music and Dance as they bring to the park traditional and contemporary dance and music from West Africa. www.gansango.com. Some seating provided. Bring your own lawn chair if you can.

Thursday, August 15:

• Movies in the Park: Ghostbusters (original version). Join in with the Ballard Alliance and Auntie’s Family Kitchen food truck (serving Asian fusion meals) for the third of this 5-week movie series. Bring your own blanket or lawn chair to sit on. www.roaminghunger.com/aunties-family-kitchen.

www.VisitBallard.com/SummerinPark

Seattle Parks and Recreation announces Camp Long’s Mountain Fest on September 7th, 2019 with wall climbing, mountaineering, presentations and more.

Seattle Parks and Recreation opens historic Camp Long for its free, family-friendly Mountain Festival on September 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.—where anyone, from novices to hard-core enthusiasts, can get their hands on the rocks and feet off the ground. 

Visitors to the Camp Long Mountain Fest will find an exhilarating mix of climbing, conviviality, and challenge. They can test themselves on the high ropes course*, and swap stories afterwards, or simply enjoy some downtime and spirited conversation with kindred climbers around the fire pit eating hot dogs and s’mores (vegetarian options available.)

Vertical World, a local climbing gym, will run a climbing wall where individuals can scale the same rock that Clark Schurman and Fred Beckey, living legends among Northwest mountaineers, used to practice on*. Schurman Rock was constructed between 1938 and 1939 by the Works Progress Administration, and is believed to be the first human-made climbing structure in the U.S.. Mountain Madness, a climbing guide and mountaineering company, will run a rappel station down the camp’s “Glacier Wall.”

Visitors can also listen to presentations from Mountaineers Books authors including Jeff Smoot, Linnea Westerlind and Susan Elderkin. Camp Long cabins will host local artists including photographer Holli Margell and Molly Hashimoto. Multiple community organizations will be on site to discuss nature-focused issues from noxious weeds to bird identification.

*Space for climbing and ropes course is limited so early arrival to the festival and sign-up is encouraged. Waivers are required for all climbing activities and will be available at the lodge. 

All events are free and take place at Camp Long (5200 35th. Ave. Sw.) Located in West Seattle, this 68-acre park offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy nature, hike in the forest, camp overnight in rustic cabins, rock climb, and learn about natural history. A talented staff of naturalists and ropes course staff lead ongoing group environmental education and rock climbing classes. Programs at Camp Long are designed to be fun, educational, and interactive experiences for all ages. 

For more information about the Camp Long Mountain Fest, please call 206-423-3460 or visit seattle.gov/parks/environment/rock.htm. Camp Long Mountain Fest is sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Associated Recreation Council. Partners include O2 Outdoor Opportunities Program, Girl Scouts of Washington, Mountain Madness, Moutaineers Books, WA Alpine Club, Vertical World, and King County Noxious Weed Program.