The local community has come together to create a wonderful space to nurture creativity, the love of being outside, and to provide a space for kids to release their emotions in a constructive way. The land that is being used by the community is owned by the parks dept. (aka taxpayers), and has been left untouched for roughly 10 years. Recently, a group of locals began talking with area residents and the park department about how great of a space the concrete slab would make for skateboarding, scooters, etc. The immediate area does not have any other open spaces like this for kids to get outside and enjoy themselves. With this petition, we hope to bring attention to the concerted effort of the community to turn this vacant lot into something useful until the Seattle Parks Department fully funds and plans the actual park remodel.

Have you seen personal benefits of this place? Do you know a kid that enjoys it? Do you think it's unreasonable to limit community use of an unmanaged parks lot? Do you think the parks department should be supportive of this project, and work with the community to make sure this place is kept safe, clean, and available to our youth?  

Will you stand with us? Will you put pen to paper to make change happen?

This lot has stood vacant for nearly a decade, and has not posed any health concerns to date. We understand that EVENTUALLY, remediation will be necessary so plants and grass will grow on the lot (aka be a park). Until the space is ready to be remediated, why would we waste this great RESOURCE? 

Benefits:

• Provides a safe place for kids to gather.
• Gives kids something to do to keep them busy (and off drugs).
• Teaches kids how to create/build/think through challenges.
• Fully community funded, so not costing the city a dime.
• Understood by ALL that this is TEMPORARY, and we are not trying to interfere with the future development in this space. (We are all anxiously awaiting this great improvement.

Cost to city:

• None
  • RCW states clearly that by standing on a skateboard that you assume the inherent risk associated with the sport (NO LIABILITY TO CITY OR PARKS DEPT.)
  • Fully funded by community, no Govt. expense associated.

The parks department has recently employed tactics that could seriously injure someone. They have put tar and paint mixed with rocks all around the area, leaving a very unsafe environment, while simultaneously continuing to pollute and damage the lot. We would like your support in asking them to leave this spot alone. To go manage the parks that they have, clean up the homeless camps that litter and destroy our parks, and to cease trespassing people from this location until they have a plan and full funding for the work. Are we asking too much?