On Saturday, community members and city officials will gather in a parking lot at 16th and Howell to celebrate the start of construction on a new Capitol Hill park.
Only one problem: Nobody knows what to call it.
According to Paula Hoff of Seattle Parks neither of the two upcoming Capitol Hill parks have official names yet. Her department will be putting out a call for names, Hoff said, probably on Monday.
But why wait for Monday. We like to keep CHS neighbors out in front of this kind of stuff. Let the community group think begin. Here are some of the ideas we kicked around last fall when the process started (and was supposed to end):
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Summit at John
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Howell at 16th A level turf area in the middle of the site, bordered by a collective garden to the north and a crushed rock plaza and allee to the south |
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Non-Person Candidates
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Non-Person Candidates
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We’ve attached the general rule set from the Parks Department for guidelines to follow. Here are a few highlights:
7.5.2. In naming a park or facility, the Committee will consider geographical location, historical or cultural significance, distinctive natural or geological features, and the wishes of the community in which it is located.
7.5.3. In naming community centers and other facilities, the committee will give considerable weight to the names that reflect the geographic location that gives identity to the community.
7.5.4. Parks and recreation facilities may be named for a person subject to the following conditions: the person must be deceased for a minimum of three years, and the person must have made a significant positive contribution to parks, recreation, or culture in the community without which the park/facility may not exist, or in which the individual’s contributions enhanced a program or facility in an extraordinary way.
The City will bear the cost of the plaque or monument indicating the name of the individual for whom the facility is named.
Neighborhood activist and CHS contributor Andrew Taylor also set us straight on one key aspect of park naming rules — the person doesn’t necessarily have to be dead to be honored:
Homer Harris Park (on 24th, near the YMCA) was named after a living person: Dr. Harris attended the naming ceremony a few years ago.
An anonymous donor gave a megabuck or so for the project. Dr. Harris (who died recently) was a revered local African-American athlete and doctor.
Nonetheless, the rule HAS been broken, so if you do want to campaign for a park named after a living, or recently dead, person, there is a precedent.
That opens things up for Purple Mark — who is very, very alive.
I’m totally down with Paradise Park for John and Summit. As for 16th and Howell, I know that there were some people last fall who wanted to name one of the new parks after Shannon Harps. As Andrew said, the rules have been broken before and Shannon Harps Park is a much nicer name than First Church or Group Health Park.
Most park names do not stick – like bridges, etc.
It is interesting that Cal Anderson is called Cal Anderson. People were/are fond of him, and it was cool to honor his memory.
What is with Paradise, why should it be that?
Shanon Harps was killed in brutal fashion. Her death was horrid – but – naming a park?
Desmond Tutu is a favorite of mine – and – deserves every honor.
Queen City park? Emerald City park?
More later.
I would think on this blog with all of the concern over everything being “local” that Desmond Tutu wouldn’t be appropriate.
We could also go with Obama because his mother lived on Capitol Hill. Maybe Desmond Tutu lived here and I just don’t know it.
I’m joking about naming a park after Obama. He needs to deliver first.
Attempting to accurately guess what the personality will develop into.
16th and Howell:
Parkcrest
Maidan Park
Flattop Park
Summit and John:
Summit Slope
Wayside Park
Rest Stop Park
(it’s a good halfway point to catch your breath when going up the hill)
…she lived a block away. I think naming the park for her would be a great way to remember her.
Care to include Mia Zapata? Another tragically murdered Seattleite:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_Zapata
I’d suggest: “Mia and Shannon’s Place”
It sounds friendlier and cozier than just “park”, and “Mia and Shannon’s Park” sounds awkward.
Seems the most obvious name to me is Shannon Harps Park.
I also think the park at 16th and howell should be named for shannon harps. to the person who said she was brutally murdered and that’s it….she also worked for the sierra club and loved the outdoors. i think that it would be a fitting and sweet way to remember a life cut too short. she was dedicated to the protection of the northwest environment and i would love to see her get this honor.
I think “Harp’s Square” would be a nice first name for this 16th/Howell park.
…though considering the artwork planned I wouldn’t be opposed to calling it “Seven Hills Square” or “Capitolinus Park”, or reaching back into Seattle’s History, “Second Hill Park”.
My snarky cynical side wants to name the john/summit park “The Nickelsville Slope”,
but really, it’s practically the ‘B&O’s front yard’, and Olive’s the strip known for years for gay bars and homeless kids – perhaps some tribute there, like “Mama Sara’s Crescent”; or a pun on bar culture and the nearby main street: “Little Pimento Park”
My much more serious side would want to name that little park after the conflict of WTO somehow. “Riot Park”? Could do double duty as WTO and Stonewall nods (not to mention Seattle’s 1886 riots).
( Try it out, see how it rolls off the tongue: ‘Hey, sweetie, meet you at the starbucks by “Riot park”.’ ok) I’m guessing the skaters would be behind such a name, no?
why in the hell do we need two more parks? aren’t we in a recession? the money could be spent more wisely on other things.
I agree, it would be great to name the park for Purple Mark.
Great idea!
I think naming a park after Purple Mark, a local icon, is a brilliant idea. What other person has brought more continuous color and brightness to Capitol Hill?
Purple Mark Park – Seattle has a reputation for being gray and cloudy, and sometimes Mark is the only ray of sunshine we get in these rainy climes :-)
Purple Mark has certainly brought a lot of light and joy to the citizens of Seattle, just as a public park named after him would also.
Well, it looks like I’m out of the running. Too bad because I am an active symbol for Capitol Hill recognizable locally and Internationally as one of the reasons Seattle is different from other places. Why not a Park named for a living person instead a place name that only vaguely represents the area?