The city has extended the closures of three city parks including Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills through the end of the year as it prepares to hear from neighbors and parks users about proposed changes including possible new permanent fencing to address concerns about encampments and crime.

With Wednesday night bringing a planned community meeting with city officials to discuss the possible changes to two Capitol Hill parks facing complaints over homelessness and drugs, Seattle Parks and Recreation has also launched surveys to gather feedback.

CHS reported here on the planned Wednesday night session “to discuss priorities and identify “community activation partners and new potential users” for Broadway Hill Park and Seven Hills Park which has been fenced-off since September. Broadway Hill Park remains open but has been a center of complaints and Seattle Police Department activity, officials say.

Seattle Parks says it hopes to gather feedback on how best to “support the community, activate the spaces through recreational and community activities, and enhance public safety” and said officials will “discuss future potential permanent fencing and useful park infrastructure” at Seven Hills and Broadway Hill. Other smaller area parks may also bring action including concerns at Boylston Ave’s Tashkent Park.

A second meeting to discuss similar issues at the Central District’s Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park will be held Thursday.

The meetings and survey process come amid uncertainty for Mayor Bruce Harrell’s effort to address “South Capitol Hill Parks Activation” at City Hall.

CHS reported in September on the surprise closure of Seven Hills after District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth reportedly met with neighbors and the city made an attempt to sweep the park of campers in August.

The city said the shutdown was needed “in order for Seattle Parks and Recreation to assess possible amenity changes and/or upgrades.”

Mayor-elect Katie Wilson has begun laying out her first priorities once she takes office in January including an emergency effort to address homelessness and street disorder. “We have an aggressive timeline in the first six months of next year, leading up to the FIFA World Cup to really tackle the homelessness crisis as it affects the downtown core and adjacent neighborhoods,” Wilson told CHS earlier this month.

It is unlikely a piecemeal approach including fences around three Capitol Hill parks will be part of it.

As for the “South Capitol Hill” label, that’s a City Hall term. Harrell’s public safety chief Natalie Walton-Anderson used it several times at Monday night’s Capitol Hill public safety community forum talking about the area around Cal Anderson.

You can find the parks department’s surveys for the three Capitol Hill parks here. Each survey has the same questions for each separate park.

South Capitol Hill Parks Activation Meeting
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025 from 5:30 to 7 PM at Garfield Community Center, 2323 E. Cherry St., we will collaborate on the future of South Capitol Hill Parks — Broadway Hill, Tashkent and Seven Hills Park. Seven Hills Park is currently closed and SPR will extend the closure until December 27, 2025.

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