Tag Archives: denny blaine

The Stranger: Text messages reveal mayor worked with wealthy neighbor in fight over nude beach at Denny Blaine Park

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Hundreds attended the city’s meeting on the playground proposal last year

The Stranger is reporting that text messages show Mayor Bruce Harrell championed the “philanthropic position” of multimillionaire mall developer and Denny Blaine resident Stuart Sloan as the mayor pushed officials last year to address nudity in the neighborhood’s park that has served as a gathering space for queer and naturist communities for decades.

“I have been made aware of the fact that the problem of nudity and hazardous waste has become totally totally unacceptable at the beach.” Harrell said in one text to Sloan reported by the Stranger. “If you are disgusted I share your disgust.”

CHS reported here last December as massive public outcry stopped a plan by Seattle Parks backed by an anonymous donor to add a $550,000 children’s play area to the northwest edge of the park  one of the only areas of public access to Lake Washington in one of the wealthiest areas of the city.

That donor was later revealed to be Sloan. The city has maintained Harrell’s relationship with the University Village mall developer had not influenced the decision to move forward with the original playground effort. Continue reading →

Seattle Parks backs off plan for nude zone but says Friends of Denny Blaine improvements coming

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(Image: Seattle Parks)

(Image: Seattle Parks)

Seattle Park says it will not move forward with a proposal shaping a new nude and neighbor-friendly policy for Denny Blaine Park that would have created two zones across the public space on the shores of Lake Washington. But its efforts to improve the popular sunbathing spot will continue with help from neighbors and the growing Friends of Denny Blaine community group.

“We appreciate all members of the community for providing feedback and heartfelt thoughts about Denny Blaine Park—our parks system is made better by the engagement and advocacy of residents and users,” Seattle Parks and Rec said in its announcement. “Through the community engagement process it became clear that the suggested guidelines were already covered under existing Parks Code.”

CHS reported here on the proposal that would have split the park across Zone A near the water where visitors are invited to enjoy the space with or without a swimsuit ,and Zone B around the park’s entrance where visitors are asked to wear clothing or, at least, a towel. The parks department said comment regarding the proposed “supplemental use guidelines” for Denny Blaine closed on June 6th and that feedback did not line up with codifying nudity in the beach park popular in nudist and queer communities. Continue reading →

Seattle City Hall shaping new nude and neighbor-friendly policy for Denny Blaine Park

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Hundreds of supporters won the right to “Keep Denny Blaine Nude” last year and push back on a misguided attempt by Seattle Parks to add a children’s play area at the popular clothing optional hangout on the shores of Lake Washington.

Now Seattle Parks is hoping to codify Denny Blaine nudity and shape a policy supported by the residents of the park’s affluent neighborhood and the thousands of visitors who make the park part of their Seattle summer rituals.

The department will hold a meeting Thursday night on its proposed policy updates for the park that would specify and protect the importance of being nude at Denny Blaine while also creating two zones within the green space with hopes of providing a better experience for neighbors living near the busy parks property.

It is already legal to be naked anywhere in Seattle. The city’s archaic lewd conduct law crumbled thanks to a 1980s couple who got busted skinny dipping at Madison Park Beach and successfully sued City Hall. Continue reading →

Heads up! Dark Brandon inbound for Seattle

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Expect snarled traffic on I-5, 405, 520, and I-90 Friday afternoon as President Joe Biden arrives in Seattle for a fundraising stop.

520, meanwhile, will be closed for construction.

If past visits are any indication, the motorcade might also be making a pass near Capitol Hill bringing temporary roadblocks and traffic diversions to the area.

Air Force One is expected to touch down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during the Federal Aviation Administration-issued flight restrictions between 5:15 to 6:30 PM Friday. Continue reading →

‘KEEP DENNY BLAINE NUDE’ — Hundreds fill Seattle Parks meeting to oppose play area backed by private donor — UPDATE: Plan nixed!

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Seattle Parks and Recreation says it is considering community feedback and expects to make a decision within weeks on a new kids play area at Denny Blaine after a public meeting on the project drew hundreds of supporters who want to protect the park’s place as an important gathering space for the naturist and queer communities along the shores of Lake Washington.

“We finally found a place where we can be free and open,” one speaker among the hundreds opposing the project said at Wednesday night’s meeting held at the Martin Luther King FAME Community Center. “Kids need a place to play but adults do, too.”

The voices from Wednesday’s meeting are being joined by leaders at Seattle City Hall.

“The consideration of Denny Blaine Park for a playground comes at a time when the queer community nationwide is under attacks on all fronts,” citywide councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said in a statement. “As we have heard in public comment, correspondence from community members, and in recent news coverage, Denny Blaine Park is a Seattle LGBTQIAP+ institution. I am concerned that consideration of funding from an anonymous donation to create a playground on this site plays into harmful stereotypes and creates division within our community where there was none—and could potentially put members of our LGBTQIAP+ community in harm’s way given regulations and norms around nudity in our state, which providing space for a nude beach is designed to help address.”

UPDATE 12/8/23: Seattle Parks has heard the message loud and clear. The play area project at Denny Blaine Park will “not move forward,” a representative tell CHS.

“After hearing from many community members who participated in the community process on the proposed play area project at Denny Blaine Park, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has decided not to move forward with the play area project at Denny Blaine,” the statement reads. “While this area of our city still lacks accessible play equipment for kids and families, we understand the feedback that this particular park is not the best location, and we will evaluate other location alternatives.”

The parks department tell CHS it is planning to meet “with leaders in the LGBTQIA+ community to better understand the importance of this beach to the community and the hopes for future uses.”

Many members of the public spoke to the importance of this space and use as a beach, and the cohesion it has brought within the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, community spoke of the unintended consequences adding a play area to this beach site would possibly bring. This is why we have a robust community engagement process, ensuring all people – including those who have been historically marginalized – have their voices heard and perspectives considered.

ORIGINAL REPORT: District 3 representative Kshama Sawant says her office has received hundreds of email opposing the project. Continue reading →

Seattle Parks to hold public meeting on Denny Blaine play area

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Seattle Parks and Recreation finally issued a press release this week announcing its planned public meeting this Wednesday night for citizens “to learn about and provide input for the Denny Blaine Park Play Area project.”

Last month, CHS broke the news on the meeting and the hush hush planning backed by an even more quiet private donor to squeeze a kid’s play area into the grassy public park popular with the many communities who have made the space a refuge for enjoying the multimillion-dollar shores of Lake Washington in the nude. Continue reading →

City of Seattle planning addition of ‘children’s play area’ to popular nude hangout Denny Blaine Park — UPDATE: ‘Private donation’

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Full disclosure: CHS has never been to Denny Blaine but if we had, we would have brought an umbrella (Image: CHS)

With an wet El Niño Seattle winter around the corner, you might be thinking of warmer days on the Capitol Hill Riviera and hot summer visits to Dykekiki Beach — also known as Denny Blaine Park.

A new, little talked about plan could change the popular park’s place in Seattle’s cultures and communities that fully celebrate the city’s most public spaces.

On the table at Seattle Parks is a plan that calls for the creation of a small children’s play area in the park “to address,” the parks department says, “the current gap for play areas in the neighborhood.”

The kids play feature could also mark an important change for the park’s longtime destination for enjoying Seattle lake vibes in the nude. Seattle Parks is holding a community meeting on the planned project in early December.

Park visitor Jesse Miranda tipped CHS to the plan. Continue reading →

911 | Denny Blaine Park knife attack reported, recycling bin fires set in Montlake

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See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out Twitter reports from @jseattle or tune into the CHS Scanner page.

  • Denny Blaine knife attack reported: A victim suffered non-life threatening injuries in a reported knife attack inside Denny Blaine Park Tuesday night. Police and Seattle Fire were called to the Madison Park-area scene just after 9:30 PM to a report that a male victim had been stabbed or cut in an attack by a stranger as a large group gathered in the park. Police searched the area but made no arrests. Police say there were some conflicting details in witness reports. The victim was transported to Harborview and was reported conscious and alert, per radio reports.
  • Montlake fires: A man suffering a possible mental crisis was arrested after a string of garbage and recycling bin fires were set across an area of Montlake Tuesday night. Seattle Fire responded to the set fires starting just before 11 PM and reported finding more set along E Lynn not far from the 520 construction site and the former Hop-in Market. There was no significant damage. Police searching the area took a suspect into custody shortly following the Seattle Fire response. He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of reckless burning.