Tag Archives: seven hills park

City hears feedback on ‘activation’ for Capitol Hill’s problem parks — and reopening Seven Hills

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Dialogue circles and sticky notes about Seven Hills Park at Wednesday’s meeting (Image: CHS)

Questions from the parks department survey

Seattle Parks officials say they hope to hand off a report to the mayor’s office by the first week of December on plans to reopen Seven Hills Park and bring changes and activities to parks across Capitol Hill to address complaints about homeless encampments and crime.

Wednesday’s meeting to gather feedback about possible activation efforts and safety changes to the parks drew a strong turnout to the Garfield Community Center as officials organized the crowd into three circles — one for Seven Hills, one for Broadway Hill Park, and the smallest circle for the tiny but still loved Tashkent Park along Boylston Ave. The process reached an acceptable volume level when the large Seven Hills group was moved to the adjacent “teen room.”

There were consistent themes from those who raised their hands to speak in the circles including stories from a parent afraid to take their child to the park following encampment violence and witnessing an overdose and assisting in a resuscitation, and a general feeling that safety and maintenance work decayed during the pandemic and never recovered.

Ideas included increased maintenance, forming volunteer and “friends of” groups, and, one attendee suggested, “replacing all the dirt” in Seven Hills after years of camping and drug use.

“I think our park is representative of the city,” one neighbor said about Seven Hills.

Most speakers agreed on one thing above all else — please, no permanent fences. Continue reading →

‘Things are getting worse out there not better’ — In re-election tussle, Nelson touts progress at a Capitol Hill park

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As another Capitol Hill green space remains fenced-off by the city due to “bouts of negative park activity,” City Council president Sara Nelson is taking credit for the approach she says saved Capitol Hill’s Miller Park in her campaign to retain her seat at Seattle City Hall.

In a story reported by the KING 5 television station, Nelson credits her approach to addressing addiction treatment and homelessness leading to the clean-up the park and community center next to the Meany Middle School along Capitol Hill’s 19th Ave E.

“This is a microcosm of what you would see across the city is actually the restoration of our parks and playfields for their intended use,” Nelson says in the interview. “We did make progress and we have to keep going.”

CHS reported here in 2021 as encampments were cleared from Miller Park following months of complaints as pandemic restrictions on clearances slowed the process.

Nelson took office in 2022 but tells KING 5 Miller Park is representative of her efforts at City Hall. Continue reading →

‘Bouts of negative park activity’ — City fences off Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills Park, planning changes in three more over encampment concerns

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(Image: CHS)

Some neighbors and the area’s Seattle City Council member knew it was coming but nobody else was prepared for a Capitol Hill park to suddenly be fenced off over the Labor Day weekend for a 60-day “rest.”

“We recognize that this park has been impacted by bouts of negative park activity and we will continue to work to ensure that all parks are clean, safe, and welcoming,” a Seattle Parks spokesperson tells CHS about the two-month closure of Seven Hills Park at 16th and Howell.

Seattle Parks says the closure is part of a broader discussion involving the future of Seven Hills and three other area parks. Continue reading →

Seattle Fire quickly takes care of reported dryer fire at 16th and Howell

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Seattle Fire provided a full response to a reported dryer fire that filled the Community House housing facility at 16th and Howell with smoke Wednesday morning.

SFD was called to 16th and Howell across from Seven Hills Park around 10:20 AM to the reported fire. Continue reading →

Latest city neighborhood grants: Polish Home HVAC upgrade, new fence for Howell Street P-Patch

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Capitol Hill community center the Polish Home and a neighborhood p-patch have been selected for $75,000 in support from the city’s Neighborhood Matching Fund.

The grants are part of $818,698 supporting 21 different community-initiated projects in neighborhoods across the city part of the latest matching fund awards.

The Polish Cultural Center was awarded $48,875 to upgrade 18th Ave’s Dom Polski with a new HVAC system “to enable the community to continue to use this special space for Polish cultural events and community gatherings like National Night Out, Neighborhood Block Parties, and other programs.” Continue reading →

Where the people from the Seven Hills Park sweep went

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The City of Seattle says most of the eight people still living in tents at the park found space at a temporary shelter facility. Some remain living outside. The Seven Hills Park encampment has been cleared.

Thursday morning, nine or ten city workers entered the 16th and Howell park to begin dismantling tents and collect discarded items left behind from the sweep. Volunteers were on hand to help some of the people move their belongings. One person in a tent was having a difficult time waking up and a community volunteer stopped in with her to help.

CHS reported here on plans for the sweep of the encampment that formed after months of complaints from nearby housed neighbors as a flashpoint in Mayor Bruce Harrell’s efforts to step up clearance and shelter outreach work in the city.

The city’s HOPE Team that leads outreach efforts has hundreds of “set-aside” shelter resources “that can be prioritized for individuals residing in priority encampments that may be subject to a removal,” a city official told CHS on the day of the sweep. These set-aside beds represent about 30% of the city funded shelter system. Continue reading →

Suddenly a flashpoint in mayor’s new response to Seattle homelessness, Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills Park to be cleared of encampment Thursday — UPDATE

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Groups of residents and protesters awaited a Friday night tour of Seven Hills planned with city officials. Public safety director Andrew Myerberg met privately with a smaller group, instead.

The notices went up Tuesday at the park. Thanks to a neighbor for the picture.

The city has posted notice that Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills Park will be cleared of tents and belongings Thursday as Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office says it is responding to concerns following months of complaints from neighbors about tents and disorder in the 16th Ave at E Howell park.

Officials say they requested “that outreach efforts at Seven Hills Park intensify” in advance of the Thursday sweep.

“At the beginning of this week, city staff observed 12 tents, and outreach has identified eight individuals residing at this location long-term,” a Seattle Parks spokesperson said.

Officials say the effort had resulted in two referrals to “24/7 enhanced shelter” — “outreach is ongoing and those remaining onsite will all receive offers of shelter prior to an encampment removal,” the spokesperson said.

UPDATE 2/17/2022 9:30 AM: The clearance is underway:

The sweep follows months of complaints from residents in nearby buildings about camping in the park that began at the height of the pandemic with the number of tents ebbing and flowing along with clearances at other nearby parks spaces including Cal Anderson, Williams Place, and Miller Playfield. Continue reading →

Police, Seattle Fire respond for 15th/Denny stabbing — UPDATE: Arrest

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A person was reported stabbed near the encampment area at Seven Hills Park and was being treated by Seattle Fire outside the nearby 7-11 in an incident Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill.

Seattle Fire was called to the 7-11 store at 15th and Denny just before 1:45 PM.

Seattle Police were investigating a report the stabbing had took place at the nearby park, according to East Precinct radio updates. Continue reading →

Police search for vehicles after gunfire and path of Capitol Hill traffic circle and mailbox destruction

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Police investigated reports of gunfire and two cars racing through the streets of Capitol Hill Thursday night.

There were no reported injuries but a traffic circle near 16th and Harrison was wiped out, according to a CHS reader who witnessed the chase:

we just saw the craziest thing: two cars racing at high speed here in 16th and Harrison, one of the cars couldn’t stop and drove/jumped right throw the roundabout between the trees! We are still in shock, and this was like 20 minutes ago.

Continue reading →