Most Seattle Parks and Recreation workers will be getting an extra-long holiday weekend, albeit not entirely paid because of citywide furloughs throughout the year.
All of the department’s facilities will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day, however furlough days on Friday and Tuesday will result in additional closures, including that of the Northgate Community Center on Friday. The neighboring Northgate Library also will be closed Friday and Sunday as part of its regular schedule, as well as on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.
Also Friday, the parks department warns that the city’s parks will be further impacted because there will be no trash pick-up, nor will the bathrooms be cleaned and maintained that day. However, normal park maintenance will resume for the remainder of the weekend, although there will be limited staff on duty Monday to empty trash cans and clean restrooms.
“We’ve done everything we can to limit the impacts of the furlough on our patrons, customers and visitors; however, the public will experience parks with diminished maintenance on Friday, May 28,” said Christopher Williams, acting superintendent of the parks department. “If park patrons encounter overflowing trash cans, we encourage you to pack out your own trash. We are asking the community to help us keep our parks clean on the few days this year that we are not able to clean them ourselves.”
Other parks facilities and services that will be closed Friday include grounds maintenance; community centers (except child care and late-night programs, which will still operate); swimming pools; Environmental Learning Centers; Lifelong Recreation (except Food and Fitness programs, which will still operate); and the Business Service Center.
On Tuesday, parks facilities and services that will be closed include administrative offices (communications, correspondence, Park Board support, Web management, public outreach, human resources, finance and administration); the Planning and Development Division; and the Magnuson Park office.
