By Katie Melton
Until recently a park and ride lot, new Hubbard Homestead Park is having a grand opening on April 23 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The event kicks off with an egg hunt, hosted by the Northgate Community Center, and continues with family-friendly activities and music. The park, at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 112th Street, is just north of the Northgate Target store.
“It’s going to be a great event. We’re having a DJ there and a local musician, Rodney Dean, is going to play acoustic music,” said Karen O’Connor with Seattle Parks and Recreation.
The park features a basketball court and a future skate park. “The skate park will be built and completed by the end of the summer,” O’Connor said.
The park’s features emphasize the natural history of the site. The property used to be owned by the Hubbard family as a homestead from 1913 to 1968, and the city of Seattle is honoring them as environmental conservationists.
A natural spring once ran through the Hubbard’s homestead property. Artists Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan depicted the spring through a source stone.
“The other interesting thing is that the artists are going to be there. They’re going to talk about the artwork and the mythological message behind the art,” said O’Connor.
Hubbard Park also contributes to the well-being of the neighborhood’s own Thornton Creek. The “wet meadow” feature is located on the east side of the park.
“It’s a feature that helps with the filtration of water before it goes into Thornton Creek,” O’Connor said.
The decision to remove the park and ride and create a park was done in 1993 by the Northgate community after the Northgate Area Comprehensive Plan was complete. Another recommendation was made for the park in 2004.
So, how will Hubbard Homestead Park benefit Maple Leaf and Northgate neighbors?
“It’s a large, open green space, and a gathering place. The area was really in need of some open space,” said O’Connor.
Katie Melton is the intern for Maple Leaf Life. She is a journalism student at the University of Washington.
Of course I will have to take this park as a replacement for the utile P&R. I had no choice in the matter, so I love it!
Joking aside, what this has caused has been a number of people doing what I would have done; park on the side streets to get on the bus at the top of the line to beat the Northgate rush. I don’t blame them. Even though the 41 runs at 4 min intervals, it’s still packed.
I am so glad that my preference is not to join the south of northgate park & riders! I do get up early, but not to quick jump in a car and grab the last spot in the dwindling n-gate lot!
As a side note, I learned to drive in that lot many years ago. And yes, you can come onto my lawn.
What’s this egg hunt mentioned in the story? I hope it’s ostrich eggs, but more likely goose eggs.
Why would we be hunting for eggs this time of year anyway? Hmmm.
I suppose the high level intention was meant to be good, but the execution seems pretty poor. I am not sure where the skate park is going to be, but the park has way too much unusable dirt/bark space. Those areas are going to turn into mud bogs and were poorly planned.
I agree with waituhminute that this park is not the best use of space for this community. The reality is that these parks often turn into some councils pet project where usability is overshadowed by some grand notions of art and supposed environmental benefit. If you look at the long run, having a park and ride that promotes hundreds of people to use mass transit is far more beneficial to the environment than retrofitting a small park.
I agree with waituhminute. With light rail coming to NG, his was among the dumbest ideas for a part ever. Hidden behind tall buildings, and the plans for the area mean even taller buildings are coming, means SPD won;t easily be able to get eyes on the park during their motor patrols. This park has crime problem written all over it. The punks who used to be causing problems at the NGCC will gravitate to this place.
Sorry. LAME ! This was a perfectly good park-n-ride lot for hundreds of commuters. It’s not like this lot was EVER empty during the work week! And what a crappy sorry excuse for a park! Where’s the playground? One hoop!? Pathetic. Majortiy of this wasted space is dirt and future bushes to help “filter water for Thornton Creek”? WTF? And they force all of us to park-n-ride OVER Thornton Creek back at the old/new lot under the theatre et al. Wow, great job! We needed this waste of space like we need another mattress store on Northgate Way!
Kudos to the City for making an investment in our neighborhood.
Unfortunately, this park is not finished. It desperately needs a playground and more active ways for all the young families who live nearby to engage. (It is ironic that activities are being held for young families at the opening – but that those families likely won’t use the park after that day.) I hope that a group of neighbors will work to finish this park and make it a place that the whole community can enjoy.