Jackson Park Trail

A small group of interested neighbors met with Eric Friedli and Andy Soden of Seattle Parks Department yesterday to discuss the prospect of a walking/biking trail around Jackson Park Golf Course. It was our first meeting and it went well.

There is solid interest on the part of Seattle Parks Department Superintendent Tim Gallagher to have trails at all of the public golf courses. Unfortunately, there is not currently funding for the project. We are thinking about possible funding sources and will submit a proposal (working draft below) to the Green Legacy Levy group.

Please consider coming to the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Public Meetings to support this an other green space projects that would be made possible throught the renewal of the parks levy. The closest meeting to us will be: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 – 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Northgate Community Center (10510 5th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98125).

As always, if you would like to get involved or if you have questions or comments, e-mail or call (206-366-9472) me.

Jackson Park Trail – DRAFT
Project Description
Jackson Park is virtually the only major open space in the far north end of the city, and it is almost entirely dedicated to a single purpose – golf. The value of the park could be magnified significantly by developing a trail around the perimeter of the golf course. Any development of a trail would, of course, need to be done in an ecologically sensitive and accessible way.

We understand that there are recent local examples of this where a permeable surface is used for the walkway. We ask for $1 million to be allocated to Jackson Park Trail Phase One. This would fund project design, funding planning and some trail construction.

Community Benefits
It is an attractive project for a number of reasons: nearby neighborhoods (single family, multifamily, senior housing and public housing) do not have sidewalks and a trail would give residents a safe place for walking and biking; the site abuts Shoreline at 145th Street and could be used by both Shoreline and Seattle residents; Jackson Park is a large and ecologically rich part of our greater neighborhood and is virtually not used by residents; and, many neighbors currently drive to Greenlake and Magnuson for safe places to walk and bike, this would eliminate those car trips.

Background and Outreach So Far
The idea comes from the Bands of Green report which was recently reenergized by the Seattle Parks Foundation. North District neighborhoods discussed the project after a presentation by Woody Wheeler of Seattle Parks Foundation in October 2007. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels walked the perimeter of the park in November 2007 with Ed Pottharst (then North District Coordinator for the Department of Neighborhoods) while on a Jackson Park neighborhood tour. Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin is very interested in the idea of a trail at Jackson Park. New Seattle Parks Department Superintendent Tim Gallagher has expressed support for the concept of walking trails at all Seattle public golf courses. Andy Soden, Director of Golf Courses at Seattle Parks Department, has vetted the concept of walking trails at the public golf courses with citizen advisory boards for the golf courses. Jackson Park, Olympic Hills, Pinehurst and Shoreline neighbors are very interested in the prospect of a safe, close and healthy walking and biking trail. We are in the process of reaching out to other groups who may also be interested in this project.