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Minutes for June 23, 2015 Meeting

Friends of Green Lake Meeting, Tuesday 23 June 15, Hearthstone Boardroom

Convened at 7:00 PM

Attendees:
Richard FlemingGayle GarmanEllen HewittAri Gilmore*Kevin StoopsKaren SchurrGreg Rubstello*Brian DeLuca
*new attendee

Introductions – around the table for current and new attendees.

Initial comments by Richard, then on to first order of business:

Guest speaker Kevin Stoops, now retired from Seattle Parks Department and longtime friend of FOGL delivered an interesting and informative history on the progressive development of Green Lake and Woodland Parks. Topics/Highlights included:

  • Reference to Parks Historian Donald Sherwood. See links to parks topics and Sherwood bio
  • Guy Phinney’s Woodland Park estate circa 1889, which became the current park.
  • Seattle buys Woodland Park land for $100k in 1900.
  • Green Lake Olmsted Legacy plan, circa 1903. One can Google “olmsted legacy” and find much related information, e.g. seattle.gov/friendsofolmstedparks.
  • Dredging/filling/contouring grounds/building dikes began circa 1913.
  • Green Lake Field House, now the Community Center, build circa 1927. Evans Pool added 1955 by Ben and Lou Evans. Seattle’s first public pool.
  • West shore bathhouse built late 1920’s.
  • 1930’s WPA Green Lake Park work, seen and used today: bridges/bulkheads, etc.
  • 1936: Dredging and application of copper sulfate to repair water quality.
  • 1947: Pitch&Putt Golf Course added.
  • 1950: Original AquaTheater build in 75 days. Current Small Craft Center replaced demolished portion of theater.
  • North end Densmore Drain (concrete box at access beach near children’s wading pool) constructed in 1957.

Greg R noted significant concern about the general state of homeless persons camping in somewhat concealed areas of the park, particularly in heavily vegetated areas behind park fencing intended to keep foot traffic out of restored grounds. He noted the conditions of destruction of natural habitat, litter and worse, drug paraphernalia etc. Other attendees corroborated his observations with their own sightings.

Ari G noted his first attendance was to learn about FOGL’s activities about repairing and protecting the lake’s water quality for human activity. Richard F commented that the information was long in place to indicated that an alum treatment during 2014/2015 was needed and appropriate.

General discussion on closing:

Brian D commented that Clarke Gray, operator of the boat rental concession, has been purposefully running extended evening hours in anticipation of algae caused lake closure during what would have been late Summer operating time. Resultant loss of profit + loss of good employment for his young staff + loss of revenue to Seattle.

Thanks to new visitors Greg and Ari for their thoughtful, substantive and useful inputs.

Brian DeLuca, FOGL Recording Secretary