SeaSk8 gets the full Council treatment
(image courtesy of skateandannoy.com)
This morning, the entire City Council got fully immersed in the SeaSk8 replacement quagmire during it’s weekly council briefing. For the first time ever, literally all of the issues were raised and very few of the concerns raised by the Skatepark Advisory Committee were left off the table. Tough questions were asked, and it was clear that the Council was concerned about the shrinking of the skatepark, the length and expedience of the process thus far, and the general treatment of the skatepark relocation process as it relates to the Lot 2 sale to the Gates Foundation.
We will not know until the City Council votes next week, whether or not this heightened level of interest will amount to anything positive. We do know, however, that the controversy around the Dupen Fountain site really brought the issue to the forefront and got everyone fully engaged. Hmmm….is this how politics work?! Interesting…
The SPAC was repeatedly referenced as positive contributors to the process, and current SPAC Chair Ryan Barth was even asked to sit at the table to represent the skateboarders in the conversation. Today’s Council meeting really drove home how engaged and aware the entire City Council is regarding skatepark issues in this town.
I’m not sure if we should be happy about this new level of prestige, or if it’s more of a reflection on how broken things are. When our important city officials have to get this involved in skatepark site selection, one has to ask themselves why we let inaccurate negative stereotypes and in this case, business interests, demand so much of our precious public resources (including volunteer time) to build something so many people agree will be an asset to our city.
Watch the whole thing unfold on video here. (the fun starts @ 10min 30s)
Read on for the official SeattleSkateparks dot org recap!
Big moment #1 (26:55):
B.J. Bullert, producer of a documentary on Everett Dupen and general Seattle Artizen, provided some very welcome testimony that spoke to the potential for a high-profile skatepark in our city’s center, at any site, to be designed and created as art itself instead of being viewed as art’s antithesis. Skatepark advocates have been making this case for years now and it’s really nice to hear these concepts resonating across disciplines, in a City Council meeting no less.
Big moment #2 (28:05):
The meeting started off with a heart-felt appeal from the DuPen family members, to not re-locate the art work. But later in the discussion, in a marked display of solidarity with the skateboarders, they all expressed great support for skateparks but more importantly raised concerns about the “pitting” of skateboarders against art-lovers. It seems like skaters are constantly being framed as invaders on green space, neighborhood peace, and as general bringers of evil, so it’s really refreshing to hear someone outside of the skate community say genuinely nice things about skateboarders.
Big moment #3 (39:00):
Once Robert Nellams, executive director of the Seattle Center began his presentation, things got a little less upbeat. To his credit, this time he presented the most complete history of events leading up to today that I have heard from a non-skater. This is important because not only does it acknowledge the massive effort that’s been put forth by everyone involved, but it shows that he has taken the time to review and understand the context for the important decision he is currently being asked to make.
His presentation also took on an entirely new and welcome tone toward skateboarders and skateboarding in the Seattle Center:
“My commitment is to build the best damn skatepark we can” – Robert Nellams
Huge moment #4 (51:20):
The most notable moment came when City Council Member Peter Steinbrueck asked:
“I am puzzled as to why there was a two year process, that was undertaken with the Skatepark Advisory Committee (who are) knowledgeable and committed… that came up with a recommendation and three alternatives…and then almost summarily those recommendations were vetoed by what appears to be an arbitrary decision by the Century 21 stakeholders who happen to represent businesses and properties in the Seattle Center… Who gave them veto power over the advisory committee process?”
This key question goes beyond the skatepark and gets to the core of who is really directing the future of this important, and arguably the penultimate jewel of public space in the City of Seattle. Of course, we need to create a welcome environment for businesses to provide the services that make Seattle Center a fun place for everyone. But SeaSk8 may have become a canary in the coal mine for what could very well be an unfair bias toward private interests when it comes to deciding how we will use and re-design the Seattle Center of the future.
The Broad Street location, which is still the best site based on the selection criteria provided to everyone on the planet by the SPAC, will be opposed by green space advocates but it’s conceivable that concern can be mitigated by mandating that a 2-for-1 exchange for green space displaced by the skatepark be dictated by Council to the Century 21 Committee. Nellams cited the overwhelming feedback from citizens requesting “more green space” in the new “21st Century” Seattle Center.
However, a similar sentiment was also heard from business opponents to the Broad Street site: the EMP and the Space Needle, who claim that the skatepark will negatively affect the staging of their buildings and ultimately, their business. These concerns are not as easily mitigated on paper, as there is really no way to quantify these complaints using real data. The best way to disprove these notions is to simply build the skatepark and let time work it’s magic (see: Ballard).
Huger “so clear it’s transparent” moment #5 (55:45)
“After going through this process for over two plus years, as you see all the time, I don’t know if we’ll ever get to something that will be satisfactory for everyone” – Robert Nellams
Hugest “we have arrived” moment #6 (1:01:20)
Skateboarder and SPAC Chair Ryan Barth is asked to sit at the table and provide some context to the discussion, while proceeding to remind everyone that skateboarders have been above-board and professional about this for the entire time.
