NW corner 42nd Ave SW and SW Alaska St.
Seattle, WA USA
Summer 2010
Junction Plaza Park
After a dozen years of planning, Junction Plaza Park is finally open to the community. The park design provides a destination and pass-through park at the Junction, originally named for the junction of several street car lines connecting West Seattle with the rest of the City. The site is also at the crossroads of the traditional business district and the growing mixed use multi-family area to the east.
The design creates an open space geared toward encouraging casual daily use for relaxing, eating or people watching, that can also be used for Junction Association festivals like the West Seattle Festival and intermittent programs. When design re-commenced in summer 2008, the community requested the park feature incorporate spplicable sustainable strategies. The completed park includes a plaza with pervious brick paving, a circular lawn providing stormwater storage, and all native plantings, featuring a grove of dogwoods. The park, with intersecting circles of pavement and lawn, and a central 'stage' area buffered from the street by landscaping, can be intimate while being flexible enough to host small performances.
The park was realized with funds from 2002 Pro Parks Levy Opportunity Fund, and additional fund-raising efforts by Seattle Parks Foundation, Seattle Junction Association (WSJA) and the Junction Neighborhood Association (JuNO) and community volunteers.