Category Overview
Local Parks grants help protect these symbols of vibrant communities, providing places for families to gather and play and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in an era when people spend increasing amounts of their time inside. The WWRP is the largest source of local parks funding in Washington, helping communities fund the acquisition, development, and renovation of vital recreation areas and green spaces.
Project Highlights
Seattle used this grant to acquire 23 acres, called the Capehart Housing area in Discovery Park. The acquisition is complete and we are now in the process of restoring the area to a natural setting. Discovery Park, Seattle’s largest park, was created in 1972 from a former army base. At that time, the federal government kept a number of developed parcels within the park and on its edge, and later sold this inholding to a developer for high-end housing. The thought of a large housing complex in the midst of a major park touched off public opposition and strong advocacy for the inholding to be publicly-owned. Per a contractual agreement, the developer removed all structures at no expense to the City. Seattle will remove roads and utilities.