You Can Have a Gas at Gas Works Park
Gas Works Park is a 19+ acre city park located on Lake Union. It’s located at the north end of the lake, adjacent to the Wallingford neighborhood.
The park was originally called Myrtle Edwards Park, but was later renamed after the previous tenant on the property, a gas manufacturing company. In 1962, after the gas manufacturer went out of business, the city of Seattle purchased the property, cleaning it up and turning it into a park. It was opened to the public in 1975.
The urban park incorporates some remnants of the former gas plant. The boiler house was converted to a picnic shelter, and the former exhauster-compressor building was turned into a children’s play barn, with brightly painted machinery.
Gas Works Park, with its beautiful view of the city, has tables, fire grills, the children’s play barn, and a picnic shelter. There’s lots of open space suitable for tai chi in the morning, flying a kite in the afternoon (there is an artificial kite flying hill with a sundial at the top), and a concert in the evening.
Location: 2101 North Northlake Way, at the North end of Lake Union (map it)
Times: The park is open 4 am – 11:30 pm, year round
The Park was originally one end of the Burke-Gilman Trail (bike and foot trail), but it has since been extended.
Even if you can’t get to Seattle, you can see Gas Works Park on television. Film clips and documentaries from the 1990’s may show the park in political rallies or as part of the Peace Works Park vigil opposing the Gulf War. It was also featured on The Amazing Race, both as the starting line (Season 10) and the finish line (Season 3). On the big screen, you may have seen Gas Works Park in the movie Singles or 10 Things I Hate About You.
Gas Works Park is probably my favorite of Seattle’s urban parks. It has just the right about of space, features, and quirkiness to make it a great place to spend some time.
Photo credit: flickr
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Technorati Tags: b5media, The Seattle Traveler, travel, vacation, Seattle Traveler, Seattle, Washington, Washington State, Seattle tourism, travel information, city blogs, destination blogs, parks, Gas Works Park, Burke Gilman Trail
6 Comments
This is a unique and beautiful park. I will include this post in next week’s edition of the carnival of cities (I will be hosting).
It is a wonderful Seattle park, Grace. In the summer and fall it’s particularly lovely, but even in the rainy spring, you’ll see it full of people out flying a kite.
[...] Jo Manzanares presents You Can Have a Gas at Gas Works Park posted at The Seattle Traveler. Check out how the city of Seattle recycled a former gas plant [...]
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Gasworks Park has traditionally served as a haven for homeless people who frequent the nearby University District as well as a favorite spot for those who enjoy the night time reflection of downtown in the waters of the lake (often after having ingested mind-altering substances.
It’s a great spot but would be even greater with some new soil and additional trees. (There used to be signs warning visitors not to touch, breathe or eat the dirt, which is toxic.)
[...] Gas Works Park is an urban park located adjacent to the Wallingford area. It was once the site of a gas [...]