Exciting Events at Volunteer Park

The latest happenings in Volunteer Park!

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The mission of Volunteer Park Trust, a volunteer-driven organization, is to restore, protect and preserve this city and national landmark for today and for generations to come.

Photo of Volunteer Park

Hi Friend of Volunteer Park —

There's a lot happening in Volunteer Park. Here is the latest news on the amphitheater, reservoir, upcoming events and our Fall Campaign.

As always, many thanks to our donors and volunteers!

Volunteer Park Trust

So Much Happening in Volunteer Park!

Volunteer Park is a treasured green space for those of us who live and work on Capitol Hill, as well as the thousands who visit each year.

As chair of Volunteer Park Trust, I am one of a group of volunteers who work to fulfill our mission: “To restore, protect and preserve this city and national landmark for today and generations to come.”

We are collaborating on initiatives to make the park more sustainable, starting with significant improvements to the aging irrigation system, and we continue to look for ways to improve efficiency in water use, lighting and energy.

Volunteer Park Trust currently is coordinating with SPR, SAAM, neighbors and other organizations to provide input on the proposed remodel and expansion of the museum.

Volunteer Park Trust could not do all we do without the many volunteers who help us meet our goals. We also depend on donors, both individuals and organizations, who support capital projects like the amphitheater, as well as landscape improvements and funding for operations.

Some have asked why we do so much when the park is owned and managed by the city. In reality, the city cannot provide the additional care and attention needed to make the park the best it can be.

That is why Volunteer Park Trust will continue to work with our partners on behalf of the park and the diverse community of park users who enjoy its many outstanding amenities.

For more information on Volunteer Park, the Trust, or how you can volunteer or donate, please check out our website: volunteerparktrust.org.

Hope to see you in the park!

Brian Giddens
Chair, Steering Committee

Save the Date:
Holiday in the Park

Our free Holiday in the Park will be December 8th this year. The Beaconettes and Total Experience Gospel Choir are among the groups who will perform live.

We'll also have cookies, cocoa, a kids' activity booth, and 600 luminarias lighting walkways in Volunteer Park. You won't want to miss this!

Haunted Halloween
at the
Volunteer Park Conservatory!
October 31
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Click here for
more info!

Amphitheater Concept Design Nearing Completion

Community Input Helps Shape Design
Amphitheater Concept Design

Volunteer Park Trust is proudly completing Phase II: Concept Design for the Volunteer Park Amphitheater. The design has evolved through extensive consultation with the public as well as civic and community groups.

The final design from ORA Architects and Walker Macy Landscape Architects features a permanent roof that welcomes people from both the front and back of the structure. Moveable walls will create a closed stage for performances and an open pavilion during non-performance use. All-gender public restrooms will be included, as well as storage and dressing room space.

The Amphitheater Project will now move into Phase III: Schematic Design. VPT is beginning to plan for a Capital Campaign with hopes to begin construction of the new amphitheater in the fall of 2018.

Fall Campaign

Please Donate to Volunteer Park Trust!

As a non-profit, the Trust relies on public
donations from generous friends and neighbors like you to fund our work. Please make a donation.

This year all donations will be matched up to $25,000 by the Volunteer Park Trust leadership. Your support will allow us to continue making the park a safer and more beautiful place for everyone.

You can donate online through our fiscal sponsor, Seattle Parks Foundation here.

Photo by Dazzling Places.com

Donate

Fall Restoration Day Completes Garden

Seattle Garden Club Bed Planted

Over 40 energetic volunteers gathered in Volunteer Park on a beautiful September Sunday to complete the Seattle Garden Club bed.

The annual Fall Restoration Day was the result of almost two years of planning. This project, funded by a grant from Seattle Garden Club, turned a neglected, shaded, and overgrown bed just below the south lily pond into a beautiful, formally designed and planted garden.

In the spring, the garden will bloom into the vibrant field of yellow envisioned in the Olmsted design. Thank you to our volunteers and donors who made this restoration possible.

Reservoir Update
More Time Needed to Analyze Seismic Studies

In 2013 Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) took the Volunteer Park reservoir out of service for a decommissioning test and seismic studies.

SPU now reports that more time is needed to review and analyze the study results, which are expected to be finalized in mid-2017. At that time, SPU will determine the future of the reservoir.

Any change in its use will involve many opportunities for public feedback. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more in the coming year.