Don't change California Place Park

(Editor's note: This letter was sent originally Su J'n Chon, a program manager with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, and copied to this newspaper.)

Dear SuJ'n, 

It was nice to see you at the June 20 Celebration.  What I needed to know and cannot seem to understand is WHEN WHEN WHEN are you, the Department of Neighborhoods, going to listen to the LARGER part of this community and it's desire to maintain it OPEN SPACES? 

When is the Department of Neighborhoods going to get in tune with this neighborhood?  

FACT: Friends and neighbors of North Admiral do not represent the larger part of the North Admiral Community and are certainly not listening to the Admiral residents.  They represent themselves and their pure self interest and a small special interest group that will seemingly make some sort of profit by going against and angering the neighbors. 

How many petition signatures do you want? How many more hours standing on a corner representing the residents who live here do you want?

FACT: At the public meetings the people wanting to maintain our open space far outnumber the park change supporters. 

Now you want to go around the "process" go after the (city transportation department) to approve these "buffer plantings" that the larger part of the community already told you they do not want.  These plantings will take away the open feeling that North Admiral has always had and is trying to maintain.  They become a magnet for litter and an expense we do not need.  

Now a small group wants to fill up the "southern triangle" with a P- Patch after this community fought for almost an entire year to maintain this open space and again you are not listening to the larger part of the community who wants to maintain the OPENNESS of our neighborhood. 

The community uses the "southern triangle" now.  Ask those who use it to run and play ball and tag on, how they will like it filled up with plants.  Do these residents not matter?

One year ago when this nightmare started, I asked the project manager Kellee.Jones@Seattle.gov How do I oppose changes to this park and "southern triangle?"  She instructed me to get a petition and to get the community involved.  I did exactly that and  685 area residents signed a petition for "NO CHANGE"  and the community came out to the public meetings in fierce opposition to these proposed changes. 

I do not believe the opinion has changed as these were well informed neighbors.  So please, open your minds, listen the the larger part of this community that you also represent.  I may not have all our supporters e-mails and be well organized.  But if I get out on that corner with my sign asking for the community to help, they will. 

I do not want to go through this again.  We love North Admiral for the way it is.  That is why so many of us choose to live here.      

Jan Bailey
North Admiral