Gemenskap Park
About
While there are several Ballard parks that have Norwegian names, this is the first with a Swedish name. Gemenskap (pronounced Yuh-MEN-skawp) is the Swedish word for community. The park is so named because it was a community-initiated project, and because of the area's Swedish history and influence. Gemenskap Park provides open space for the Ballard neighborhood by converting a two-block gravel parking median into new park space, with green infrastructure and safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Acquisition Fund provided $24 million for the acquisition of neighborhood parks in up to 20 identified areas throughout the City. The Ballard Residential Urban Village was included in that list and the community prioritized this development project in lieu of acquiring additional property.
The park opened in the fall of 2018 and accomplishes the major goals that came out of the community planning process:
- Create a community park and greenspace
- Address environmental concerns by converting existing stormwater treatment from piped conveyance into on‐site biofiltration
- Improve safety in the corridor for all transit users