Duwamish Waterway Park Activation

March 2024

On December 13, 2022, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) opened the park. SPR removed fencing around most of the park after consulting with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), hiring a consultant firm to do additional testing, and listening to the community. Fencing will remain around portions of the park due to concerns about higher levels of contaminants controlled by the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). 

SPR entered the Ecology Voluntary Clean-up Program after the purchase of the park site from King County in 2019. SPR removed soil and covered areas of concern with clean soil, grass, and/or concrete. These actions were reported to Ecology through the Voluntary Cleanup Program. 

Ecology elected to move the park into the MTCA’s formal cleanup process in June 2021 during the park renovation. As part of the formal process, an Agreed Order between SPR and Ecology was signed in November 2023 to address the remaining environmental work and areas of concern at the park. The City of Seattle has started the initial work required under the Agreed Order bu submitting the Draft Remediation Investigation Work Plan.

Working with SPR and the Seattle Parks Foundation, the Friends of Duwamish Waterway Park raised over $1 million for park improvements and launched the renovation effort at this park. The community-led and funded park project is carefully designed to maximize open space for recreation and festivals and to preserve river access for launching hand-carried boats. SPR renovated the park, which now offers a new play area that opened in August 2022, as well as an accessible perimeter pathway with a series of interpretive artwork boulders, new park furnishings with accessible picnic tables, barbecues, and a drinking fountain and foot wash area. 

When visiting the park, visitors should avoid exposed dirt and wash hands and toys with soap. After park visits, you should remove your shoes at the door before going inside and wipe off dirt from your pet’s paws. More healthy actions here: https://ecology.wa.gov/Spills-Cleanup/Contamination-cleanup/Dirt-Alert-program/Healthy-actions.

For more information about potential contaminants please visit: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/cleanupsearch/site/15139

For more information on the status of the site cleanup under the Voluntary Cleanup Program, see Ecology's webpage (Site Information (wa.gov)).

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Duwamish Waterway Park Improvements Plan Rendering