Controversial New Plan for Arboretum Moves Forward

By David Gould

Paul Gibson of the Arboretum Park Preservation Coalition.

According to proponents of the revised 30-year Master Plan completed in 1999 for the Arboretum and Botanical Garden Committee (ABGC), infrastructure, education and plant collection improvements must occur if the Arboretum is to become a world-class horticultural center.

By midsummer, the Parks Department will make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on each construction proposal, choosing one of the three alternatives within the DEIS: the ABGC Master Plan, alternatives to master plan proposals, and no action.

Currently, the city of Seattle owns the land and buildings in the 61 year old Arboretum while the University of Washington owns and maintains the plant collections.

The private, nonprofit Arboretum Foundation conducts fundraising and volunteer support for the Arboretum, and three of its members sit on the ABGC board along with three representatives from the University, the City, and one gubernatorial appointee.

Critics of the new master plan, including the Arboretum Park Preservation Coalition, fear that the University of Washington and the ABGC want to assume management of the Arboretum from the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Many see such a management change leading to eventual privatization of the Arboretum a la the Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo.

Hints of such a takeover were first seen in the 1998 ABGC generated Portico plan and a companion document proposing Unified Governance of the Arboretum. These ambitious plans suggested fencing off the park, charging admission fees, and turning city management of the park over to an ABGC constructed private "Foundation."

Public opposition, led by the Coalition, prompted the ABGC to revise the Portico plan, eliminating fences and fees.

But substantial "hardscaping," and construction of additional "amenities" remain. These include a proposed expansion of the Graham Visitors Center, a new south end visitor's center, more trails, classrooms, security improvements, and expanded parking areas.

Paul Gibson, a 31-year Montlake resident and Coalition member, feels that the park could do without most of those changes.

"There is an amazing insensitivity to the idea of people coming here to get away from man and his works."

Gibson says he is concerned that the balance between park and arboretum is shifting. He wonders what will become of the regular users who walk, run, sled and play among the trees.

He notes the irony of cutting down trees in the arboretum for classrooms that will be utilized to teach visitors about the environment.

He asks where $39 million of the $44 million dollar plan will come from since the source is ambiguously listed in the financial analysis as "other."

Gibson asserts that the alternatives included in the DEIS are the only tools park preservationists can use to maintain a balance of uses.

John Wott, director of the Washington Park Arboretum, may not agree with Gibson on a lot of things, but he does see the validity of the DEIS.

"From what we learned I think it (the DEIS) is a good interpretation" of what changes need to be made.

Wott decries the acrimony over the original Portico Plan, saying that private management, admission fees and fencing are "not legitimate issues at this time."

He says adoption of the master plan is necessary to improve and expand the plant collections, create better educational opportunities for adults and children, and make the Arboretum more attractive to tourists.

Wott insists that concerns about financing are overblown since the ABGC preferred alternative is a 30 year plan, which will spread construction and redevelopment costs over an extended period of time.

Ken Bounds, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, is currently reviewing the DEIS and feels it will lead to improvements in the Arboretum, especially for the collections.

He emphasizes the need of increased care for the endangered plant collections, and infrastructure changes to accommodate increasing numbers of visitors.

Bounds agrees with Gibson, however, that turning management of the Arboretum over to a third party would be a mistake.

"I will be a partner to the ABGC but that is different from turning over responsibility for the park to them."

And while Bounds admits fencing the park and charging admission is inappropriate for the Arboretum, he adds that bringing up the Portico plan is a "red herring that people throw out to oppose the plan."

He admits that people are wary of the balancing act between horticultural and park users, but asserts that he doesn't see the ABGC master plan significantly changing the face of the park.

Bounds isn't afraid of looking outside the Arboretum though.

He says that the Museum of Science and Industry in McCurdy Park may make space for the Arboretum's library collection and offices. That could decrease some of the building outlined in the ABGC master plan.

Bounds explains that once he has made recommendations to the Mayor concerning the DEIS and presented them to the City Council, approval is expected by Fall 2000.

And while Gibson would prefer the No Action alternatives within the DEIS, he agrees that small improvements to the plant collection may be justified. He just doesn't think clearing trees to pour concrete is the right choice.

He asks what will happen to the normal park user if the Arboretum is turned into a plant museum.

"My daughter," lamented Gibson, "learned to do cartwheels here."

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Washington Park Arboretum is a 230-acre city park south of SR 520, sandwiched between the Montlake, Broadmoor and Madison Valley neighborhoods. The University of Washington Arboretum, a Japanese Garden, Foster and Marsh Island wetlands and Madison Playfield are located within the city park.

The park and arboretum were designed by the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, a firm founded by the father of modern landscape architecture Frederick Law Olmsted.

The DEIS includes two options to the ABGC Preferred Alternative--the Master Plan. The Preferred Alternative includes the most substantial construction and cost, the Alternate and No Action alternatives involve little or no changes to the Arboretum. The Alternate plan recommends locating administrative facilities outside the park.

A public hearing on the DEIS is June 15, 6-9 p.m., at the Mountaineers Club, 300 Third Avenue West in the Tahoma Room. Written comments on the DEIS will be accepted through June 26. Send your comments to Peter Marshall, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, 800 Maynard Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134 or peter.marshall@ci.seattle.wa.us

FOR MORE INFO

A copy of the DEIS is available at the downtown library and at branch libraries. You'll also find the DEIS online at www.cityof seattle.net/parks--look under "What's New."

More information about the Arboretum master plan can be found at the Arboretum Park Preservation Coalition web site at www.scn.org/arboretum.

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