Construction is Underway at Delridge Wetland Park
Longtime DNDA staff member and board member Willard Brown shares the purpose and history of the Delridge Wetland Park project
We were thrilled to welcome DNDA partners and donors to the Delridge Wetland Park on Sunday, July 16 to celebrate the kickoff of construction after years of planning and preparation.
Delridge Wetland Park, located on 23rd Ave SW and SW Findlay St, is a project spearheaded by DNDA to protect, restore, preserve and expand the existing wetland to improve water quality in Longfellow Creek, while developing the space as a public park for all to enjoy. Beside wetland restoration, other plans for the park include an outdoor classroom for local students and the community to learn hands-on environmental science and wetland stewardship.
DNDA Environmental Programs Director Caroline Borsenik leads a walking tour of the wetland
Attendees mingled and met, enjoying food from local caterer Em’s Table. Sondra Segundo, a Haida singer and storyteller, opened the space beautifully with a song honoring the land and water, and inviting everyone to do the same. We learned project history from Willard Brown, former DNDA staff member and board member, who was the main instigator for this project at its inception years ago. We heard from Caroline Borsenik, DNDA’s Environmental Programs Director, about recent progress and plans to build out the rest of the park, and DNDA co-Executive Director David Bestock shared an update about fundraising for the project, and plans to rally community support this fall. Sondra Segundo closed out the program with another song and DNDA’s Nature team led a tour through the site, highlighting construction plans and the more than 2,500 native plants that have already been installed at the park.
This project has remained in deep partnership with the Boren K-8 STEM School a block away, including 3rd, 4th and 5th graders helping design the park and weaving in hands-on wetland science with their school curriculum. Big thanks to Jules Hepp, who joined DNDA as Environmental Education Coordinator last fall, for leading education at the Wetland this year with our partners.
We were thrilled to have many longtime partners there, including Duwamish Alive!, Outdoor Classrooms Design, Seattle Public Utilities, and more. Our ever-supportive city councilmember Teresa Mosqueda even showed up with her daughter!
In the days following the kickoff ceremony, big changes have been underway at the park, including earthmoving along the park perimeter and removal of the last remnants of the old Seattle City Light substation. Stop by the site to see it yourself, and check back here for more updates!