Westlake Park Grand Reopening
By Yordanos Tesfazion
Nearly 40 years ago in 1988, Downtown Seattle’s Westlake Park first opened to the public. The cultural landmark and beloved gathering space holds decades of memories from a myriad of events ranging from seasonal community celebrations, concerts, and public protests and demonstrations.
Situated at the heart of downtown, the park’s central location draws consistently high foot traffic that’s surrounded by busy streets, across the street from Westlake Mall and the light rail station.
Over the last 40 years, Seattle has grown and changed around Westlake Park. The amenities and infrastructure in the park needed to be updated to better serve the community. In July 2024, Seattle Parks Foundation partnered with Seattle Parks and Recreation to begin planning a major renovation of Westlake Park. We engaged with residents, public agencies, businesses, property owners, and community service providers to draft a community-centered design that addressed key concerns such as deteriorating structures, public safety, and outdated amenities Westlake Park’s temporary hiatus came to an end with a grand reopening on May 28, just in time for the summer season.
The celebration opened with remarks from city and community leaders and project partners. Chatter, applause, and live music echoed throughout the park all evening as guests explored the new space, expressed their creativity at the crafts station, learned to play chess, and tested out the park’s revamped play areas. Neighboring businesses and local food trucks also helped welcome the community back to the space with their goods and services. As a token of appreciation to Westlake Park businesses, Seattle Parks Foundation held a raffle for $50 gift cards.
This renovation is the park’s first major upgrade since it was built in the late 1980s, and was a collaborative effort with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle FIFA, Sellen Construction, Pine Street Group, Downtown Seattle Association, Downtown Community Council, Seattle Department of Transportation, and Berger Partnership. We’re grateful for the partnerships, community, and years of patience that made Westlake Park’s timely grand reopening possible—thank you!
All photos by Jocelyn RC | Lightnotes LLC.