Seattle’s Denny Park

Today, I read an article in the Seattle Times about Seattle’s Denny Park.  The article talks a little about the history of Denny Park and goes on to mention what it has been transformed into today in the other-wise dense South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle.

The park has been transformed by over $2 million in spending which opens up public spaces and improves lighting among other things to give Seattle a city park much like other urbanized areas of the country.  According to the article the renovation has also opened up new pathways  to provide access for everyone.

The article further states that the City of Seattle twice turned down votes to put city money towards a big urban park much like Vancouver, San Francisco, or New York.

What I find interesting is that Denny Park was originally given to the City of Seattle by David Denny in 1861 for use as a cemetery.  However, by 1884 the area had become residential and the history of the park shows that by that time they had 221 interments who were then re-interred in other private cemeteries to make room for a park to be used by all.

Funeral Director Daily take:  What I find interesting is that this park was originally given by the owner to the city as a cemetery and it has not been used as one for over 130 years.  However, in that time span the city has grown up all around this green space and the area has been highly coveted as a park.

I like to think outside the box.  How many communities, and not only large cities but small communities as well,  across America have large areas dedicated to existing cemeteries with a large area of that cemetery unused as of now.  Cemeteries are beautiful places of solitude that could make for make for great parks.

With the advent of a higher cremation rate and less space being used for cemeteries is there an opportunity for our urban planners to combine the uses of the cemetery to make it not only hallowed ground for the deceased, but a place of engagement and enjoyment for the living.  I think the two can live side by side.

I serve on the board at the University of Minnesota and we have an 18 hole golf course owned by the university that has had development built up around it.  We are now in the process of discussing how we can use the golf course for more than a golf advantage for those residents.  Part of the discussion centers around ecological rainwater retention and runoff and creating walking paths/trails for those who live around the area.

I think it would be smart for both public and private cemeteries to look at their potential great green space value to society and see if they can make a difference in their communities.[wpforms id=”436″ title=”true” description=”true”]