Published on October 22, 2020
While the weather might be a bit gusty and chilly, Seattleites have a quaint new waterfront park to explore this weekend for fall colors and launch their kayaks next spring.
Fritz Hedges Waterway Park officially opened Wednesday and includes a kayak launch point, pier, small beach and picnic area. The 3.5-acre park sits adjacent to the Sakuma Viewpoint and is named after Fredrick “Fritz” Hedges, a long-term Seattle Parks and Recreation professional.
Construction on the park started in spring 2018 and involved extensive shoreline restoration to support native species including juvenile salmon.
“The park offers shoreline access and a place for launching kayaks, the project improved the shoreline habitat for salmon and the park as a whole offers great recreation opportunities in the dense urban environment,” said Jesús Aguirre, Seattle Parks and Recreation superintendent.
The property used to be owned by the University of Washington but was transferred to the city in 2013. The property is still adjacent to the campus and offers students more waterfront access for recreation.
“Access to parks and green spaces is essential for healthy communities, especially now that the pandemic has made outdoor recreation so important to our happiness and well-being,” said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. “This new waterfront park is a beautiful and welcome addition to our neighborhood and the UW community appreciates all the hard work and collaboration that made it possible.”
Continue reading at Seattle PI.
Originally written by Callie Craighead for Seattle PI.