We're happy to share the "Flume Property" in Georgetown will become a dog park and walking/biking connection!

Seattle City Council Transportation & Utilities Committee voted today to approve the transfer of a currently unused “Flume” site in Georgetown from Seattle City Light to Seattle Parks & Recreation and the Seattle Department of Transportation. 

What does this mean for neighbors? It means that two new features are coming to Georgetown and South Park! 

1. Following advocacy from neighbors, Seattle Parks & Recreation plans to build a new off-leash area in Georgetown. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2022, and the new off-leash area is expected to open in winter 2022-2023. We hope you and your furry friends can enjoy the new dog park when it opens! 

2. This is an important piece of the puzzle for building a walking, biking, and rolling connection along the west edge of the new dog park as part of the Georgetown to South Park Connection project. Construction of this new walking and biking connection is expected begin in summer 2022, we expect to open it in 2023.  

"Creating an off-leash dog park in Georgetown and walking/biking trail that connects Georgetown and South Park has long been a goal of the Georgetown community. We are excited that this land transfer, in addition to the funding agreed to by Seattle City Light, Seattle Parks Department and SDOT, will allow these to become a reality in our neighborhood."
-Kate Kohler, Georgetown resident and Co-Chair of the Georgetown Open Space Committee  

Read below for details on: 

• Georgetown to South Park design status  
• History of the Flume site
• Neighborhood Street Fund at 16th Ave S and E Marginal Way 
• How to be involved 

What is the design status? 

The Georgetown to South Park project is approaching 100% design. We’re designing the route requested by neighbors which includes a walking/biking path on S Bailey St, 13th Ave S, S Albro Pl, Ellis Ave S, and E Marginal Way S that connects to protected bike lanes and the existing sidewalk on 16th Ave S. See map.

We are looking into opportunities for public art that can be incorporated into the design and we expect to start construction in summer 2022.  

History of the Flume site 

The Flume site, which is located between the Aero Motel and the nearby Boeing campus, was the historic site of the conveyance that transported water from the Duwamish River to the Georgetown Steam Plant, until it ended operation in 1975. 

Seattle City Light is transferring the eastern piece of this property to Seattle Parks & Recreation and the western piece to Seattle Department of Transportation as part of a public benefit package. As part of the transfer, Seattle City Light will receive a ‘street vacation’ in this area. Street vacations are a mechanism to allow a private use of the right-of-way, based on public benefit. More details here.  

“We're grateful for the close coordination by Seattle City Light, Seattle Parks & Recreation, and Seattle Department of Transportation to make this land transfer happen” said SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe. “Neighbors advocated for both the dog park and the walking and biking connection between Georgetown and South Park and we're glad to share that both projects are getting built."