Bell Street Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bell Street Park |
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Bell Street Park, May 2019
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| Type | Woonerf |
| Location | Belltown, Seattle, Washington |
| Area | 1.33-acre (0.54 ha) |
| Operated by | Seattle Parks and Recreation |
| Status | Open all year |
Bell Street Park is a fun park in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It's about 1.33-acre (0.54 ha) big and was opened in 2014. What makes this park special is that it's a "woonerf" – a unique type of street where cars, bikes, and people all share the same space without curbs. It's like a big, open plaza where everyone can hang out!
Bell Street Park is known as a "grand experiment" in Seattle because it's one of the first of its kind in Washington State. It even won a special design award from the Seattle Design Commission in 2014!
Contents
What is a Woonerf?
A woonerf (pronounced VOH-nurf) is a Dutch word that means "living street." It's a special kind of street designed to be shared by everyone – cars, bikes, and people walking.
- No Curbs: Unlike regular streets, woonerfs don't have high curbs separating the sidewalk from the road. This makes the whole area feel more open and connected.
- Slow Traffic: Cars are allowed, but they have to drive very slowly, almost at walking speed. This makes it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Shared Space: The idea is to create a friendly space where people can walk, play, sit, and even drive, all in harmony. It's more like a park or a plaza than a typical street.
Bell Street Park is a great example of how a city can turn a regular street into a lively community space.
Other Woonerf-like Places in Seattle
While Bell Street Park was called Seattle's "first woonerf" by some, other places in the city have similar shared-space ideas.
- The famous Pike Place Market area, especially Pike Place and Post Alley, works a lot like a woonerf. People, cars, and vendors all share the space.
- Occidental Park in Seattle has also been described as a woonerf because of its shared design.
- A new park called 12th Avenue Square Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, finished in 2016, also includes a woonerf design.
- The town of Kirkland, Washington, which is close to Seattle, redesigned its Park Lane street in 2015. They looked at Bell Street Park for ideas on how to make their street a curbless, shared space too.
Some Different Ideas
Even though Bell Street Park is a cool idea, some people had different thoughts about how it works.
- Some thought the mix of cars and people was a bit confusing.
- Others felt that for a truly shared space, cars should not be allowed at all.
Despite these different opinions, Bell Street Park remains a unique and important part of Seattle's effort to create more shared and friendly urban spaces.
