Carkeek Park facts for kids
Carkeek Park is a big park in Seattle, Washington. It covers about 216 acres (87 hectares). The park has cool places like Piper Orchard, Pipers Creek, and lots of trails for hiking. You can also find play areas and picnic spots here. A special bridge goes over the train tracks, leading you to the sandy beach on Puget Sound. The park's activities often happen at the Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center.
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History of Carkeek Park
The very first park called "Carkeek Park" was actually in a different spot, near Lake Washington, from 1918 to 1926. This first park was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Morgan J. Carkeek, who were important builders in the area. That park later became Magnuson Park. Morgan Carkeek then gave the money from selling that land to the City of Seattle to help create a new park.
Most of the Carkeek Park we know today was bought by the City of Seattle in the late 1920s. Mr. Carkeek also donated 20% of the land for this new park. Over the years, the park has been used for many different things. It was once a place for outdoor shows, a farm to grow food for zoo animals, and even a place where people could rent land for grazing animals.
Park Improvements Over Time
During the 1930s, workers from the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps helped build things in the park. For a short time in 1942, it was even used as an U.S. Army camp. Later, in the 1960s, a sewage treatment plant that was in the park was closed and replaced with a pumping station. This helped make the park cleaner.
More land was added to the park in 1953, but it took until 1973 for the city to buy the land in between to connect everything. Because much of the park is in a steep valley, it was mostly saved from a lot of city development.
The Forest at Carkeek Park
The very old forest in the park, which was thousands of years old, was cut down a long time ago in the early 1900s. Now, the forest is mostly made up of maple and alder trees, which are quite mature. Over time, more evergreen trees like Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, and Douglas fir will grow there. You can also find other plants like sedges and cattails, and huge Lady Ferns along the creek.
Environmental Learning Center
The Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is a special building where people can learn about nature and how to protect our environment. It was built using very high standards to be good for the planet and for people's health.
Green Building Features
Here are some cool things about how the ELC was built:
- Rainwater Harvesting: Rainwater from the roof is collected and used to flush toilets and manage stormwater. This saves a lot of drinking water!
- Energy Efficiency: The building has great insulation, smart lighting, and uses natural airflow to stay cool and warm. This saves a lot of energy.
- Solar Power: Solar panels on the roof help create electricity from the sun.
- Recycling and Salvaging: During construction, 80% of the old materials were recycled or reused.
- Salmon-Friendly Landscaping: The plants around the ELC don't need much water and are native to the area. This helps protect the nearby salmon.
- Healthy Air: The paints, glues, and carpets used inside the building were chosen to keep the air clean and healthy.
- Recycled Materials: Many parts of the building, like concrete and flooring, were made from recycled materials. Some wood even came from an old naval building!
- Local Materials: Materials were chosen from nearby areas to support local businesses and reduce pollution from transportation.
Sadly, due to budget cuts in the City of Seattle, the ELC closed in 2013.
