Nine acres of public land in Northeast Seattle delight local residents while serving a purpose for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). Across from Meadowbrook Community Center is Meadowbrook Pond, a water-detention center adopted by the community, local artists, environmental specialists and local government.
"The main reason that it's here is that it's a big hole in the ground to hold a lot of water and prevent downstream flooding. We are in the flood plain, the historic flood plain of Thornton Creek, which is the largest creek system in the city, stretches all the way up to the city of Shoreline," explained SPU's Bob Spencer.
In addition to preventing downstream flooding and settling out sediment, the pond (completed in 1999) has been a great refuge for those in the know, with the constant humming of Thornton Creek, winding pathways, artwork and an increasing and varying population of wildlife and native plant life.
A NOT-SO-FRAGRANT PAST
The site, off 35th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 107th and 110th streets, once housed the Lake City sewage-treatment plant. Built in 1952, the plant functioned only a few years and then became a storage facility and auto shop for Nathan Hale High School, until planning for the pond began in 1989; the plant was demolished in 1990.
"The neat thing about this is that once the utility got its hands on it and decided it was going to be a detention pond, we did a lot of community involvement," Spencer said.
"You'll see there's elements in here: It performs its main purpose of holding as much water as it can and slowly releasing it to the creek, but also there's elements for people in terms of the aesthetic and art elements that have been incorporated here and the wildlife elements," he added.
Today, people follow the concrete walkways alongside the creek or cross over the pond on the bridge made of recycled-plastic lumber to spy a duck or school of fish, or even a beaver emerging at dusk.
"We like to run a big loop around the trails, because they loop nicely, and stop to look over the water along the bridges and visit the sound-reflecting disk. My nephew likes to stand and make chirping noises and yell into the disk," said Shana Faulkner, who takes her young nephews to the pond.
A unique collaboration of city and community resources, the pond both inspires and educates visitors. Interpretive signage throughout explains the pond's function and role in the larger Thornton Creek Watershed: The effects of what we use on our lawns, the car wash we do out on the street and the garbage heading down the sewer drains,will eventually run off and end up in the pond.
ADDED APPEAL
Thanks to the efforts of the local artist team of Lydia Aldredge, Peggy Gaynor and Kate Wade, visitors can appreciate strolling along curving pathways and the rising berms, inhabited by native plant life (though a few "guerrilla" volunteers have been known to plant a pansy or two).
Numerous wildlife add to the pond's appeal. "A lot of wildlife have found this place. We've got a family of beavers. We've got muskrats. Otters have come down. All varieties of birds. We have tons of different kinds of waterfowl, birds of prey. I've seen owls, eagles, hawks, great blue herons, green herons," Spencer rattled off.
Faulkner likes the atmosphere the pond offers. "It's relatively secluded; there's not a lot of people that go there. It's a nice escape," she said.
Seattle Public Utilities hosts special events at Meadowbrook Pond. On May 2, SPU will present Living with Beavers: A Family-Friendly Evening at Meadowbrook Pond, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The free event offers an opportunity[[In-content Ad]]
