Seattle Parks and Recreation says it is considering community feedback and expects to make a decision within weeks on a new kids play area at Denny Blaine after a public meeting on the project drew hundreds of supporters who want to protect the park’s place as an important gathering space for the naturist and queer communities along the shores of Lake Washington.
“We finally found a place where we can be free and open,” one speaker among the hundreds opposing the project said at Wednesday night’s meeting held at the Martin Luther King FAME Community Center. “Kids need a place to play but adults do, too.”
The voices from Wednesday’s meeting are being joined by leaders at Seattle City Hall.
“The consideration of Denny Blaine Park for a playground comes at a time when the queer community nationwide is under attacks on all fronts,” citywide councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said in a statement. “As we have heard in public comment, correspondence from community members, and in recent news coverage, Denny Blaine Park is a Seattle LGBTQIAP+ institution. I am concerned that consideration of funding from an anonymous donation to create a playground on this site plays into harmful stereotypes and creates division within our community where there was none—and could potentially put members of our LGBTQIAP+ community in harm’s way given regulations and norms around nudity in our state, which providing space for a nude beach is designed to help address.”
UPDATE 12/8/23: Seattle Parks has heard the message loud and clear. The play area project at Denny Blaine Park will “not move forward,” a representative tell CHS.
“After hearing from many community members who participated in the community process on the proposed play area project at Denny Blaine Park, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has decided not to move forward with the play area project at Denny Blaine,” the statement reads. “While this area of our city still lacks accessible play equipment for kids and families, we understand the feedback that this particular park is not the best location, and we will evaluate other location alternatives.”
The parks department tell CHS it is planning to meet “with leaders in the LGBTQIA+ community to better understand the importance of this beach to the community and the hopes for future uses.”
Many members of the public spoke to the importance of this space and use as a beach, and the cohesion it has brought within the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, community spoke of the unintended consequences adding a play area to this beach site would possibly bring. This is why we have a robust community engagement process, ensuring all people – including those who have been historically marginalized – have their voices heard and perspectives considered.
ORIGINAL REPORT: District 3 representative Kshama Sawant says her office has received hundreds of email opposing the project.
CHS reported here on the Seattle Park’s process backed by an anonymous donor to plan the $550,000 play area to the northwest edge of the park, one of the only areas of public access to Lake Washington in one of the wealthiest areas of the city.
Seattle Parks had been quiet about the project until Denny Blaine visitor Jesse Miranda tipped CHS to the plan and we broke the news in October. “The disruption greatly worries beachgoers. While nudity isn’t inherently illegal in this state, a complaint of public indecency qualifies as a misdemeanor,” Miranda said. “Our space is being eliminated, and the announcement during winter was likely intentional to keep us uninformed.”
In the time since, opposition to the proposal has grown and a petition has collected thousands of names in support of keeping Denny Blaine queer — and nude. “While nudity is legal everywhere in the city, and kids spaces are great, we think this is an attempt to put our communities in conflict and displace our city’s historical queer and naturist community,” a post by the @savedennyblaine Instagram account reads. “There are other great places nearby for a playground.”
Many at Wednesday’s meeting pointed out other nearby parks properties that could be more suitable for the investment like nearby Lakeview Park, William Grose Park, Alvin Larkins Park, or Viretta Park. The latter has had some public space issues of its own. In the 1990s, neighbors had to sue to keep Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz from incorporating portions of the public green space into his neighboring estate.
Others spoke out on the loss of a queer community space.
“”This is it. This is the Seattle culture we have been looking for,” one speaker said about discovering Denny Blaine with their partner.
“Everyone who might be for the playground benefits from the culture that we bring to the city and then turns right around and drives us out when it is inconvenient,” said another. “Let us keep our spaces and we’ll keep the city somewhere exciting to be in.”
It’s not clear if the anonymous donor attended Wednesday’s meeting but a few people were there to support the playground. Most of their messages didn’t land the way they hoped. “You as a community didn’t exist a few years ago,” pointed out one speaker as they tried to make a point related to Seattle’s history of creating spaces like Swedish Club or Polish House. Any point was lost in a round of loud boos.
Parks officials did their best to keep their foots out of their mouths and were mostly successful with one adding that “we super respect community interest in our park” as he prepared to open things up for public comment.
Whether that “super respect” will shine through sometime in the next two weeks when parks said it will provide an update on the project will have to be seen. If the Denny Blaine play area doesn’t work out, one speaker had a suggestion for the anonymous donor’s money.
“If they care so much about about children, why don’t they take that $550,000 and invest in Seattle Public Schools,” they said.
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Mayor needs to step in and help rhe queer community even if it’s just to save face, he’s been largely useless to the people who voted for him
Why do you want to make it seem that only “queer” people use the nudist park?
I remember this one time, Seattle Mayor mike McGin was like
“ we are gonna hold a salmon bake over at victor steinbrueck park to “clean it up”
The native community was so mad.
Everyone gets the boot here in Seattle, well everyone with out the money to stand up to the boot!
I attended the meeting last night. People in attendance didn’t follow the guidelines for behavior in the meeting. It was a one sided conversation.
I was there too. A few people boo-ed when someone said that the queer community didn’t exist 50 years ago. Immediately after, several in the crowd told everyone to quiet down and let that person speak, and we did. People formed a line, generally stuck to the one minute allotted aside from a few ramblers, which you fill find at every public meeting. It was a one sided conversation because nobody supporting the playground decided to speak about their support…which makes you wonder how many people with school aged kids living in a 15 minute walk of the park actually want the playground.
I was at the meeting the entire time.
Yes, her comment was misguided towards the end of it but you left out the part at the beginning of it. She said that Seattle Parks are for everyone. Maybe having an entire gymnasium, not a few people, mostly boo at you, yell at you to sit down as well as Fuck You shouted at you would cause a supporter of the park to reconsider voicing their support for the play ground.
A supporter for the nudity at the end of the meeting said that they make Denny Blaine Park a safer place. If ignoring the bad behavior of certain people at the park makes it safer then this park is doomed. Don’t turn a blind eye to it.
Being nude isn’t illegal in Seattle. Indecent exposure is. Openly masturbating while naked at a Seattle Park isn’t ok.
RCW 9A.88.010 Indecent exposure.
(1) A person is guilty of indecent exposure if he or she intentionally makes any open and obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm. The act of breastfeeding or expressing breast milk is not indecent exposure.
18.12.280 – Discrimination prohibited
A. It is the policy of the City, in the exercise of its police powers for the protection of the public health, safety, and general welfare, and for the maintenance of peace and good government, to assure equal opportunity for full enjoyment and use of park facilities to all persons, free from restrictions because of race, color, sex, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, caste, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, participation in a Section 8 program, the presence of any disability, the use of a service animal by a disabled person, an individual’s actual, potential, perceived, or alleged pregnancy outcomes as defined in Section 14.04.030, or the right of a mother to breastfeed her child.
I agree it was unfortunate that people booed and a couple of people (out of the hundreds in attendance) yelled obscenities. I was heartened that the crowd fairly quickly heeded the call from many to let her speak and was glad to hear her say that she actually also opposed a playground though believe she referred to it as a swing set.
I agree with you that indecent exposure and masturbating in public is not ok. I think nearly everyone agrees with that! I have seen people masturbate at two parks (and several sidewalks) in the dozen years I’ve lived in Seattle, but never at Denny Blaine. I don’t doubt that there have been some bad actors, but that’s true at every park and I’d say the DB crew does a really good job of looking out for each other. There are many legally nude people at DB and I would never describe any of the actions I’ve seen there as lewd or indecent—it’s really just a lot of sunbathing and reading and playing cards! If you’re ever at DB and see something off, I recommend talking to others at the beach about it and see if you can address it as a group.
I would like to pose a few questions for you to ask yourself. I’m assuming here that you either visit DB, live next to it, or live in the neighborhood with school aged children because otherwise I’m not sure why you would attend this meeting.
1. After hearing 50+ people share vulnerable and heartfelt comments about how this beach has helped them feel welcome in my city, why am I so passionate about building a playground at this exact location knowing that many of these people might no longer visit the park?
2. Is there something about LGBTQ people or nudists/naturists enjoying a space in my neighborhood that bothers me? Why is that?
I’m sorry you felt uncomfortable voicing your opinion at the meeting. You haven’t yet shared your arguments in favor of building a playground at DB in the comments, but I welcome polite discourse and engagement and would love to hear your thoughts even though I am personally opposed to building the playground at DB and in favor of using the generous $500k to build a playground in another park, either nearby or in a neighborhood with greater need.
Because no one supports the playground but the select few rich people and xenophobes
You must have been at a different meeting than me. I stayed the entire time. It was a one-sided conversation because the attendees were near universally opposed to this project, with the exception of one very misguided commenter. She was rightfully booed when she stated that the queer community has only been around for 50 years and that the solution is that we should raise millions of dollars to build our own private club (like the Swedish or Polish clubs) to be able to have a safe space. That is not respectful and incredibly offensive to say to a marginalized community.
oh dont worry, it’s okay. just remember, you didn’t exist a few years ago
The neighbors to the park can’t sell their property at full price because of this park.
Using a half million dollar private anonymous donation to kick out queer people and nudists who have been visiting the park for decades so that the adjacent neighbors can sell their multimillion dollar houses at full price point is not something Seattle Parks and Rec should facilitate. It’s Seattle Parks and Rec, not Anonymous Wealthy Donor(s) Parks and Rec. If incoming buyers can’t appreciate that they will be living in a vibrant neighborhood with a historically queer nude beach then maybe they should buy somewhere else.
Admitting that the reason they are building the playground is to be able to sell at a full price point is admitting that the playground is being built to completely change the park and drive out the people who use it. I wish all those who “support the playground” had been at the meeting to witness the comments from countless people whose lives have drastically improved due to the inclusivity and love that this space provides for people who are so often marginalized in other parts of our society. To me, the inclusivity and community at this park is worth millions of dollars. We must save Denny Blaine.
Meh.. they just need a buyer that doesn’t care.. I’m not in the market for a multimillion $$ house, but I can say that my neighbors and I get along fine, even though they often choose to go sans clothing and neither of us has window coverings on our facing windows. If they don’t care that I may see them, I don’t care either. FYI – no I’m not intentionally peeping.. the window over my sink is directly opposite theirs and we’ve never had blinds or curtains on it as it lets in a great deal of natural light.. and we’ve been here far longer. As I said, if they don’t care, neither do I.
This whole thing does appear to be an unveiled attempt at creating a reason to be able to call the police..
Is there any evidence for the theory that someone is “Using a half million dollar private anonymous donation to kick out queer people and nudists who have been visiting the park for decades so that the adjacent neighbors can sell their multimillion dollar houses at full price?” I like a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person, but this seems pretty thin, especially in light of the fact plans for a playground will go forward in a different location.
If people are concerned about property value, it is most equitable to address that clearly instead of anonymously funding a playground. It’s not fair for some people in Seattle to be able to buy their preferences for city parks, while others don’t have the money to get their point of view in front of the mayor. Equity, especially in regards to public spaces that don’t cost money to use, is very important in our city of huge financial inequality.
A precedent for successful private influence on park policy is Vulcan and Amazon offering money to Parks for the off-leash area in Denny Park.
^ this — how can people be so okay with these poor folks having to settle for selling their mansion for only $15 million instead of the $15.5 they were hoping for? What – they’re supposed to just scrape by with 10 million in profit? Devastating. #thoughtsandprayers
Wait. Are you saying that somebody bought housing near the nude beach because it was cheaper because it was near a nude beach and now they’re lamenting that they can’t see a return on investment because the very element that made it cheaper is still there?
Full price is what you can get on the market. Whether you live on a busy road, or near the freeway, or next to a nude beach, that’s where you are. I live on a very busy road. It will definitely affect the resale value of my home. Do I want to eliminate the busy road? No I do not. But you want to eliminate Denny Blaine nude beach which has been there for decades. Why?
For once, won’t somebody please think of the wealthy landowners, who are clearly the most oppressed? Yes, that was sarcasm. Seriously, though, your comment shows a complete lack of understanding of what “full value” means and how the market operates. Full value is whatever the market dictates. If the market says the properties near the park have a very slightly diminished value, then that is full value. What you are saying is that the neighbors to the park might have slightly higher home values if the market is manipulated by changing the park. Hell no.
Boo-fuckijg-hooooo
How awful for them. Maybe we should start a Gofundme.
Maybe someone can educate me – how does building this play area for kids negatively affect the group that normally uses this park?
Being nude in Seattle is not illegal.. being lewd in Seattle is… Basically if no one is complaining that you are naked and you are minding your own business you can carry on – BUT – if someone asks you to put your clothing on or leave, or if what you are doing can be construed as exposing yourself intentionally to minors then you can have the cops called on you if you don’t.. It can be a fine line to walk and is subject to a lot of interpretation, but it assumes we are all adult enough to appreciate a difference between someone doing a little topless (or even bottomless) sunbathing at the beach from someone sitting next to a playground wanking..
Having a playground there gives someone, I’m guessing the person with the spare $500,000 a convenient excuse to be able to call the cops and feel justified about doing it.
Come on man
Okay, so the issue isn’t that they are building the structure, the issue is you\they don’t want kids using the park. Its a public space, lol.
I think the issue is more that someone is attempting to manufacture a conflict where none exists at the moment…
Remember when diversity and inclusion were high morals? It’s bizarre to me how much everyone sees everyone else as such a massive threat. Public land is public land. There’s a tyranny in the effort to reduce it’s accessibility. If a mom wants to expose her tot to some T and A, that’s her choice. If someone wants to drop trow at a beach, cool. What’s missing is respect for what the other person is trying to do. Maybe drop trow around a bush, where everybody doesn’t HAVE to lay eyes on your business. Moms, maybe just be chill and put your baby over there, not here.
If we can all stop imagining so many threats, and try to lower the blood pressure, there’s room for everybody.
This is a *public* beach, no one culture gets to gatekeep who shoukd be comfortable or allowed there. Emotional, displaced buzzwords like ‘gentrify’ and ‘co-opting queer spaces’ are laughably dramatic.
‘No kids allowed on our beach! No more straight people on our beach!’ Who’s really the ‘NIMBY’ here?
who is saying no kids, no straight people? no one. anyone can and does use the park as is, including kids and straight people.
There are already close to 100 of clothing required beaches on the lake, and only two nude beaches. Being naked is not required there, and the beach is for everyone. It’s a bit weird to be this much bothered by nudity and wanting to take away one of only two nude beaches in the city. You have literally 100 other options if you’re bothered by it.
Seattle parks are for everyone. The kids should be able to play at this park and the gay community can use this park anytime they want, we just may have to modify our behavior at the park because there are kids present. This is a pretty simple civic concept that is being blown out of proportion.
No. Kids can play in one of the many other parks that aren’t a designated queer safe space
Theres tons of queer safe spaces. Public parks are for the public.
Exactly, there are 100 other beaches in the city and over 100 playgrounds, but only one place like Denny Blaine (2 if you count the other nude beach).
Seattle parks /are/ for everyone, that’s why some have different uses than others.
Adults generally don’t hang out at playgrounds playing on them because it’s not for meant for them. Denny Blaine is one of two places adults in Seattle can use a park as they want as adults with the sun on their skin.
Not every park has to be catered towards children.
There are other playgrounds a kid can play on, there is no other Denny Blaine
what needs to be modified? it’s a beach where some people like to be nude. bring the kids or don’t. there’s also another entire park a block away where people aren’t nude.
https://parkways.seattle.gov/2023/12/08/updated-on-denny-blaine-park/
HUGE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Honestly, I’m surprised the beach didn’t become like Wreck beach in Vancouver, which is mandated a family-friendly clothing optional beach. However, that idea wouldn’t go over so well with everything.