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Gas Works Park Urban Park gas-works-park-on-lake-union.jpg Terence, Megan, Brian, Stephen.

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Presentation on theme: "Gas Works Park Urban Park gas-works-park-on-lake-union.jpg Terence, Megan, Brian, Stephen."— Presentation transcript:

1 Gas Works Park Urban Park http://www.theseattletraveler.com/files/2007/09/ gas-works-park-on-lake-union.jpg Terence, Megan, Brian, Stephen

2 Gas Works Past Lake Unions industrial history – Sawmills – Coal – Ship building – Iron – Railroad Seattle Gas Light Company (1900) – 1906: Coal gas plant opens

3 Bogue and Industrial Lake Union Virgil Bogue – Civil engineer Proposed Bogue Plan: Would have been Seattles first comprehensive plan Argued that Lake Union should be an industrial area – Located in the heart of the city The Olmstead Brothers – Landscape design firm Recommended that the area should be used for a park Nice views, boating, playground, etc. Bogue Plan is rejected by voters – 1917: After canal and Ballard locks are open, Lake Union does indeed become very industrial and Bogues dream was still achieved. http://www.archive.org/stream/cyclopaediaofame08wilsuoft#page/146/mode/2up Virgil Bogue

4 Seattle Gas Company Originally called the Seattle Lighting Company – Main product: illuminated gas used for lighting Made from coal Used for cooking, refrigeration, heating homes and water, etc. – Name changed to Seattle Gas Company in 1930 http://uncolor.com/galleries/images/Gas%20Works%20Park.jpg

5 Switch From Coal to Oil 1937: Seattle Gas Company decides to manufacture their city gas from oil instead of coal – Too expensive to operate coal-to-gas generators Took them apart, replaced with oil-to-gas generators http://www.seattlepi.com/dayart/20070914/450gasworks.jpg

6 http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=29073&S2=&S3=&l=20&Sect7=THUMBON&Sect6=HITOFF&Sect5=PHOT1&Sect4=AND&Sect3=PLURON&d=PHO3&p=1&u=/~public/phot1.htm&r=1&f=G Facilities Storage tanks Boiler house Pump and compressors Offices Laboratories Additional support

7 Gas Companys Decline The plants number of customers decreased significantly from 1940-1954 – Lost nearly 7,000 customers Seattle started importing natural gas in the 1950s – Seattle Gas Companys plant begins to fail Production of city gas is stopped in 1956

8 Transition of Seattle Gas Company to Gas Works Park 1960

9 Important Dates 1956 Last year for production at Seattle Gas Company 1962 City of Seattle purchased the abandoned land and structures for $1,340,000 1970 Park development begins 1971 Park Board approved Richard Haag Associates Master plan to preserve the grounds and structures on them in the form of a park 1972 Debt from purchasing the land is paid off 1976 Gas Works Park (GWP) opens to the public

10 1966

11 Acquisition and Designer of the Sight The land and its structures were acquired with the help of Seattle Forward Thrust Bonds and help from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (H.U.D.). Richard Haag designed the master plan for the park, and presented his ideas and plans to the Seattle Park Board for approval. Richard Haag can is considered the most important individual in the transition of Seattle Gas company into a such a well know park that it is today. He noticed the value of the structures and the fact that they should and could be saved for future generations.

12 Richard Haag Wanted to keep the structures on the sight of the future park for their aesthetic value. His mindset was opposite from most during this time He was awarded the Presidents award for Design Excellence given by American Society of Landscape Architects (ALSA) in 1981 for his work on GWP

13 Unique Design of GWP Much of the Rubble from the original building foundations at GWP was used to make the huge Earth Mound The pump house was converted to a Play Barn The boiler house was converted to a picnic area The sight had been contaminated through the years of use, and as a result bioremediation was used throughout to varying degrees. (Various trees, plants, and a 18 of biomediated soil was used beneath the grass fields.) Stretch of railroad at the north end is now part of the Burke-Gilman trail that runs through the park.

14 Before... 1965

15 …After

16 1976 park opens 1984 park was found to be contaminated, temporarily closed 1985 pollution covered with 1-foot cap of clean soil 2001 $4million cleanup 2004 cleanup of NW corner 2005 investigate sediment contamination Pollution in the Park

17 3,000 pounds of tar found in underground vein in NW corner Benzene burned off Pollution

18 Oozing Tar Tar works its way out of the ground periodically – Golf ball to Softball size clumps – Weekly Park checks for oozing tar (summer months)

19 Benzene Long term exposure: – Decrease in red blood cells – Harmful effects to bone marrow – Can cause Leukemia High levels of exposure: – Drowsiness – Rapid heart rate – Confusion – death

20 Naphthalene Evaporates in air Dissolves in water Pass through soil High Levels of exposure: – Fatigue – Pale skin – Lack of appetite Long term exposure: – Cancer in animals Easily passed through soil/water, spreads throughout the Park and lake

21 Chemicals Most underground plums of dangerous chemicals were removed burned off in 2001 5.8 acres of clean soil top Chemicals still exists and pose threats to park goers, ecosystems, and Lake Union

22 Pollution Today Current levels of Benzene and Naphthalene are bellow dangerous levels for humans Remain above the level harmful to the environment and groundwater

23 Social Benefits of Gas Works Park Remnants of the Old Gas Works city-data.com tahinitoo.wordpress.com

24 Social Benefits of Gas Works Park A large man-made hill Kite Flying Sundia l gasworksparkkiteshop.comzombiezodiac.com

25 Social Benefits of Gas Works Park Picnics Protests Concerts Weddings Festivals greenwallingford.ning.com

26 Social Benefits of Gas Works Park View of downtown Seattle Fourth of July fireworks display city-data.com blog.seattlepi.com

27 Sources http://www.seattlepi.com/local/331605_gasworks14.ht ml http://www.seattlepi.com/local/331605_gasworks14.ht ml http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293 http://www.washington.edu/research/showcase/1958a. html http://www.washington.edu/research/showcase/1958a. html http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003 884047_gasworks14m.html http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003 884047_gasworks14m.html http://www.seattlepi.com/local/331605_gasworks14.ht ml http://www.seattlepi.com/local/331605_gasworks14.ht ml


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