Beach Drive Blog

The following message is from Libby and Paul Carr, Seattle Statue of Liberty Committee–Phase II:

The Alki and West Seattle Community is at an important crossroads as we get ready to bring the newly recast Statue of Liberty back to her home on Alki Beach.  We have to make final strategic decisions between two choices:

1. New Plaza with a Higher Pedestal:  If we decide to continue with the plans approved last year with input after several community meetings with architects Matt Hutchins and Chris Ezzell, we now need to form a new committee (the Seattle Statue of Liberty Committee—Phase II) and do the necessary fundraising to finish the Statue base and surrounding plaza.  This design clearly incorporates all the bricks (engraved pavers) sold earlier and has plenty of room for more.  It is also specifically designed to make the statue less exposed to vandalism.
2. Using the old pedestal.  Certain individuals on staff at the Parks Department would prefer that the new Plaza not be built because they just want to finish the project as quickly as possible.  Because of various project delays caused by periods of inactivity by NPA and, ironically, additional ground engineering concerns expressed by the Parks Department, the City’s Park staff now feels badly the statue has not yet been replaced.  Their solution for this delay is to place the newly cast statue onto the old pedestal, which may or may not include the brick pavers, and call it a day.

These are the two basic choices we will be discussing on Wednesday night.  In addition, Libby and Paul will outline fundraising plans being considered so people can get a feel for what types of activities may come into play for raising the necessary funds to do the new plaza quickly.

Please bring your lawn chairs, blankets, picnic dinners and/or non-alcoholic beverages as we have this meeting Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM at the Statue site on Alki Beach, west of the Bathhouse.

If you care about the Statue and what this wonderful space will look like years into the future, you need to be there Wednesday, July 11, at 7:00 PM.  See you then.  We want to hear your voice.  Thanks.  Libby and Paul Carr, Seattle Statue of Liberty Committee—Phase II.

"…it is not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years."

     –Abraham Lincoln

Wishing you and yours a very safe and sane Independence Day.

You’re invited  on Monday, July 2 from 4:30-8:00 p.m. to celebrate the Elliott Bay Water Taxi with a round-trip voyage to Salty’s on Alki Beach in West Seattle for a panel discussion and reception.

King County Councilmembers Dow Constantine and Julia Patterson will lead public, maritime labor and passenger ferry industry representatives in a discussion to highlight:

* King County Ferry District – Impact on Elliott Bay, Vashon Island and Lake Washington
* Puget Sound Regional Council passenger ferry study
* Kitsap Transit and community efforts in West Sound
* South Sound Triangle Route (Tacoma-Gig Harbor-Des Moines/SeaTac shuttle)
* North Puget Sound initiatives from Port Roberts to Whidbey Island
* Olympic Peninsula/Hood Canal passenger ferry opportunities
* Potential for a Sound-wide Interlocal Agreement to expand Passenger Ferry Service to complement the Washington State Ferry System

For more information, click here.