Son of a (Hidden) Beach!

We are posting the writing of fellow Hidden Beach fans to offer more voices and to show that there are a lot of people who care about the future of Hidden Beach. First up: Daniel Spils.

MARCH 31 EMAIL TO SDOT & GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Hi Greg, Alex, Kshama, Jamie, Jeanette, Alysa, Joel, & Omar,

It’s getting close to swimming season in Seattle. Soon people from all over the city will head to Lake Washington, and Hidden Beach specifically (officially “East Harrison Street End”)—only to be met by an unnecessary and restrictive fence on public property. From the community perspective it feels like no one is listening. The fence went up without public comment. It now blocks access (including 2 SDOT trucks that were unable to deliver wood chips or pick-up green trimmings from the work party on 3/12). The application for improving and reclaiming the Hidden Beach feels dead in the water.

I’ve lived in Seattle long enough to have seen bigger construction projects on 39th occur without encroaching on public property. Construction and supplies were rightly staged on homeowner property. The current fenced area at Hidden Beach has not been used in three months. Three months where the public has had to look at and maneuver around a fence that is on public land. It feels like the public is being groomed to accept the fence … and eventually settle for a a permanent driveway encroachment.

Some perspective: I first took a dip at Hidden Beach in 1993 when my Leschi landlady showed it to me on a walk. I had just moved down from my hometown of Anchorage. Since then I have lived all over the city and have managed to pop by Hidden Beach regularly during the summer. I now live within walking distance. Until recent years, it was simply a public beach. I’m pointing this out for my own sanity. How did public property get turned over to private interests? What can we do beyond what we’ve already done to make things right at Hidden Beach again?

- Daniel Spils

P.S. If you need a refresher: https://www.friendsofhiddenbeach.com

Fenced space is unused

This stack of wood (which could be easily stored on private property) is the most use the fenced area has seen since the fence permit was granted.

photo 4/5/2023

Fence pinches public access

An imposing fence severely restricts public access. The park should be welcoming and the public should not need to fight to retain public use on public land.

photo 4/5/2023

SDOT trucks blocked by SDOT permit

SDOT trucks could not deliver wood chips for our March 12 work party. When SDOT trucks came back to pick up the green waste, it could not back into the space. The greens remain.

photo 4/5/2023