The neighborhood group Friends of Greenwood Park has been awarded $15,000 from the Neighborhood Matching Fund grant for their long-term plan to develop four open plots along the eastern edge of the current Greenwood Park.

The group’s plan is to use the land to fullfill the community’s growing interest in a neighborhood P-Patch or a multi-faceted expansion that would cater to a number of user groups.

"We’re very excited that the city gave us the opportunity with the grant to work on the park," said Mike Stringer, chair of Friends of Greenwood Park. "What we plan to do now is to hold a community planning process to create ideas and a conceptual design to expand the park in the east."

Seattle Parks purchased two of the four plots, located on Fremont Avenue North from North 87th Street to North 90th Street, in 2005 with Pro Parks Levy Opportunity money after the group had applied for funding.



When initial planning for the construction of Greenwood Park began in 1999, the community got together through public meetings to help decide what resident's would like to see in the community park. The park was completed in 2003.



"The majority of people were interested in having a play area and an open space for sports," said Loretta Vosk, previous chair of Friends of Greenwood Park. "Those were the uses that were really overwhelmingly supported at the time."



The properties were left untouched until recently when a revived interest and new level of excitement came from residents.

Currently two of the four plots are still owned by private owners, Stringer said however, their short-term plan is to think of what can happen on the two other parcels that are owned by the parks.

"As for the long term plan if and when the two other parcels are owned by parks property, our plan is to respect the current property owners and that their views will be seen as well as everyone elses," Stringer said.