By Gwen Davis

A call-to-action meeting on Sat. morning addressed the future of undeveloped land in southeast West Seattle. The public spaces are in the process of being sold to developers. The facilitators, including Cass Turnbull of TreePAC are against the proposal, and want the land to become a public Myers Park. The meeting informed participants about the nature of the acres and how they can stop the city.

Approximately 10 people attended the meeting, located at the multi-use 201 S. Hudson St. building.

There are other environmentally sustainable uses for the land, Turnbull said, including turning them into open spaces, with community vegetable gardens and providing places for kids to play. There could be an ordinance that makes open spaces a public utility.

“Do you want commercial development or these sustainable solutions?” Turnbull asked.

Seattle Parks is not interested in keeping the land on many levels. Sports and financial functions are favored over maintaing natural areas, the facilitators suggested. The issue is political. Furthermore, many progressive groups are behind selling the parcels, because they feel the sell would be positive in other ways.

However, no matter who the parcels are sold to, the game is over for open space.

“There is so much pressure to sell it off to development because the prices are good,” another facilitator said. “But once it’s gone, it’s gone."

At least the conversation with the mayor and the city council is beginning, a facilitator said, but it needs to be a priority for them.

The park is also expensive for Seattle Parks. It costs over $35 million.

“We’re taking money out of their mouths,” Turnbull said. “It’s not going to be popular.”

Facilitators asked participants to email the Seattle City Council or the mayor saying, “I want to see Myers parcels become Myers Park.” Emails can also be sent to Turnball and she will forward them. “500 emails will make it happen,” one of the meeting’s literature said.

People can also sign the petition, hand out flyers and put up signs, facilitators said.

Turnbull can be reached at cassturnbull@comcast.net.