Past Work and Gas Works

Dear Diary,

I didn't get far today - barely dipped a toe into "NW" - but have enough pictures that it seemed best to update you tonight, before I forget what they all are.  That said, I didn't take pictures of Gas Works Park's copious neat stuff.  It was 2 to 1.   Yes, take pictures because it's the closest working restrooms to the southern U-District.  No, don't because it's outside my focus area.  And decisively, no, because there are already professional photographers making their livings off this extremely photogenic park, and I'm not interested in competing with them.

Anyway, we start somewhere much smaller:

Christie Park

When I last visited, I found two workmen who knew nothing of a water fountain in the new park.  Well, on a Sunday evening this time I sure didn't find any workmen, but, well, I found a water fountain:

No, I don't know whether, when the park opens, the fountain will be running.

The Burke-Gilman Trail

I didn't find any new plumbing here, just an example of the sort of tree covering that gave me the willies at first sight at Meridian Playground:

Imagine that farther, higher up, taller, and at night, then multiply by five.  That's what my phone's video camera couldn't capture.

Waterway 19

I'd forgotten what a life-threatening nuisance it is to enter Gas Works Park on a paved path as a pedestrian.  So after I'd taken care of an urgent need to do Number Two and yet again, sigh, an overdue need to do Number One, I looked for a paved path, without stairs, down to the picnic shelter.  The one I found is not all that paved - tree roots have turned it into a complex landscape - but anyway I figured I could start exploring by going north.  Which led me to signage I'd ignored the first time, for Waterway 19.

Thus informed, I walked the loop trail, and of course saw, um, running water, for some value of "running", but not plumbing:

Waterway 18

Emboldened by having figured out one Waterway, I sought the other.  It turned out to be pretty far - I'd say "blocks away" except that Northlake Way doesn't have blocks.  Pedestrian access is, of course, risky.  I still have no idea who owns it; here's the only sign:

And it more or less is a beach, nowhere near the pseudo-wilderness of 19:

It's about twice as wide as what that picture shows.

Gas Works Park

It turns out there's rather more paved walkways in this park than I'd thought, but it still quickly became clear why I've never really explored it before.  I did unbend enough to photograph the flock of geese whose Numbers Two were making my twilit navigation just a bit dangerous:

But my main purpose was to look for additional restrooms or water fountains, and of course I didn't find any.  I did, however, find this sign:

Now, I think it would be wonderful to have safer, more accessible ways to enter the park, and up to date restrooms (yes, the city of Seattle prefers a newer-fangled euphemism, "comfort station") - well, that would be great too.

But I don't think this was built in 2017:

Yep, doorless stalls.  Also, you probably can't see an absence, but there's no dryer.  The women's room's stalls face the entrance, so it's a good thing they have doors, as this timidly taken photo may not make clear:

I saw a woman waving her hands to dry them when I was doing the same, so presumably that room also lacks a dryer.

I have no idea where the money allocated to the project ended up.

So that's my report on Gas Works Park and some others, dear Diary.  Tomorrow, back to two Fremont parks to tidy up more loose ends, and on to Ballard.