Westlake Park
Seattle
Westlake Park is a small square in the downtown shopping district, opened in 1988. Next to it is the monorail station, home of the beam train built for the 1962 world exposition.
Twenty years of plans
As early as the 1960s, the city wanted a park with shops at this intersection. Many different proposals came, one after another, and none truly pleased everyone. There were also long debates, which ended in 1984.
A park and its shops
Work began in 1986 and finished just in time. On October 20, 1988, the shopping center and the park opened together. The square was designed by landscape architect Robert Mitchell Hanna.
The train on the beam
The monorail was born for the 1962 world exposition. It runs on two concrete beams, one for each of the two trains. Building the line took less than a year: work began in April 1961 and ended in January 1962.
A lively square
Today the park has play equipment, tables and events in every season. In winter the holiday decorations arrive; when the sun shines, people eat outdoors. At lunchtime people from the nearby offices arrive, and children run to the play corner. From here you can walk to the market and the waterfront.
