Seattle’s new Elliott Bay Connection. | Rendering courtesy of Downtown Seattle Association
For decades, Seattle’s relationship with its western edge was defined by the Viaduct, rail lines and the unending roar of traffic.
Now, a major transformation along the shoreline has fundamentally shifted how the city interacts with the Salish Sea.
The final piece of the ambitious Elliott Bay Connections Project was recently completed when Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks reopened to the public. The parks include expanded beach access, thousands of native plants, more trees, new furniture, directional signage, beach cove and habitat restoration and kid-friendly play areas.
Also included is an amenities building named haʔłali — the Lushootseed word for “The Good Place.” A new pedestrian and bicycle trail connecting Waterfront Park to Olympic Sculpture Park opened this past April.
The $50 million Elliott Bay Connections Project was launched in 2023. The continuous, 50-acre stitching of waterfront parks stretches for three-and-a-half miles from Pioneer Square to Smith Cove. It honors the region’s first inhabitants, integrating Coast Salish architectural elements and interpretive storytelling led by Indigenous designers.
The public-private partnership was funded entirely by private philanthropy and required no taxpayer money. Donors who underwrote the estimated $50 million cost of construction included philanthropists Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott, The Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation and Expedia.
“Having lived in Seattle for more than three decades, I know we thrive on being so close to nature,” French Gates said back in 2023. “Public parks connect us to green space and water, but they also connect us to each other. This network of waterfront parks will be a shared space for everyone and bring our city together.”