Beacon Hill Trail Extension and Park Clean-up Builds Community through Volunteer Efforts

Following the grand opening of the Mountains to Sound Trail on Beacon Hill in October by the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s office and other long-term partners, volunteers will return to adjacent Dr. José Rizal Park on Saturday, November 12^th to plant native trees and shrubs. Over the years, a multitude of community groups and non-profit organizations, including the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, as well as the City of Seattle have worked hard to improve public access and safety in this underutilized park that has long been a safety concern due to gang and drug activity.

The park is on the west side of Beacon Hill and has a sweeping view of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay. José Rizal Park is a favorite gathering and picnic spot for members of the Filipino community. The meadow slope site was transferred to the parks department in 1971, and was named after Dr. José Rizal three years later. Dr. Rizal is a Filipino national hero who, during his short life, made lasting contributions to literature, medicine, and political and social reform.

The November 12^th planting event will bring together committed neighbors, community groups, and students- including some from Seattle’s Rainier Scholars program. Rainier Scholars is an academic and leadership enrichment program serving promising students of color from 6^th grade through college graduation with a focus on creating future community leaders. The students helped remove invasive weeds such as Himalayan blackberry earlier in the spring and will return to the park to plant native trees and shrubs. Native trees are critical to the health of the Pacific Northwest. Trees improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases, provide important wildlife habitat and help filter pollution from nearby freeway activity.

“With help from so many dedicated volunteers and community groups, we are working together to make Dr. José Rizal Park and the Mountains to Sound Trail into welcoming accessible spaces for our community as well as creating a new legacy of stewardship of this area,” said Margaret Ullman, Volunteer Program Manager for the Greenway Trust.