PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      4a 
Date of Meeting     June 7, 2011 
DATE:    May 27, 2011 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Jane Kilburn, Director, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT:  Special Order of Business: The Port Centennial 1911-2011 

The Port dedicated its first park atop the Bell Street Pier in 1915. With its solarium and pool, it
was originally a popular spot for families to visit on a warm June day, and a place for children to
play while mothers shopped at Pike Place Market. 
But by the 1920s, when numerous sailors started frequenting the park with their dates, the park
was closed. The Port continued to provide parks and public access to the waterfront, dedicating
Elliott Bay and Smith Cove Parks in the 1970s. On Earth Day this year, the Port renamed Elliott
Bay Park, just a short walk north of the Sculpture Park, as Centennial Park. 
During waterfront redevelopment in the 1990s, the Bell Street rooftop reopened as a central
viewpoint, along with new parks like Jack Block Park at Terminal 5. Today, the Port maintains
22 parks and public access sites totaling over 60 acres, all with 100% organic landscaping. 
Found objects such as driftwood, large floats, anchors, and industrial items are used as part of the
landscaping. All of the Port's parks and public access areas are maintained by five gardeners. 
Over the years, the Port's parks have received many environmental awards for recycling, water
conservation, and hazardous waste reduction, including 2008 Salmon Safe; the 2004 Phoenix
Award for the Terminal 18 redevelopment project; and the EnviroStar certification since 1998, a
King County program to manage hazardous materials and waste. 
Parks maintained by the Port can be reserved for special events and social activities such as
weddings, public festivals, and organized bike and fun runs. 
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SPECIAL ORDER: 
PowerPoint presentation