City, community groups creating Memorial Garden in MLK Ways Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park

Seattle Parks and Recreation is launching a Memorial Garden Development Project in Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, which aims to honor Seattle's Black diaspora and promote healing through community involvement. The project has an initial budget of $150,000 for planning and concept design, with the first phase featuring a garden next to the park's fountain. This initiative comes amid stalled efforts to create a Black Lives Matter memorial installation at Cal Anderson Park, where the previous community-run garden was removed for park upgrades. The city is partnering with organizations like Clean Greens Farm & Market and the NAACP to ensure community voices shape the garden's design.

The interim garden will serve as a gathering space for healing and storytelling while building momentum for the project's full design. Parks and Recreation anticipates moving toward a final design early next year, with future phases contingent on additional funding. The city actively seeks grants and fundraising opportunities to support the project. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park is located at 2200 Martin Luther King Jr.

Way, where more information can be found on the city’s website.