The park in question in July 1976.
The park in question in July 1976. Seattle Municipal Archives

Before Seattleites took off to get day drunk for the Fourth of July, Seattle had another cause for celebration: Jim Ellis Freeway Park's 40th birthday!

The strange, freeway-lidding park is known for its brutalist architectural elements and, unfortunately, a grisly murder. But parks activists are trying to change that.

From KING 5:

“This is the largest open public space in the city. It is 5.2 acres,” said Bob Anderson, board president of the Jim Ellis Freeway Park Association. “So we want to make this space even more available and more visible to the public, and more interesting.” ...

“We've totally replanted the park, and there's light and life in the park,” Anderson said.

To showcase the park as a respite from the headaches of being downtown, a number of city organizations are working to energize the park with various community events including Dancing Til Dusk's swing and salsa lessons and the Freeway Park Association's gardening and kite-painting classes.

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