By MATT PATNEAUDE

The first in a series of three programming workshops for the development of a Greenwood Park site concept plan was held on Feb. 8 at the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club. About 35 area residents were in attendance to voice their opinions about what they would, and would not like to see included in the park.

Landscape architects Roger Dane and Dave McNeal from JGM Landscape Architects were on hand to lead the meeting and collect public comments. A $10,000 grant from the City is funding the development of the plan. The remaining phases of the park's development - drafting of construction documents and actual construction - remain unfunded at this point.

Lori Kinnear, chair of the park project's steering committee, expressed the importance of volunteering in the fund raising effort. The steering committee is responsible for coordinating with the landscape architects, putting together the public workshops, and also serves as a clearinghouse of information.

The 2.2 acre park site, purchased by the city from the Otani family in November, lies directly north of the Boys and Girls Club, at 8635 Fremont Ave. N. Currently, greenhouses that are contaminated with asbestos and lead cover part of the property. They are set to be torn down within the next several months.

Citizens at the meeting expressed concerns about what will happen to the site over the next 12 months. Several who spoke said they don't want an empty lot with a fence around it. Don Harris of the Seattle Parks Department said that the land could be available for informal use before actual development begins. He said that the plan for the site is to "clean it, seed it, and make it green."

McNeal presented a slide show of the site and surrounding areas in which he pointed out several issues that will affect development of the park. Among these were pedestrian safety, parking, the privacy and security of adjacent properties, storm water runoff, and street improvements. He also noted that the site is too small to have sports fields for organized sports, but that areas could exist for informal sports activities.

After the slide show, those in attendance formed small groups to discuss their visions for the park. While the ideas presented ranged from a lookout tower to a small amphitheater, several common themes and issues did come forward. These included having passive open space, benches, a community garden, safe walkways or trails, and a commemorative or historical greenhouse. Some other repeated ideas were to have a playground and a wading pool.

Safety and traffic issues were also a concern for several of those who spoke at the meeting. Having some type of traffic control, especially near the Boys and Girls Club is desired. Suggestions included completely closing N. 87th to automobiles in the area or constructing an overpass. However, Kinnear pointed out that traffic control was a separate issue from the topic at hand and is the domain of Seattle Transportation. "Traffic is not a parks issue," she said.

McNeal and Dane recorded the various comments and suggestions made at the meeting. Their next step is to compile this information and construct several different diagrams of the park site. The public will have the opportunity to comment on at these diagrams at the next programming workshop. This meeting will take place at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th, on Wednesday, March 15, beginning at 7 p.m.

Citizens are welcome to volunteer and join the steering committee. For more information, call the Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center at 684-4096.