Saint Edward State Park
Encyclopedia
Saint Edward State Park is a 316 acres (127.9 ha)-park in Kenmore, Washington
and Kirkland, Washington
. It is part of the Washington State Park System
. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park for bicyclists
and hikers
. The forest canopy is primarily made up of the Coast Douglas-fir
, Western Redcedar
, Bigleaf Maple
, Pacific Madrone
and Western Hemlock
. Its dense carpet includes many varieties of fern
(mainly Western Sword Fern
), shrub
and moss
. It is flanked on the west by an undeveloped beach on Lake Washington
. The park surrounds the Saint Thomas Center, which houses Bastyr University
.
, listed on the Washington State Heritage Register since 1997 and added in April 2007 to the National Register of Historic Places
. This large, historic building has fallen into disrepair in recent years. It is not currently accessible to the public except by special arrangement, e.g. renting the refectory
for special events.
Other facilities include the indoor Carole Ann Wald Memorial Pool, which was built in the late 1960s with funding from a seminarian's family, and named after the seminarian's sister and donors' daughter. The pool has been operated in recent years by concessionaires and was mothballed December 31, 2009, pending a new operator and/or a greater consortium of support from SESP near-neighbor citizenry, municipalities, and other sponsors.
City of Kenmore, Evergreen Health, and Bastyr University helped underwrite the CAWM Pool from 2003-2008. In 2009 only Evergreen Health and Bastyr University were continuing partners.
The gymnasium and an outdoor stone sanctuary ("the Grotto") both date from the original 1930's construction period. A baseball
field and a soccer field lay south of the seminary building.
The park boasts the largest children's playground in the state, built primarily by local volunteers in 2003. It was recently named one of the Top 5 playgrounds in Washington State.
The park is day-use only, and no camping is permitted. Dogs are allowed at Saint Edward State Park but state law requires that they be on a physical leash (8 feet or less) at all times.
A local citizens group, Friends of Saint Edward State Park, assists the Park Department in scheduling park usage, but is barred by contract from advocacy.
Another citizen group, Saint Edward Environmental Learning Center (SEELC) is dedicated to creating a sustainable future through park preservation, community collaboration, and innovative educational experiences for all ages. The Kenmore Reporter covered SEELC's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
as part of its environmental-education program, which consists of a variety of courses at Saint Edward State Park between Spring and Fall each year.
project for the park. Also known as Classification and Management Planning (CAMP), the project addresses overall visitor experiences, natural and cultural resources, use of the park’s buildings, recreation fields and trails, and other topics of interest to the community and customers.
Because the "Friends" group is barred from advocacy, another citizens group, Citizens for Saint Edward State Park, emerged to contribute public comment and ideas.
A proposal by McMenamins
to develop the main building into a hotel, restaurant, and conference center was withdrawn in spring of 2007.
With elevated attention from C4SEP the State Legislature allocated $500,000 to evaluate the declining condition of the seminary building, and $500,000 toward much needed and previously deferred maintenance.
With the newly available injection of funding, State Parks began an RFQ process with architectural firms Spring 2007, moving forward toward a timely evaluation, creating an opportunity for a wider array of prospective uses.
Bassetti Architects
were selected to evaluate and report on the Seminary building.
Ranger/Park Manager Mohammad Mostafavinassab reports (April 2008) that an additional $1.7 million is being funded for Phase 1 (repair/replace foundation and field drainage, and repair foundation), and to begin Phase 2 (Exterior repairs).
In 2010 Friends of Saint Edward State Park and Kenmore Heritage Society began working
together on the Interpretive Sign project, drawing on KHS's experience with the Kenmore History Path
at Log Boom Park.
by the Sulpician Order. The St. Edward Seminary
was constructed in 1931, followed in 1958 by the Saint Thomas Seminary, and pool in 1969. Due to declining enrollments, the seminaries closed in 1977. Most of the land was sold to the state of Washington, with the support of then-governor Dixy Lee Ray
.
The remainder of the land, which includes the Saint Thomas Seminary (now Saint Thomas Center) continued under the ownership of the archdiocese until November 2005, when its tenant, Bastyr University
, completed their purchase of the property.
Kenmore, Washington
Kenmore is a city in King County, Washington, United States, along the northernmost shores of Lake Washington...
and Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
. It is part of the Washington State Park System
Washington State Park System
The Washington State Park System is a set of state parks owned by the state government of Washington, USA. They are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. As of 2011, the parks are primarily funded through the state's general fund, augmented by usage fees...
. Before becoming a Catholic seminary and later a state park, the area was logged in the 19th century and again in the 1920s. A series of trails runs through the park for bicyclists
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
. The forest canopy is primarily made up of the Coast Douglas-fir
Coast Douglas-fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii, known as Douglas-fir, Oregon Pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer species native to western North America. Its variety Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, also known as coast Douglas-fir grows in the coastal regions, from west-central British Columbia, Canada...
, Western Redcedar
Thuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
, Bigleaf Maple
Bigleaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum is a large deciduous tree in the genus Acer.It can grow to be up to 35 m tall, but more commonly grows 15 m to 20 m tall. It is native to western North America, mostly near the Pacific coast, from southernmost Alaska to southern California...
, Pacific Madrone
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii, commonly known as the Pacific Madrone, is a species of Arbutus found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California...
and Western Hemlock
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
. Its dense carpet includes many varieties of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
(mainly Western Sword Fern
Polystichum munitum
Polystichum munitum is an evergreen fern native to western North America, where it is one of the most abundant ferns occurring along the Pacific coast from southeast Alaska south to southern California, and also inland east to southeastern British Columbia, northern Idaho and western Montana, with...
), shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
. It is flanked on the west by an undeveloped beach on Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
. The park surrounds the Saint Thomas Center, which houses Bastyr University
Bastyr University
Bastyr University was established as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1978 in Seattle, Washington by Sheila Quinn, Joseph Pizzorno, ND, LM; William Mitchell, ND; and Les Griffith, ND, LM...
.
Facilities
The park's most singular feature is the Saint Edward SeminarySt. Edward Seminary
Saint Edward Seminary was an institution for developing Catholic priests in Washington state, USA. Named for Saint Edward the Confessor and located in the city of Kenmore, it operated for 46 years before closing in 1976. The seminary and most of its grounds now constitute Saint Edward State Park...
, listed on the Washington State Heritage Register since 1997 and added in April 2007 to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. This large, historic building has fallen into disrepair in recent years. It is not currently accessible to the public except by special arrangement, e.g. renting the refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
for special events.
Other facilities include the indoor Carole Ann Wald Memorial Pool, which was built in the late 1960s with funding from a seminarian's family, and named after the seminarian's sister and donors' daughter. The pool has been operated in recent years by concessionaires and was mothballed December 31, 2009, pending a new operator and/or a greater consortium of support from SESP near-neighbor citizenry, municipalities, and other sponsors.
City of Kenmore, Evergreen Health, and Bastyr University helped underwrite the CAWM Pool from 2003-2008. In 2009 only Evergreen Health and Bastyr University were continuing partners.
The gymnasium and an outdoor stone sanctuary ("the Grotto") both date from the original 1930's construction period. A baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
field and a soccer field lay south of the seminary building.
The park boasts the largest children's playground in the state, built primarily by local volunteers in 2003. It was recently named one of the Top 5 playgrounds in Washington State.
The park is day-use only, and no camping is permitted. Dogs are allowed at Saint Edward State Park but state law requires that they be on a physical leash (8 feet or less) at all times.
A local citizens group, Friends of Saint Edward State Park, assists the Park Department in scheduling park usage, but is barred by contract from advocacy.
Another citizen group, Saint Edward Environmental Learning Center (SEELC) is dedicated to creating a sustainable future through park preservation, community collaboration, and innovative educational experiences for all ages. The Kenmore Reporter covered SEELC's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
as part of its environmental-education program, which consists of a variety of courses at Saint Edward State Park between Spring and Fall each year.
Renovation
In 2005, Washington State Parks began a land use planningLand use planning
Land-use planning is the term used for a branch of public policy encompassing various disciplines which seek to order and regulate land use in an efficient and ethical way, thus preventing land-use conflicts. Governments use land-use planning to manage the development of land within their...
project for the park. Also known as Classification and Management Planning (CAMP), the project addresses overall visitor experiences, natural and cultural resources, use of the park’s buildings, recreation fields and trails, and other topics of interest to the community and customers.
Because the "Friends" group is barred from advocacy, another citizens group, Citizens for Saint Edward State Park, emerged to contribute public comment and ideas.
A proposal by McMenamins
McMenamins
McMenamins is a chain of nearly sixty brewpubs, microbreweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs. The chain is located mostly in the Portland metropolitan area, but has many other locations in Oregon and Washington...
to develop the main building into a hotel, restaurant, and conference center was withdrawn in spring of 2007.
With elevated attention from C4SEP the State Legislature allocated $500,000 to evaluate the declining condition of the seminary building, and $500,000 toward much needed and previously deferred maintenance.
With the newly available injection of funding, State Parks began an RFQ process with architectural firms Spring 2007, moving forward toward a timely evaluation, creating an opportunity for a wider array of prospective uses.
Bassetti Architects
Bassetti Architects
Bassetti Architects is an architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington with a second office in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1947, the firm has designed several well-known Seattle landmarks and many schools in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, including several buildings at the Pike Place...
were selected to evaluate and report on the Seminary building.
Ranger/Park Manager Mohammad Mostafavinassab reports (April 2008) that an additional $1.7 million is being funded for Phase 1 (repair/replace foundation and field drainage, and repair foundation), and to begin Phase 2 (Exterior repairs).
In 2010 Friends of Saint Edward State Park and Kenmore Heritage Society began working
together on the Interpretive Sign project, drawing on KHS's experience with the Kenmore History Path
at Log Boom Park.
History
From the 1920s until 1977, the land on which Saint Edward State Park sits was owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. From 1931, it was developed and used for a seminarySeminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
by the Sulpician Order. The St. Edward Seminary
St. Edward Seminary
Saint Edward Seminary was an institution for developing Catholic priests in Washington state, USA. Named for Saint Edward the Confessor and located in the city of Kenmore, it operated for 46 years before closing in 1976. The seminary and most of its grounds now constitute Saint Edward State Park...
was constructed in 1931, followed in 1958 by the Saint Thomas Seminary, and pool in 1969. Due to declining enrollments, the seminaries closed in 1977. Most of the land was sold to the state of Washington, with the support of then-governor Dixy Lee Ray
Dixy Lee Ray
Dixy Lee Ray was the 17th Governor of the U.S. State of Washington. She was Washington's first female governor.-Early years:...
.
The remainder of the land, which includes the Saint Thomas Seminary (now Saint Thomas Center) continued under the ownership of the archdiocese until November 2005, when its tenant, Bastyr University
Bastyr University
Bastyr University was established as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1978 in Seattle, Washington by Sheila Quinn, Joseph Pizzorno, ND, LM; William Mitchell, ND; and Les Griffith, ND, LM...
, completed their purchase of the property.
External links
- Seattle Times writeup
- Video Tour, a May 2009 video of the seminary building, created by the Seattle Times (approximately 4 minutes).
- Saint Edward State Park, Washington State Parks & Recreation site
- City of Kenmore Parks and Recreation
- Archdiocese of Seattle
- Saint Edward Environmental Learning Center
- Friends of Saint Edward State Park
- Seattle Citysearch review
- Citizens for Saint Edward Park aka C4SEP
- Inglemoor High Boys Swim Team
- Inglemoor High Girls Swim Team
- Kenmore Heritage Society
- OceanPizzaSun article review with photos