♪♪
-I'm going to start off to have a little fun.
You're going to hear from a few folks.
I'm just giving the welcome remarks.
Let me just show you some optics here.
Let me start off by saying -- just one second here.
I -- I'm a little baffled
because I saw this Michigan gear walking around here.
They're throwing my rhythm off a little bit.
But at least they're spending money here.
So let me -- James Corner,
can we stand here for one minute, please?
He's going to -- you're going to --
you're going to hear from him later.
Which -- come on right here. All right.
You see how cool we look right now?
See how cool we look?
Do you see how cool all of this looks?
That's why we're here.
Okay. -Okay.
-James, I just wanted to --
I wanted them to recognize what we're doing to Seattle.
And we're going to hear from James later
and his visionary work that we are a part of.
Let me say that we are creating the future.
You might have heard a quote by Peter Drucker
that I said once before.
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
I have so many thanks to give to all of you,
and I've said it on many occasions,
but for the laborers that did this intense work -- thank you!
For the philanthropists -- yes!
For the civic leaders and the philanthropic leaders
and the business leaders,
for the neighborhood advocates
who come around here every single day,
for them seeing what we see today,
even before it was built like this
when they were looking at that ugly viaduct --
thank you for your work.
This -- is a result of, quite frankly,
tenacity, commitment, thoughtfulness,
forward thinking, the best that Seattle has to offer.
So today as we celebrate the future that we have imagined
and built together,
we have a powerful reconnection of the --
of the space and the people. It's very appropriate
that our Native American leaders are here -- a few of them.
The seamless connection between downtown and Pike Place Market
and the entire Waterfront Park,
I opened up my administration by talking about
"Space Needle thinking."
Let's not just walk and go through the motions here
as we reimagine what this great city could be.
The Waterfront Program began in 2010,
and I see many leaders that are around from 2010.
And let me say --
be the first to say that many of you look older.
I beat them to the punch.
They -- they've been around me before.
But many of you have been around,
and when we removed the viaduct
and moved forward with 20 acres of new parks,
public space, multimodal transportation improvements,
the construction of the Overlook Walk began in summer of 2022
in the footprint of the former Alaskan Way Viaduct.
The city,
as you know, has been a strong partner in addition to those
that are in front of us.
We have, total, over $70 million invested in this Overlook Walk.
I want to recognize Councilmember
Bob Kettle right here.
I just saw you.
I don't know if you have any more colleagues here,
but I always try to -- oh, Councilmember Maritza Rivera.
I've just got the two here?
By the way, I have to suck up to them right now
because they're examining the budget right now,
so I'm going to give them all the love.
In fact, do you want to take the mic?
No? We're going to -- I've got to keep them happy.
Thank you for being here.
We have over $806 million of public
and private funding invested
in the full Waterfront Park redevelopment,
$320 million of which is city funded.
Seventy million as I said earlier invested
in Overlook Walk.
But, you know, the dollar amounts,
that sounds sort of cool. We thank you for that.
But what's more important,
I think, is how we are changing the vibe,
the rhythm, the soul of this city.
I see many people in my administration
here that walked down here -- I think you guys walked.
I'm not sure on that one.
They walked down here or took transit
because all of us are taking pride in this work
that you've done.
All of us are taking that pride, and we should.
This is the largest civic project in Seattle
since the 1962 World's Fair.
We ought to be -- let's just clap on that for a moment.
It is the cornerstone of our downtown activation plan --
building our city to its greatness.
It's creating one of the most transformative changes
Seattleites will see and experience.
We already celebrated the Ocean Pavilion with the aquarium
that opened in August.
How cool was that?
We're getting ready for FIFA 2026.
The Waterfront will be the center location.
We're going to have the fanfare at the Seattle Center.
Marshall Foster,
I've got to always give you love for what you're doing
at the Seattle Center. Thank you, Marshall!
The new space for activations down there,
the Friends of the Waterfront -- heck, they're more than friends.
I don't know.
They're first cousins or something.
They are killing it!
This activation has piloted over 100 programs annually.
We're welcoming 1.3 million visitors to Pier 62.
We are on the move,
and it's going to take more than just a happy attitude.
It's going to take this hard work that we're seeing.
So that's my inspirational speech,
and it's going to go into the Husky game
tomorrow against Michigan.
I remind you that I did play on a team that beat Michigan.
It can be done. Chris, it can be done.
So, next, you're going to hear one of our superstars
in our administration, Angie Brady,
Director for the Office of Waterfront and Civic Projects.
Angie Brady, take it from here.
-Oh, wow! That's a hard act to follow.
I'm here representing the bright colors, as you can see.
Nobody else -- everyone else is in black.
Thank you, Mayor Harrell.
And thanks to all of you here for joining us
in celebration of this opening. The completion of Overlook Walk
is the result of deep partnerships
and our shared vision of a greener, more accessible,
and connected cityscape and community.
Construction of Overlook Walk began in earnest
in summer of 2022
in the footprint of the Alaskan Way Viaduct
between Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium.
Today we're opening a new 60,000 square foot park
in the heart of Seattle's transformed waterfront,
including both the elevated portion
we're standing together on now, and the public plazas below us.
Overlook Walk bridges nearly a hundred vertical feet
from Pike Place Market down to our Waterfront Park promenade.
It provides a direct
and accessible route for people walking
and rolling between downtown and the waterfront,
including two elevators on either side of Alaskan Way.
It is truly a world away from the doubledecker
elevated freeway
that once existed here exactly where we are standing.
Overlook Walk offers something for everyone to enjoy.
To state the obvious,
it is the perfect location for sightseeing with its stunning,
elevated, panoramic, 360-degree views of Elliott Bay
and the Olympic Mountains behind me.
On a clear day,
you can see to the south beautiful Mount Rainier
in all of its glory.
And of course,
Seattle's beautiful downtown skyline behind you.
Here you have ample space
to relax with plenty of seating offering views from every level,
landscaping that will only get more lush
and more beautiful over time,
and a future concessionaire space with a covered canopy
to --
to help keep you dry during our
classic rainy days here in Seattle.
And thank God the rain went away for this.
We've even included a couple of short slides and a climbing wall
for children to play up on the slope up there.
Hopefully you've seen that.
And for the art lovers in the crowd,
we have two significant permanent public art works
we are working to install by early 2025.
A large-scale artwork will be installed
on Overlook Walk Salish Steps just here down below us
to honor the native history of Seattle's waterfront.
Created by the MTK Matriarchs Indigenous artists,
Malynn Foster, Tamela LaClair, and Kimberly Deriana,
the piece will resemble an open cross-warped
twined basket symbolizing the matriarchs
who have preserved their traditions, teachings,
and technologies through weaving and carving.
The second artwork at Overlook Walk will be created
by internationally-renowned artist, Ann Hamilton.
Visible through a perforated screen below the Overlook Walk,
it will feature marionette-like figures animated
by overhead cables.
These suspended elements will interact with the street,
water, and the setting western sun,
creating a dynamic visual experience.
It is thanks to all of you and so many others.
Seattleites have been at the table
since the beginning sharing their vision and excitement
for our future,
and we hope they're proud of the Overlook Walk
and our new waterfront created by them and for them.
The transformation of Seattle's waterfront
was envisioned beginning in 2010
with the leadership team at New York City-based
landscape architecture firm, Field Operations,
in partnership with the city,
a deep community engagement process,
and many civic and community leaders over the years.
You'll hear from James here in just a moment.
I would especially like
to thank the original
Central Waterfront Executive Committee members today
for their unwavering leadership and support
of the Overlook Walk project and the entire Waterfront Park.
And I'm going to -- I'm going to name some names here,
so bear with me.
The absolutely fearless Maggie Walker
(I see you sitting here) --
-- and the late, great Mayor Charlie Royer who --
-- we miss him and we know he's watching over us today --
who were co-chairs and leaders of the Executive Committee.
Gerry Johnson, John Nesholm, who co-chaired
the Finance and Public Partnership Subcommittee --
because it's important to find money to pay for these things.
Patrick Gordon and Mark Reddington --
I saw you all here today --
who co-chaired the Design Oversight Subcommission.
Carol Binder and Bob Davidson,
co-chairs of the Long-Term Stewardship Subcommittee.
And -- David Freiboth and Ed Medeiros
who were co-chairs
of our Outreach and Public Engagement Subcommittee.
The Executive Committee and many others
donated their most valuable commodity -- their time --
to help us dream big
and aspire to create incredible public spaces
like Overlook Walk.
We all know these types of projects tend to be expensive.
On behalf of the City,
I want to thank each of the philanthropic donors
who have donated to Friends of Waterfront Park's
$170 million campaign to fund both capital costs
of construction and also ongoing
and future programming and stewardship efforts.
For those who may not know,
$110 million in private donations
are going directly toward the capital cost of Seattle's
new waterfront including Overlook Walk,
an unprecedented amount of financial contribution
from the private folks.
Thank you so much for your generosity
and for trusting the City to deliver on our commitments.
We also, of course,
want to thank the City of Seattle taxpayers
and Local Improvement District (LID) ratepayers
without whom any of this would have been possible.
Delivering Overlook Walk has been a dream come true
for our Waterfront team
and we sincerely hope you are all proud of the results
you are witnessing today.
I want to give a shoutout to Jacobs,
the project management and structural engineering leads,
Hoffman Construction,
and the trades
who have done a phenomenal job building this
uniquely challenging project for us.
To our excellent construction management team supported
by an HNTB Jacobs joint venture and, of course,
my entire City Waterfront Team,
both former and current team members,
many of whom are here today.
Special shoutout to Marshall Foster,
our former director and my partner in crime
in all of this work.
And our Waterfront Program construction manager,
Jessica Murphy, someone I love dearly.
It was an honor and a privilege to work with you both.
With that,
let's talk a little bit about construction
of this architectural masterpiece.
And it's taken a lot of people to get us where we are today,
and we want to give special thanks
to the construction tradespeople
who have spent countless hours building Overlook Walk
and the rest of the Waterfront Program.
The City of Seattle has a longstanding commitment
to create meaningful access to high wage construction careers
for people of color and women
through our priority hire program.
The program creates thousands of jobs for people living
in economically distressed communities
to work on the City's construction projects.
The Waterfront Program's
Elliott Bay Seawall replacement project was --
was the start of the City's first priority hire program
in 2013,
thanks to the visionaries at the City and labor
leaders like Monty Anderson, Executive Secretary
of the Seattle Building and Construction Trades.
I -- I think he's here today with us.
And since then
the Waterfront Program projects have performed
2.2 million hours of craft labor,
sending at least $26 million in wages
to communities in economically disadvantaged zip codes.
In addition,
Overlook Walk has specifically supported women- and
minority-owned businesses,
making up for more than 15% of the project
and nearly $10 million paid to women- and
minority-owned businesses.
Overlook Walk is a significant engineering and construction
accomplishment built in one of the busiest areas
on our waterfront where various projects come together.
I am proud of the collaboration with the Seattle Aquarium.
Thank you, Bob Davidson,
and the Seattle Aquarium Board for your leadership --
I see you over here -- to bring both Overlook Walk
and the recently-opened Ocean Pavilion to fruition.
The culmination of a decades-long partnership,
the Ocean Pavilion was designed to integrate with Overlook Walk
and provide a seamless park experience for all users.
Built concurrently in the aftermath of a global pandemic
and one of the largest regional concrete strikes
in Seattle's history,
with overlapping tower cranes shadowing years of construction,
not to mention the fact
that these projects were built
with concurrent construction happening below us
on a very active Alaskan Way,
the Overlook Walk and the Ocean Pavilion projects
are a model of what close collaboration and partnership
can achieve with strong leadership and project teams
willing to be creative in the face of constant challenges.
Additionally, many thanks to Pike Place Market
for ensuring the Market Front was already the cool place
to be before this new connection even existed,
and for being great partners
while we constructed Overlook Walk and Alaskan Way
right in front of their doorstep for many, many years.
We're proud of
and will continue to foster
and elevate the public/private partnership
between Friends of Waterfront Park and Seattle Center
for an active, safe, and beautiful waterfront.
Thank you again to Marshall Foster and Tiffany Melocchi
at the Seattle Center
who will provide a maintenance and safety
team to ensure Overlook Walk is well cared for
and safe from the moment it opens.
They have hired a dedicated team of city employees
who provide maintenance and public safety at this park,
their emergency services unit which is available 24/7
and can be reached via their hotline,
and they support visitors with varying needs.
Seattle Center brings to the partnership
its expertise in managing a complex public urban space
with large-scale events, maintenance,
and public safety integrated into its core operations.
Joy Shigaki, right behind me --
you're going to hear from her in just a minute --
spearheads Friends of Waterfront Park,
the nonprofit responsible for fundraising,
stewarding, and programming Waterfront Park
alongside community.
Friends leads the activation of the park's public spaces
through dynamic programming like music performances,
fitness classes, art exhibits, and vendor opportunities.
They do an incredible job activating Waterfront Park
with a variety of diverse and free events.
And, finally,
today's opening of Overlook Walk marks the near completion
of Seattle's waterfront transformation,
but we are not done yet.
We continue to advance construction on key elements
along the waterfront.
Just this year we broke ground
on a new public restroom adjacent to Pier 58,
on a number of pedestrian improvements,
and Pioneer Square.
We also continue to construct the -- the Park Promenade,
three miles of protected bike lanes along the shoreline,
a new Pier 58,
and we will begin improvements on Bell Street
very shortly to connect Belltown to the waterfront.
The new Waterfront Park and Overlook Walk
would not be possible without the dedication
and hard work of our project partners.
I'd like to give a special thanks to some
of those partners today.
Jacobs Hoffman Construction Company, Field Operations,
and WSP for making today's celebration possible
through their generous sponsor --
sponsorship of today's events.
Thanks also to all of our project neighbors
who have been so patient and so considerate
as they went through this journey with us.
I'm thrilled to be here to celebrate the opening
of Overlook Walk with you, a new iconic landmark for Seattle.
We truly hope you all love it as much as we do.
And last,
but not certainly least,
Waterfront Park is planned to be fully open in spring of 2025
and we cannot wait to celebrate in grand fashion
and share our new world class waterfront with the world.
Thank you so much.
-Thank you, Angie!
Angie's 'thank you game' is strong.
Is there anyone that wasn't thanked?
Did I mention I have my favorite two councilmembers here again,
Bob Kettle and Maritza Rivera?
I want to thank you for being here!
Next you're going to hear from -- you know,
Joy Shigaki really doesn't need an introduction
when you talk about the waterfront,
but we have to give her one. She is the President and CEO.
She whispered to me --
she's not the President and CEO of the Friends of Waterfront.
She's the President and CEO
of the First Cousins of the Waterfront Park.
That's what she said.
But in all seriousness,
this doesn't get done by just goodwill.
Leadership, leadership, leadership.
I present to you Joy Shigaki.
And we thank her and we welcome her to the stage.
Thank you, Joy.
Thank you. -Thank you. Good afternoon.
Well, the sun came out at the right moment,
but we would have --
we would have still celebrated in the rain.
There are extraordinary moments that happen in our city
and this would be one of them,
and 'awe' is the word that comes to mind.
When you think about moments of awe,
when you walk into an extraordinary space,
when you walk into urban parks,
Seattle is creating one of the most extraordinary places,
a stunning elevated connection from Pike Place Market
down to the waterfront.
It has been known not to be easy to navigate the hill climb,
some very sort of unsteady staircases.
But being able to create this beautiful,
seamless connection from the Pike Place Market,
the 360-degree views down to the waterfront,
is a big part of how we share this with everyone
who comes into our city and visitors
who make their -- their visit here time and time
again to take in the views of the Salish Sea,
to take in the views of the Olympics and Mount Rainier
and the city skyline which, by the way,
is quite stunning now that the viaduct is down.
To take in the stunning Indigenous plantings
that are in this space that remind us
that we're on Coast Salish land,
to hear the laughs of children on the playgrounds,
to have a moment of quiet on the Coast Salish Steps or
perhaps to take in a performance on a warm, sunny day.
And to maybe meet a friend at the cafe over lunch.
There's so much to experience in this place,
and there's more to come as the full park opens.
But this is the uniqueness of public space,
that you connect with people,
that you find places for respite,
and that it's one that we've been waiting for.
But I like to believe even if the timeline was long,
these -- these big projects are worth the wait.
So as you've heard, it's fifteen years
in the making of a vision of what would be possible,
with the dedication of city and civic leaders
and ten thousand members of our community
giving feedback into this process
of what people imagined this place could be --
businesses, cultural groups, and residents.
And this is the audacity of a twenty-acre park
that will take the place of the former doubledecker highway.
Now we've talked about it's the same height
of the former viaduct.
We all like to drive north and be in the far left lane,
but it's a much safer experience to be able to sit,
take in the views, and really believe that this --
we do magical things in this city,
and we're really putting this city on the map.
When the Central Waterfront Committee began this journey
in 2010,
we knew we had an opportunity
to create a world class downtown park,
and we couldn't be more excited
about being connected to each other,
to nature, again to the Salish Sea,
and the beauty and history of this place.
The project DNA is centered in partnership.
You cannot do these projects alone
between the city and government,
non-profit, the public sector, the private sector,
philanthropy, and community. And it's a secret sauce.
And it takes work and it takes discipline,
and that work will continue.
But that is also the Seattle --
the Seattle way and the Seattle process.
As the non-profit,
Friends is really thrilled to play this continual role
to engage with community,
early days of getting it put on design,
a park use, advocating for funding,
contributing to the construction,
and raising public awareness about this extraordinary vision
after many years of construction.
We've also focused on community engagement
because how you build spaces
where people feel a sense of belonging
and welcome has everything
to do with how you make this place welcoming
and vibrant and safe for everyone.
So we've been working alongside community partners and neighbors
and visitors to make sure that this place is one
that people see themselves,
to make sure that this is a place that's true to locals
and true to Seattle and to our values in this city.
As we lead up to park opening and beyond,
we'll continue to bring that unique programming
alongside community and activations
to ensure the park is cared for, that it's safe,
and that our investments in partnership with Seattle Center
and with Reach is extraordinary,
that you can plan your visit from where to park,
how to get down here, have clean signage and also furniture,
and create an experience that will be like no other --
at any other park in our city.
And this is about bringing the joy of public space and parks
to everyone in this -- in the city.
We're thrilled to be part of this deep partnership
alongside arts and cultural organizations,
community organizations,
to make sure that this is a place
that is a reflection of Seattle. And so the opening of --
of Overlook Walk is just the beginning
as we lead up to grand opening in the spring of 2025.
So I do have a list of additional thank yous,
but I'll make this quick --
because gratitude is important at the center of this,
and I think it's really important to note that,
you know, many people have been at this for a long time,
but there's talent and passion,
and tenacity that sits in the city.
Both the people standing behind me,
people in front of me, and also people who are not here.
Many thanks to the City of Seattle for investing
and delivering on this audacious project.
To the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects
and their extraordinary team for leading so ably and fiercely
and keeping an eye on the larger prize.
To the Central Waterfront Committee
who really had the task of envisioning big
and bold about what could be possible in the city.
To Mayor Harrell and Mayor Nickels who are very important,
along with other elected officials,
to deliver on this extraordinary project.
To Field Operations for extraordinary design,
and local designers who also brought their --
their informed work about creating a place
that is truly for Seattle and by Seattle.
The contractors, engineers, landscape architects,
construction workers --
this is what makes these places possible.
To our talented team at Seattle Center, we're so grateful.
To our community and tribal partners
who are grounding the sense of place, identity,
of equity,
of making sure
that we continue to center Indigenous voice and communities
who don't always see themselves reflected in public space.
And to the Board and staff of Friends.
It takes all of us, and it takes a village,
which I think is absolutely what you've been hearing here today.
But I also want to thank the supporters
of the Campaign for Waterfront Park.
It's a $170 million campaign.
We have many supporters who have made this happen,
and it's absolutely critical to be sure
that we complete the goal. We're at 93%, almost there.
We'll complete the project in June of '25
and then move to annual fundraising.
But I want to say thank you because big visions require big
and deep investment and care for cities like Seattle
and for projects like this.
And just a quick shout out to those co-chairs
of the early Central Waterfront Committee,
Maggie Walker who's a fierce leader,
and Charlier Royer who is looking down on us
and smiling and probably laughing about what it took
to get here,
but also knowing that there's been --
the sightline to getting to this -- this point was possible.
They drove this work with tenacity and vigor
and relentless care for the city.
So welcome to your Overlook Walk.
Welcome to Waterfront Park
which is unfolding in front of all of us.
And know that this is a place to not come today,
but please come back tomorrow and come back next week
and come back next month,
and tell everyone that this place is theirs.
And to be in awe, and to be in community,
and recognize that we are creating an audacious moment
in this city, and there is more to come.
Thank you very much.
-Thank you, Joy! Thank you, Joy!
So next you're going to hear from James Corner,
the founding partner of Field Operations,
the urban design and landscape
architecture practice for the Waterfront Park.
So this is what happened about ten or fifteen years ago.
Hey, James!
We got, like, a hundred-foot vertical gap between the Market
and the waterfront.
What you got for us?
James, come over and talk about how you turned this vision --
this vision into what we're celebrating today.
James Corner. --- very much.
First, a hearty congratulations to Seattle.
What an achievement you have all created here.
Congratulations to you.
You know, as a -- as a designer,
I always say we're only as good as our clients.
And our clients here were really the people of Seattle.
The City of Seattle,
the various agencies, the Office of the Waterfront,
the various waterfront committees,
but also the residents, the communities, the businesses and,
of course, the Friends of the Waterfront.
Now you've heard laundry lists of people --
these are people that have been at it
for well beyond the fourteen years that we've been engaged.
Thinking about the waterfront began, I don't know,
twenty years ago plus.
So there's a lot of people here and there's a lot of history,
and so that's why I say congratulations to everybody.
This is a massive achievement.
We work in cities around the world,
and I can tell you most of those cities
will be very envious of what you have accomplished here.
This is a transformation, the scale
of which most other cities can't even begin to think about.
You know, remember what was here --
the viaduct, the noise, the darkness,
the complete severance of the city from its waterfront.
The viaduct has come down.
We now have this magnificent park and
Overlook Walk opening today.
I look at the people on the balcony up there.
There must be hundreds of them up there.
They're all waiting to come.
And when they come down here,
they're all going to be standing around here looking out, too,
and so it's -- it's already a successful opening.
From a design point of view,
there were a few important ideas.
The first is, of course, the connection,
to connect Pike Place Market and downtown,
to connect pedestrian,
walkable, friendly spaces all the way down to the waterfront
and to the Aquarium and to Pier 62.
And from the underside, that was important, too.
What this is like as sort of a bridge.
And I'm really thrilled that it feels light.
If you go down and look,
or you're driving one way or the other, there's a lightness.
The space is lofted.
There's lots of light coming in from the sides.
It doesn't really feel oppressive at all.
It feels generous
and it serves as a gateway for people driving out
or into the center of -- of the city.
On the top side, the primary objective was
to create a journey so that you feel
that you're walking through a sequence of experiences.
And you begin at the top, you have all the great views.
You come through a series of gardens
and play areas and interactive spaces,
and then you come to this big platform.
The platform is really the central overlook.
We think it's sort of the new icon for Seattle, the new heart,
the new place
where we hope Seattleites will find a sense of identity,
a sense of purpose,
a sense of assembly coming together
to really take in what I think Seattle is all about,
and has been long overlooked.
And that is Elliott Bay and the view to the Olympic Mountains.
It's such an extraordinary asset
that really the city turned its back on that,
and now the city is turning around
and fronting what is an extraordinary asset
and something that everybody in Seattle
should be very proud about.
So -- and as you go down,
we've scooped these amphitheaters
where people can sit and enjoy performances and events.
So Overlook Walk is at once a connector, a journey,
a walk, a sequence of gardens and spaces,
an overlook, a platform, and a theater.
Lastly, there are just a couple of people
I want to call out from my office
that have been important from the very beginning.
There's one person in particular who has worked on this
every single day for fourteen years -- Andrew tenBrink.
Where are you, Andrew? There he is.
Special thanks for your professionalism,
for your care, for your dedication,
and your continued work here on a daily basis.
And also a -- a --
a partner at Jacobs Engineering, Andrew Barash.
Where's Andrew?
I think that the two Andrews have worked collaboratively
and hand in hand to continually solve problems and to --
to -- to get us to the -- to -- to the point we're at today.
And, lastly, Tatiana Choulika.
Tatiana and Baewon and Ethan.
These are just a number of people in the office
that have worked on this for a long, long time.
So, finally, congratulations again.
This is a big achievement.
This is the new icon for Seattle but it's --
it's not as much about this as it is about that.
And so thank you all very much and congratulations again.
-Thank you, James. Thank you, James!
He just explained to a lot of us
why we didn't go into the field of architecture.
Thank you!
But law school was an easier thing for me.
The next two speakers, Leonard Forsman -- Forsman,
the Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe,
and Donny Stevenson, Vice-Chair of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe,
are not only personal friends but men
I've come to respect for everything about their values
and their commitments to community.
The -- I think all of you have heard us describing
in different affirmations
that we're standing on the ancestral territory
of the Duwamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish nations,
and this Overlook Walk honors the cultures and histories
of these nations.
And I always try to describe it a little differently
when we hear from these two fine speakers
that it's not our responsibility to honor our tribal roots
and our heritage.
It's, indeed, our privilege. It's our honor.
And here in Seattle and here in the Northwest
we just don't give token attributes.
We believe in our words.
And if we -- and for those that don't,
we've got leaders like them to hold us accountable.
And they do it in a way of love and respect and compassion.
So you hear from Leonard and Donny,
my friends, and indeed leaders who have been part --
part with us all the way through.
Thank you. Leonard --
Leonard's on the Board of Regents
for the University of Washington.
So he -- he and I got butterflies, too, so --
-Yeah.
I can't guarantee a victory there, Mayor,
but we're going to do our best to --
perform well at Husky Stadium. I'm --
[Suquamish language spoken]
-- I'm Leonard Forsman.
I'm Chairman of the Suquamish Tribe,
the Port Madison Reservation established
by the Treaty of Point Elliott for the Suquamish
and the Elliott Bay tribes and beyond that live --
used to live here on --
on these beautiful waters that we see behind us.
These are our ancestral waters
that we've occupied for thousands of years.
And this place is important to our people
for gathering roots and berries and cattails
and other important natural resources.
And, of course, we're the home of Chief Seattle
for whom the city was named,
and he's a great, great ancestor of mine.
And it's just a great honor to say thank you and
congratulations
to everybody here
for this important connection to these waters
which are so important to us.
And not as -- it's very important
that we connect people to the water.
And as we bring them from the upland down to the shore,
it's important that they understand
how it's not just beautiful and esthetic,
but it's also important to preserve the quality
of the water underneath.
And all the animals and fish and --
plankton and all those things
that are so important to the ecosystem of the Salish Sea,
to make sure that we can continue to harvest
our treaty resources that were promised to us in the Treaty.
So I really appreciate Mayor Harrell talking
about the government
to government relationship between the Suquamish
and the City of Seattle. And it's not always perfect,
but everybody that worked on this project
just really worked hard to make it a success and be inclusive.
And as we see more of that artwork demonstrated,
we really look forward to seeing the tangible expression
of our culture and spirituality
here for all the people
who visit this great city to have an opportunity to see.
Chief Seattle had his famous speech given just down here
at Pioneer Square prior to signing the Treaty
with Governor Stevens in 1855 in Mukilteo.
And he also, just before he passed away,
had his photograph taken just blocks from here,
and it's the only known photograph of Chief Seattle.
And he made it important,
the partnership with the early settlers of this area.
His good friend, Doc Maynard,
who he mentioned in the treaty negotiations
and some of the other important pioneers
worked together to build a partnership
that kind of built the foundation of the city.
And I -- I see now that we're trying to bring that
back together today.
I see it being demonstrated today.
So I really appreciate everybody that's worked so hard on this.
I've been at it a while myself.
I think I'm on the last --
generation of the Friends of the Waterfront Park
I think we're called now.
It's gone through a few name changes,
the mission has always been the same.
And I'd just like to thank everybody
who's been thanked previously here
because I want to make my thank you list a little shorter
than Mr. Corner's there.
So I just want to say [Suquamish language spoken]
which means "I am finished."
-[Muckleshoot language spoken]
Donny Stevenson --
[ Muckleshoot Language Spoken ]
Welcome -- welcome, everyone.
My name is Donny Stevenson and I am Muckleshoot.
Good day to you all.
It's an incredible honor and a --
a privilege to be here this afternoon
and to share in such a joyous day and celebration.
I am a -- a member of the Muckleshoot Tribal Council,
also a member of the City of Seattle's
Indigenous Advisory Council,
and a member of the Central Waterfront Oversight Committee.
A couple of -- of thoughts. First things first,
that as we sort of take -- stand together in this space,
I just want to take a moment to allow everybody
to take a step back and look around.
Look around.
It's a beautiful city that we occupy,
that I've been blessed to travel all over the world
and to cities all over both the country
and -- and across this globe.
And there's no place like home.
The Muckleshoot people have lived in this area
for hundreds of generations and thousands of years.
As a matter of fact,
I was able to share in celebration for the road
we see I believe is being renamed last year --
just over a year ago --
to reclaim the traditional name of this area which was,
in our language, dzidzilalich.
Dzidzilalich has a very direct translation.
And what that really means in --
in English is "a crossing over place,"
the "little crossing over place,"
or "a place to which cross over."
And I think it's ironic that it refers to one
of the most difficult places historically in the city
to be able to get across.
So the addition of the Overwalk
is an amazing thing for all of our people.
In our language,
we have an expression
and it also has a very specific translation.
But I think it carries meaning today for -- for everyone here.
So that -- that expression
is -- is [Muckleshoot language spoken].
And what that means is "for all our people."
And it carries the connotation of honoring all
that have come before us and our familial lines,
but also all those yet to come and those whose future we shape.
I -- I raise my hands to everyone
who came together to make this day a reality.
And I do say [Muckleshoot language spoken],
for all our people.
You know, the last thing I -- I -- and I'll be quick.
The last thing I want to acknowledge here today
is as we stand and overlook the Salish Sea, Elliott Bay,
it's important to note that the species of this region
have sustained my people over the entirety
of those hundreds of generations and thousands of years
that we've lived here.
And it's a key feature to the region
that the Salish Sea doesn't exist without our people,
and our people don't exist without the Salish Sea.
I think that's true of all of the citizens
of the City of Seattle, that without the --
the natural resources that define the places we live,
our identity is lost, that we don't know who we are.
And we have a profound responsibility to protect
this place and to protect this resource -- those resources.
I -- I -- I challenge each and every one of you
to find a way to do your part to ensure that the world is a --
a better place for us being here,
and that we leave things a little better
than we found them.
I also think -- yeah, that's certainly worth an applause.
I also want to ask you to --
to look around at the beautiful gardens that surround this area,
and I want to acknowledge the Indigenous knowledge
that went into -- to helping shape this space.
That these are all Indigenous plants
that are fundamentally vital and important to our people.
They helped sustain us. They help define us.
And that there is a -- a Muckleshoot tribal member
who was vital in providing this traditional knowledge
for inclusion in this space.
Muckleshoot tribal member,
food sovereignty expert worldwide, Valerie Segrest.
And I would like to offer thanks to her for her --
for sharing that knowledge.
Lastly, I just want to acknowledge what a --
an incredible day of celebration
and coming together for a joyous occasion this represents.
That as somebody who is -- not only comes from this place,
but comes from the original people who come from this place,
I look around the Seattle waterfront today
and it's almost unrecognizable from the world I grew up in.
That what a beautiful transformation
that has taken place, and a reclamation of this space
to make it a better reflection of who we are as the --
the citizens and the residents of this region.
My hands are raised to all
who helped make that happen, and I thank you.
Last thing I'll --
I'll leave you with is just our traditional farewell.
And that's [Muckleshoot language spoken]
-- thank you very much, farewell,
and take care of yourselves.
-Thank you, Donny. That's the quote.
"There's no place like home!" That's the quote.
Our last speaker, Devin McComb,
the Council Chair of the Pike Place Market PDA,
we all know has been a key partner of the City of Seattle
and the waterfront redevelopment effort.
And, Devin, thank you for your leadership.
We haven't thanked people enough, Devin,
so work that into your words a little bit.
Come on up, Devin. -Thanks, Mr. Mayor.
I'll start there.
I -- I just want to say that I like walking
through the Market first thing in the morning.
If you haven't done it, I would highly recommend it.
And as I stood up on the MarketFront today at six o'clock
and I looked down
as you could see people just getting
the last sort of things buttoned down for this today,
and it was raining,
and I thought this is going to be miserable.
And what did we get instead?
I'm so grateful.
I also want to say when we talk about the length and persistence
of this project,
Angie and I were talking earlier that we both have kids
who were born after this began, and my son turns 13 today.
So it's -- it's been a minute.
He asked me not to mention his birthday because that's
"cringe," but I just went ahead and did it.
He's not watching this, I'm sure.
I -- I just want to say what a historic day this is,
and how great it is to celebrate the opening of Overlook Walk
because I think this is a project
that's not just about connecting places,
but about connecting people and communities.
Today we get to open this beautiful new pathway
that links the beloved Pike Place Market,
the soul of the city,
with our revitalized and energized
and vibrant waterfront.
This new space isn't just a park,
it's a bridge between these iconic places.
It's a gathering place.
I think this vital new connection is going to enhance
the experience for locals who come down to the Market
and the waterfront, and for visitors,
both from downtown coming through,
and from cruise ships coming in and bringing --
bringing them into these Seattle treasures.
This connection means so much to the Market community,
and we want to invite our -- our friends and neighbors,
met and unmet, to come into the Market and meet the producer,
discover the real people
that power this authentic public market,
and explore the waterfront to our west,
and to continue into downtown to our east.
I think many people have said this,
but it really is impressive,
and this project is such a testament
to what the city can do when we work hard and we work together.
And I want to extend my just heartfelt thanks to the Mayor
and the City of Seattle,
Councilman Kettle, the Friends at the Waterfront, the Aquarium,
for your partnership and collaboration.
I do have a few people --
I don't know if I'd say my thank you game is strong,
but it is something.
I -- I want to take just a moment to recognize
the incredible support and leadership
of the Pike Place Market.
Mary Bacarella is here. You can see her somewhere.
She, I'm sure, does not like this attention.
And I would just ask if you want to know,
we do have a -- a --
an Executive Director candidate we are working with,
but I can't talk about it yet so just hold those questions.
I promise there's more to come.
Also on the Market's leadership team,
I want to say a special thank you to Brady --
Brady Morrison, John Turnball, Erica Bates,
Sabina Proto, Amy Wallsmith, and Juan Medina,
as well as Angie [inaudible] who stuck with us
through this entire project.
So we began our work on the MarketFront building here
behind us in 2017 in collaboration with the city
and the support of the Market Historical Commission,
the Friends of the Market, the Pike Place Market Foundation.
Before this was built, this was --
that was the nicest public plaza down here,
and I'm feeling a little bit upset.
But, you know, we've got -- we've got --
we've got a covered area for our vendors.
We've got our producers' hall.
And we were able to build forty units of affordable housing
for seniors, so I think that's always something
to be cheered and accomplished.
So today we sort of celebrate the final link
between the MarketFront and -- and the waterfront.
And I -- I just think that the emphasis to me
is that the impact of this project
and what's happening on the waterfront
extends far beyond the Pike Place Market and the waterfront.
I --
I hope that this work and this project
will breathe new life into our downtown,
and offer a welcoming, accessible space
that draws people in,
that supports our local and small businesses,
and strengthens the bonds between our communities.
You know, in the market there's about 500 small businesses.
We've got about 170 craftspeople,
farmers, residents.
We've got five social service agencies.
And they all call the Market home,
and I think to those folks
this project is a symbol of opportunity and resilience
that is -- is generational in its impact.
So I'll close in just saying that I'm excited
for us to continue on this path of collaboration,
and I encourage us all to discover
and explore these unique, one-of-a-kind places,
and to continue to support the Market
and our revitalized waterfront as we celebrate today.
Thank you. -Thank you, Devin.
He mentioned today was his son's birthday.
I'm going to ask all of you
if you'd like to join us in the ribbon cutting at 4:30.
If you have one takeaway from this presentation,
I'd like that takeaway to be that my birthday is in six days
and I accept all gifts under $50.
But, in all seriousness, that project --
-- project --
wait, I've got to put my serious face on.
I'm too happy -- I'm sorry.
In all seriousness, that usually gets you serious,
projects like this define the city.
This is like the Space Needle, the Pike Place Market,
Climate Pledge, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park arenas.
It's a symbol of our city's identity.
But most importantly, that's the tangible piece,
it's a symbol that when people come together
from different backgrounds,
different socioeconomic levels, different religions --
however you define diversity.
When they come together with a vision and are smart enough
to -- to hire someone like this guy, James Corner.
When they come together, that's Seattle at its best.
I'm very fortunate to be the Mayor at the right time
during this, and so I lead with a spirit of humility with you.
Thank you.
My native American brothers, thank you.
And sisters, thank you.
We're going to cut some ribbon and let them say
that on Devin's -- is it a son or daughter, Devin?
On Devin's son's birthday, six days before your Mayor's,
we made history with Overlook Walk.
Thank you very much.
[ Cheers and applause ]