Forbes names Cal Anderson Park one of America's best

This last week or so Seattle got a bad but maybe true rap for being the city with the worst traffic.  I would love to argue the point just because I was born and raised here but we all know that the traffic sucks.  I also have learned with some maturity to pick my battles so instead I will divert your attention to Cal Anderson Park.

If you have not heard this...Forbes Mag has named our own Cal Anderson Park as one of the 12 BEST URBAN Parks!  Of course, it might be hell getting to it, but still...pretty kewl, eh?


I very much liked in part what was said about Cal in Forbes as the tone was reverend and I will quote that part of the article here.  You can read the details of the history of the park as it too was interesting and to me Cal was a central figure in the landscape of our city and now literally - our city.

The story, "America's Best City Parks," says of Cal Anderson Park, "When a federal regulation required drinking-water reservoirs to be covered, Seattle took the opportunity to make its Lincoln Reservoir roof double as park space."

"The result," says Peter Harnik of the Trust for Public Land, "was beautiful parkland. The recently redesigned space in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood includes paths, wading pools, and playing fields."

The park is named after the late Cal Anderson, a decorated Vietnam veteran who served as an aide to the late City Councilmember George Benson and to Mayor Charles Royer. Anderson was then appointed and later elected the state's first openly Gay legislator. He served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1987 to 1994, when he was elected to the State Senate. Anderson died in 1995. A beloved politician, Anderson worked diligently on legislation relating to Gay rights, campaign finance reform, easier voter registration, and easy access to government documents.

For the entire article: Forbes names Cal Anderson Park one of America's best: "by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer