NOVEMBER 2022
Madison Park Times facebook.com/MadisonParkTimes
Serving East-Central Seattle since 1983
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Preserving the preserve
New faces, funds needed at Prospect shoreline in Madison Park
Featured Stories
Winter Blues Page 4
By Jessica Keller
Madison Park Times editor When community and public shoreline advocate Gene Brandzel spearheaded the effort to turn the weed- and trash-ridden land on 41st Avenue East and Prospect Street into a nature preserve, he had hoped to create a legacy for area residents to enjoy. Now, interim steward Octavia Chambliss is hoping new faces and funds will help secure the Prospect Nature Preserve’s future in Madison Park. Chambliss, a now-retired landscape designer who worked with Brandzel on the Prospect Steet shoreline efforts, said the 11,000-square-foot preserve is not thriving as it should. The last two exceptionally hot and dry summers have been hard on the preserve and prevented the park’s plants from getting established, Chambliss said. As a result, plants have died, and invasive species like wild clematis, horsetail and morning glory have moved in. “What we really need are more work parties to get the preserve established because there are so many invasive plants,” Chambliss said. Until the plants becomes established, Chambliss anticipates double the work will be needed in the next year or so to ensure the preserve thrives. “What would be ideal is if we could have a mix of work parties and raise enough funds to hire a work crew to come out once or twice a year to help with weeding, pruning, mulching,” Chambliss said. But that means additional help and funding is needed, as well. Turning the over-run street end into a public shoreline was a passion for Brandzel, and Chambliss said the preserve would not have been possible without him finding volunteers for work parties, raising money and working with the Seattle Department of Transportation Shoreline Street Ends project manager. Chambliss does not want his efforts to be in vain. “It’s a real gift to the neighborhood,” Chambliss said. “It’s a real legacy for the neighborhood.” Since Brandzel died last year, Chambliss has assumed an interim steward role and organized several volunteer work parties this year to tame the park and care for the
Revisiting the Park Page 6
Property Views REAL ESTATE
Photo by Jessica Keller The Prospect Nature Preserve in Madison Park next to the tennis club has not thrived as it should since it was spearheaded by former resident and street end advocate Gene Brandzel, who passed away in 2021. Interim steward Octavia Chambliss is hoping to generate new interest in the shoreline and raise money to ensure it thrives.
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