As Clark Park gazebo’s fate remains unclear, city pitches dog park plan

EVERETT — The 103-year-old Clark Park gazebo could have a final resting place.

City parks staff asked the Everett Historical Commission last week for permission to disassemble the gazebo and store it in a city-owned storage facility.

In its place, the city would build a 31,000-square-foot dog park, with fencing designed to resemble the gazebo, along with signage memorializing the gazebo and the park’s history.

For the second time, the commission delayed its decision. They want to hear from City Attorney David Hall first to ensure they’re complying with city code.

The commission can’t stop the city from removing the gazebo, but can make a recommendation to city officials, city spokesperson Simone Tarver noted in an email.

If the commission doesn’t approve, the city will “take that under advisement,” Tarver said.

Parks Director Bob Leonard said the City Council will likely vote on the matter at some point, regardless of what the commission decides.

The commission added Clark Park to the register of historic places in 1993.

In January, Mayor Cassie Franklin announced the city’s decision to remove the gazebo, citing safety concerns. The announcement sparked public outcry.

Clark Park is one of the few public spaces homeless people can gather near downtown without facing fines or jail time, per the city’s no-sit, no-lie zones created in 2023.

In February, a few dozen people gathered to “heart bomb” the gazebo, decorating it with paper hearts and messages of preservation.

More than 100 people signed a petition to keep the gazebo, Andrea Tucker, a member of local nonprofit Historic Everett, wrote in a letter to the commission.

There’s no timeline for when the gazebo could be removed or when dog park construction could begin, Tarver said.

Demolishing the gazebo would cost about $20,000, Tarver said. Dismantling it for storage would cost more, but the city didn’t have that cost readily available.

Adding shutters to the gazebo to close it when not in use could cost up to $400,000, Tarver said. Moving it to another spot could cost up to $236,000. There is currently no cost estimate for the dog park.

At their meeting last week, historical commission members brainstormed ways to keep the gazebo where it is.

Commissioner Jean Satti-Hewat proposed keeping the gazebo in the park for a “trial period” of a year or two, to see if the dog park will “activate” the space enough to allow the structure to remain.

Historical Commission Chair Patrick Hall suggested using the gazebo roof as one of the entrances to the park.

However, Leonard said a covered structure leads to more crime.

Since 1921, the gazebo roof has been replaced twice, while wooden and metal supports have been added, city documents say. The structure is a vestige of what was built over a century ago.

Bayside Neighborhood Association Chair Henry Cotter said he “reluctantly” supports removing the gazebo.

“Getting rid of the gazebo won’t solve the homelessness issue,” he said. “It will solve the gazebo issue. We tried, and tried, and tried to activate the park. We will continue to try. It’s not a done deal. But we support the removal of the gazebo out of love for the park.”

Cotter said residents are afraid to visit the park.

“It’s like pulling teeth to get people (in the gazebo). They won’t use it, and we want this park to be used,” he said. “… We get emails telling about run-ins with the homeless. One person and their child said they were followed home from the park.”

The proposed dog park is set to occupy the southeast quadrant of the park, to the east of the tennis courts and south of the playground.

The plan preserves all the park’s trees, guarding them with fencing and root covers. Additionally, the design includes new lighting and the city plans to keep the park open, along with the tennis courts, until 10 p.m.

The parks department plans to work with the commission to find more ways to memorialize the gazebo at the dog park, Leonard said.

Still, Shannon Hines, a former Everett resident now living in Mukilteo, thinks historical artifacts should be preserved for future generations.

“I would personally love to see history preserved,” Hines said. “This is something that I would love to share with my grandchildren that my parents and grandparents enjoyed. I think it’s sad that you guys are just taking this away. I don’t want to just show my grandkids pictures. I want them to see it. I want them to physically see it.”

The next historical commission meeting is at 6:30 p.m. April 23 at 2930 Wetmore Ave., Suite 8A. Meetings are also streamed online.

Ashley Nash: 425-339-3037; ashley.nash@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @ash_nash00.