Marra-Desimone Park — Attraction in Seattle

In the best of times this park was routinely neglected by the Seattle Parks department. In 2015/16 they proposed a grand plan for improvements, which they shared with the neighborhood residents; even earmarking over $1million for the project. Many of us were excited for the upgraded facilities. Seattle Parks immediately spent half a million of the budget on consultants. Except for forcing one group of park users to demolish their perfectly adequate chicken coop and build a new one in a different location, they have done absolutely nothing. And four years later the money is all gone. The half of the park that is not gardening area (which is well maintained by non profit food organizations and groups of private citizens) is now a desolate garbage ridden wasteland with knee high grass and weeds. At night people drink, use drugs, and even sleep in their cars overnight in the rutted gravel parking lot. There are two overflowing trash cans; one on either end of the park. There are two porta potties, but one is locked and only available for volunteer groups that come to work in the nonprofit gardens. The other Porta-Potty is a filthy nightmare. There are piles of human, cat, and dog waste throughout the park. At least one large family of feral cats lives in the park, feasting on the thriving rat population. This has got to be the worst facility that Seattle Parks department claims to maintain in the entire city. 09/21 -- Since this original review, Seattle has begun building a real park on the land and when it's done I think it's going...

While visiting our kids recently, we walked over (with their dog) to this quiet, attractive, little neighborhood park. Enjoyed throwing Frisbee for Blue, walking around the park, and seeing the community gardens. The fall colors added to the ambiance! Nice use of green space to escape their house for a little exercise and quiet time. The park didn't have a...

Beautiful Place Des Moines being my favorite city in the Seattle area it's a wonderful place they've got wonderful people and wonderful staff and the police in that town are great there helpful and kind the marina staff at the city marinas helpful and kind and very good people that just all-around Des Moines is a beautiful place I wish I...