SEATTLE — A new little beach on Seattle’s waterfront gives a glimpse of what the city may have looked like before settlers arrived.
The Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, dreamed up about a decade ago, is a 200-foot-long stretch of sand, rocks and native plants and shrubs like Nootka rose and dunegrass. It opened to the public for the first time Saturday and spans from Colman Dock to Pier 48, the historic Washington Street Boat Landing. The urban beach mimics what once was there and is intended to act as a refuge for juvenile salmon migrating along Seattle’s waterfront.
Over the years, Seattle replaced a natural, sloping beach with rigid sea walls, poured pollutants into the water and invited massive ships into Elliott Bay. Salmon migrating from today’s heavily industrialized Duwamish River often swim toward West Seattle or downtown in search of spaces where they can seek refuge from predators and find food.
While salmon never completely abandoned the downtown waterfront, research indicates the new seawall, completed in 2017, is easing their passage.
On Saturday, families skipped rocks, shared snacks and explored the shoreline.
Seattleites Bridget and Beau Collins were among the first crowd to venture out, snacking on cherries and soaking up the midday sun.
“It’s the perfect spot to enjoy the waterfront,” Bridget Collins said.
“Because there’s never a place to actually access the water from the waterfront,” Beau Collins added.
Many beachgoers Saturday said they’d walked by the site for months, eagerly awaiting the gate to open.
“I’m just happy for everybody,” Seattle resident Greg Davis said. “Now they can get this little bit, this slice of nature, right here.”
People who traveled to the city for the Mariners game saw the little beach as a refuge from the crowds and noise of downtown.
“The waterfront vision has always been to reconnect the city to its waterfront,” said Jessica Murphy, construction program manager for the city’s waterfront construction office. “People used to walk along the waterfront and not even realize there was water next to them. There were very few opportunities to see and experience the water in our urban environment.”
Work on the intertidal habitat began in October 2018 and wrapped up in 2019. Barges helped bring in about 45,000 tons of sand, gravel, soil, shells and rocks that were added to the shoreline.
Crews built a sloped shoreline, beginning with rock to armor the beach, followed by sand and gravel and soft, loose sediments, in an attempt to mirror the natural Elliott Bay ecosystem.
On Saturday, the beach’s dunegrass and oregon grapes danced in the breeze. Herons left ripples as they took off the water. The tide lapped against kelp bulbs that had washed up along the shore.
“Honestly, it’s a vibe here,” Vancouver B.C. resident Kim Rose said.
The beach will be open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Swimming is not permitted. Additional rules are posted on-site.
The park will temporarily close in the fall to install Indigenous artwork.
