Ballard Commons cleared out for Seattle Park’s concierge program

Meghan Walker Ballard

Crews from the City cleaned up a number of camps at Ballard Commons over the weekend in advance of Seattle Park’s new concierge program.

The program, which launches today (Monday) and will continue through the end of September, will place Seattle Parks staff at the park every day from 11am to 8pm. There will be a canopy set up with information about park programming, lawn chairs, and sidewalk games — all in an effort to make Ballard Commons a more positive place for visitors.

KOMO reported that more than a dozen people camping in the park were given 72 hours notice to vacate prior to their clean-up over the weekend.

Rachel Schulkin from Seattle Parks says the concierge program has worked at downtown parks, and is hopeful it will make the Commons a more positive place for families.

The Parks staff in the concierge program are trained in mediation and de-escalation, but are instructed to call the police if they see dangerous activity.

27 thoughts to “Ballard Commons cleared out for Seattle Park’s concierge program”

  1. This is a good thing. I bet CM O’Brien is hopping mad about it, though. His chattering class is already tweeting about it…

    1. Who gives a S what MOB says? And let them tweet away. Why is it lies spread around the entire world, while the truth is still putting it’s pants on? I am so sick and tired of this thread and that thread determining my neighborhood. Same goes for the people allowing this to continue on, to this point, the bleeding heart liberal dreamers. Time for the church to re-think things too. As in drug checks before goodies/food. As in “tough-love”. Or, is this a big game?

        1. “This is unnecessary”. And yet, it’s happened. And, if this team is in the park until the end of September, that sends a clear message that it will keep happening. Oh well, I suppose you can feign indignation while you check your Twitter feed.

    2. If more than a dozen campers needed to be given 72 hours notice to vacate the park, then that statement right there should put the lie to bed that ‘there are no homeless people camping in our parks’,

        1. Can you point out the strawman that said there are no homeless people camping in the Commons? Oh wait, that was you, in a different post, not that long ago! Contradiction is your affliction, say it true, Truth!

          1. By all means, post the link or even reference the article where this alleged comment of mine was posted.

            …that statement right there should put the lie to bed that ‘there are no homeless people camping in our parks.

            Meanwhile, here’s the quote of you stating that people are claiming there’s no homeless people in the park.

  2. Will the Park concierge know the hours of the heroin sellers? It’s typically 10 am and 4 pm, right around feeding time at the Church. So convenient! And will they help with stolen property recovery? And needle clean-up? And will the by weekly Commons cleaning crew still come in a clean up all these losers stuff too? Plenty of open beds at shelters wingnuts……

  3. I’ll believe it when I see it… I live a few blocks away but this park is so nasty all the time I can’t imagine wanting to spend any time there.

      2. I’d rather not step in human crap or get harassed by a wacko like the park Concierge on day 1. Hahaha! Idiots if you think it’s media. Happens ever day in a park that was safe 5 years ago.

        Did you guys not see this? Day 1 for this guy but many days for residents.

        https://twitter.com/DougPigsleyKOMO/status/1161142203806208001?fbclid=IwAR2CfLXjQK_T2uzWryEcYuY2BdlaC64MfvQYDcL8d8RmnVW0-_QqSAKu-00

        Get the wackos out and you’ll get families back. Or is that too way out there for you? Awww the heroin addicts enabled by the City Council are being picked on for… well, see the tweet.

        1. How long that KOMO reporter hung around waiting so they could scream “AHA! LOOK AT THE HOMELESS DYSTOPIA THE SEATTLE LIBERALZ HAVE CREATED!!!!”?

          1. You’re an idiot. This happens all the time and now you’re saying it’s sensational because it was caught on camera? Social justice wacko.

            Honestly sad how much Seattle dippy brains will bend over backwards to defend drug addicts that menace the neighborhood.

            Hey how about a safe park for families and residences Truth?
            That means getting rid of wackos like this. That was harassing a mother and child. And then the park concierge. And removing them from the neighborhood.

            Dippy brains like you created this mess. Seattle is too nice for birdbrains like you to keep enabling mentally insane drug addicts to take over public spaces. Enough.
            Leave.

          3. I don’t have to when it’s right there in the park. You know, real life. Reality.

            You idiots think that a recording of a drug addict harassing a 2 Moms and their children is wrong because it’s Sinclair. Umm, you are forgetting the part about the heroin addict harassing the 2 Moms and their children. Then the park concierge. Wrong issue moron.

          4. You mean Sinclair, who is on the record as despising Seattle, to the point where it made a one hour snuff film about how much they hate Seattle?

            This reporter sat around waiting for this exact thing to happen so they could post it to Twitter and say “LOOK AT WHAT THE LIBERALZ HAVE DONE TO OUR GREAT CITY!!!111!1”. Looks like it worked with you, you’ve posted the link multiple times. Take that “liberals”!

            And based on your username, I’m going to assume you are just another one of Uncle Buck’s mutip0le personalities, like elenchos2. The world wants to know who you will blame for the countrywide opioid and mental health crisis once O’Brien leaves office…besides “liberals” of course!

        2. I watched that. It looks like one guy having a meltdown, while one of his buddies tries to get him to cool off. One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, but, on a whole, it didn’t look too sensational. Just one loony having an episode, really.

    1. Do you have a link to another site that talks about this attempted assault? Even the sensationalist KOMO doesn’t seem to have anything and they would be all over that story like flies on a turd.

  7. Had a wonderful time last evening at the Ballard Commons concert featuring West African musicians and dancers. Lots of folks having a great time in our little community park. I’m looking forward to attending future events and being part of the solution as much I am part of the online dialogue (which, while at times informative and even entertaining, is nothing like getting off your butt and being present).

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