City removing unused surveillance cameras

Five years ago, the West Seattle Blog broke the story about a new network of Seattle Police cameras and WiFi boxes installed along the Elliott Bay and Ship Canal waterfronts — including several in Ballard. After a privacy outcry, the city decided not to activate the cameras, and they’ve been sitting dormant on poles ever since.

Here’s an early map of the camera locations in our neck of the woods. It doesn’t show a Golden Gardens camera, which was added later, just south of the park.

But now the city is having them removed. According to a city spokesperson, the Ballard-area cameras have already been pulled down — including one at Golden Gardens — and the contractor is working on removing a dozen downtown-area cameras next.

The removal work is costing the city $150,000.