The City and 35th North have agreed to settle a civil suit the City brought against the business and Jane and John Does following the unauthorized construction of a concrete bowl skate park on Green Lake’s Duck Island. The bowl was built as part of a contest sponsored by Transworld Skateboarding Magazine and Nike SB. A video of the construction was submitted to the contest by or on behalf of 35th North.
After discovering the bowl, the City incurred costs to remove it. Construction of the bowl damaged roughly one-third of Duck Island, an environmentally critical area.
Under the settlement, 35th North will pay the City $30,000. That amount will fully cover the City’s out of pocket costs to date and the estimated costs to restore the portion of the island damaged by the construction. In turn, the City will dismiss the lawsuit against 35th North and the unnamed Jane and John Does. As part of the settlement, 35th North denies liability and maintains that others were responsible.
Parks expects to complete the majority of restoration effort on the Island in 2018, with work to begin in the next month or two. “We take seriously our role as stewards of public lands, and are thankful for this swift resolution so that we can turn our focus to restoring this park space, which serves as a vital habitat for many local bird species.” said Christopher Williams, interim Superintendent for Seattle Parks and Recreation.
The City and 35th North have worked collaboratively since the lawsuit was filed, Assistant City Attorney Tobi Andrews said, and the City appreciates 35th North’s sincere interest in an early resolution of this matter. “35th North settled this matter because it was interested in maintaining a working relationship with the skateboarding community and the City of Seattle,” said Tony Croghan, owner of 35th North.