Rental Partner: Lid I-5, Freeway Park Association, and the Seattle Parks Foundation present

Freeway Park 50th Anniversary Forum

Name: Freeway Park 50th Anniversary Forum
Start: 2026-08-18T18:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-08-18T18:00:00-07:00
Location: The Wyncote NW Forum

Past, Present, and Future

Date:: Tuesday, August 18
Time:: 6:00 pm PDT
Cost:: Free

Venue

: The Wyncote NW Forum
: 1119 8th Ave (Entrance off Seneca St.)
Seattle, 98101 United States + Google Map

Event Format: In-Person

EVENT NOTES
Doors for this event will open 5:00 PM.

Presented by Lid I-5, Freeway Park Association, and the Seattle Parks Foundation. For questions about this event, please contact mail@lidi5.org.

People sit and stand on various large concrete blocks outdoors.

Rentals

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Freeway Park and join a civic discussion on the evolution of this nationally significant urban design project. A moderated panel discussion with expert speakers will bring the audience along a journey of past, present, and future. We’ll think about growth and reconnection of the Downtown and First Hill neighborhoods over the past half-century, the successes and challenges stewarding this urban park through the Freeway Park Association, an update on the current capital improvements project, the implications of being a designated landmark, and how the park is inspiring the future Lid I-5 project that seeks to expand public land over the freeway below.

Doors open at 5:00 pm for a social hour, and the program begins at 6:00 pm. The moderated panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session, and doors close at 8:00 pm.

There will be a no-host cash bar for drinks, and light food available for free. The panel discussion will be video recorded and made available online after the event.

This event is volunteer-powered and paid for by the generosity of donors. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation when you register.

The Seattle Parks & Recreation Department is not involved with this event. To report current maintenance or security issues at any public park, please use the Find It, Fix It app or call (206) 684-7250.

Lid I-5 thanks our sponsors, Seattle Parks Foundation and Freeway Park Association for their valuable advice and organizational support. Learn more about the organizations and other events:

lidi5.org

freewayparkassociation.org

seattleparksfoundation.org

Rebecca Bear (moderator) joined Seattle Parks Foundation as the President and CEO in 2020. Since then, she has built the organization’s focus on Equity and Climate while growing community partners by over 100%. She led SPF’s effort to renew the Seattle Metropolitan Parks District in 2022, providing $780 million of public funding for parks and greenspaces throughout the city. During Rebecca’s tenure, signature projects such as Pathways Park, Garfield Super Block, and Be’er Sheva Park have opened. She has led the public space efforts at Westlake Park and Occidental Park in partnership with the Seattle FIFA Local Organizing Committee. Prior to her work at Seattle Parks Foundation, she led national efforts to expand access to outdoor recreation, parks, and open spaces at REI.

Lara Rose (panelist) is a Principal at Walker Macy, a landscape architecture firm known for outstanding public projects and elegant, enduring design. Lara has led award-winning projects across the country, from downtown parks to campuses and cultural landscapes. Her projects balance design vision with keen insight into what makes public spaces successful. Since opening Walker Macy’s Seattle office in 2014, Lara has played an active role in shaping the city through projects that include the ongoing Freeway Park Improvement Project.

Senator Jamie Pedersen (panelist) grew up in Puyallup and represents the 43rd Legislative District and central Seattle neighborhoods. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, and has been in the Senate since 2013 and has been the Senate Majority Leader since 2024. He practiced law for 17 years, and currently is Executive Vice President and General Counsel works at the construction and engineering firm McKinstry. During his time in the Legislature, Jamie has led efforts to pass historic marriage equality legislation and the Uniform Parentage Act, enforce state standards for law enforcement officers, reduce gun violence, and pass the 2026 Millionaires Tax. He has sung in the Seattle Men’s Chorus since 1996 and is also an adult leader in Scout Troop 15.

Riisa Conklin (panelist) is the Executive Director of the Freeway Park Association, a non-profit organization that engages and mobilizes people and resources to create dynamic public experiences, community-building opportunities and engagement with art and education at Freeway Park. Riisa has her masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington and continues to deepen her practice in urban design at The Light Table Design Collective, a cohort of fellow women designers and artists.

Events are offered for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Read Town Hall’s Program Content Policy.