Now That's The Wallingford I Know And Hate

When we posted last week about the Summer Nights concert series coming to Gasworks Park we were kind of surprised that there seemed to be only limited negative response to the plan. Well, if we'd have only waited around for a few minutes we would have realized that the Seattle Times was still teasing it out. Today they published their "Lamers In An Uproar Over Fun In Neighborhood" piece.

"We're concerned that park users who are not concert-goers will be discouraged from going to Gas Works," Johnson said. "They will never be sure if there is going to be a concert there, and they won't want to have to deal with the music and crowds if there is."

But it's not just the selection of Gas Works that has area residents irritated.

"The decision was made without consultation of the neighborhoods," said Heidi Herr, president of the Wallingford Community Council. "We think there are impacts to bringing the concerts series to Gas Works — parking, noise and congestion."

The thought that there might be a concert and a crowd at Gasworks would actually encourage Seattlest to go to the park. Maybe, that's weird, but we love us a good crowd. We're talking about a park right in the center of a majorish urban area. The place's defining structure is a dilapidated and rusting refinery. It's surrounded by a mountain of condos and a view over water of the downtown skyline. If you're looking for solitude and a natural setting then maybe you're at the wrong park.

Neighborhood groups, "Friends of the Park" and various other organized complainers should have been lobbying an event series like Summer Nights to come to Gasworks for years and now that it's finally arrived they should be offering every possible concession. "Yes, please, park on my lawn. Piss in my bushes on your way out and sing at the top of your voice while you do it. Anything to bring some life to this neighborhood. Oh, and buy a lemonade from my kid."