At Seattle Center, plenty of handicapped parking still available

The Seattle Times editorial about the Theater Commons ["A better way to honor Donnelly," Opinion, editorial, Sept. 8] does not provide a complete description of the accessible parking changes at Seattle Center.

It does not address the expansion to more than four dozen accessible parking spaces in Mercer Garage. An elevated skybridge from the garage allows all patrons, with and without disabilities, to avoid the inconveniences of street crossing. There are accessible drop-off zones in front of Seattle Repertory and Intiman theaters. Outreach to theater patrons this summer informed us of specific disability-related issues beyond what the Mercer Garage can accommodate, and we are pursuing alternative solutions to accommodate those needs.

In a 20-year effort to increase public space, Seattle Center has phased out surface parking within its campus and transitioned to consolidated, integrated garage parking on the edges of campus. All of our garages provide accessible parking for people with disabilities. Could we have done a better job promoting the availability of these locations? Yes, and we take responsibility for that. Seattle Center relies on a good relationship with our community of patrons with disabilities to help us continually improve the center's accessibility.

Theater Commons has been in the works for more than a decade. A portion of it was chosen to honor Peter Donnelly following his death earlier this year because of his long affiliation with the two theaters.

Implying that improved, integrated accessibility to the arts for everyone was somehow a disservice to Donnelly is disheartening. Theater Commons turns campus asphalt into open space and creates an inviting north entry point for all of our patrons, with and without disabilities.

-- Robert Nellams, Seattle Center Director, Seattle

A question public officials should be asking

Is it necessary, or is it nice?

That is the basic question every public official, every committee, every task force that spends the public's money needs to coherently answer.

These resources come from the sweat of citizen effort, given to our elected officials on the condition they be spent after careful consideration to protect, educate and facilitate the societal structure and opportunities necessary for us to succeed. These funds and taxes are not in any way, shape or form an entitlement that our government has an endless right to collect and spend as it sees fit.

For example, significant coverage was given last week to the potential loss of 13 disabled parking spots ["Theatergoers protest plan to move disabled parking," NWTuesday, Sept. 1] to a memorial park near the Seattle Center Theater Commons, a project Seattle has apparently allotted $1.5 million for, matching other contributions and grants as part of a long-term master plan for more open space. At the same time, the Seattle Public Library system closed all branches in an effort to save around $650,000 and employee jobs.

This is not rant against government. We all have our pet projects, causes and things we ask our elected officials to do for us, places where we think the money should be spent. The open-space plan is certainly one of these. But there is no longer a surplus, and it may serve us to reconsider our priorities.

Look at the various publicly funded proposals, projects and studies going on around us every day, and simply ask the question: Is it necessary or is it nice?

It's a pretty straightforward test.

-- Richard W. Dow, Redmond

Loss of handicapped parking irrelevant in long run

The Seattle Times story regarding the Seattle Center's apparent disregard for disabled citizens ["Theatergoers protest plan to move disabled parking," NWTuesday, Sept. 1] failed to put the whole situation in perspective.

Part of the Seattle Center's Century 21 Master Plan calls for the creation of new underground parking beneath a completely transformed and revitalized Memorial Stadium area. This will eventually render the Mercer parking garage itself obsolete and allow easier access to the entire center for all patrons, including the disabled.

Unfortunately, due to the rush order put on the Peter Donnelly Memorial Garden grant, all people see currently is the elimination of 13 handicapped stalls in favor of an ostensibly meager mini-park.

The master plan, however, provides a much more cohesive, awe-inspiring vision for the future of the Seattle Center. I urge anyone interested or concerned to check it out at seattlecenter.com.

-- Christian Nelson, Seattle

In remembering benefactor to arts, protect access for all

The best way to memorialize Peter Donnelly is to remain dedicated to providing equal access to the arts at Seattle Center. The very idea that it would be OK to relocate handicapped parking spaces further away from the venues they serve calls into question the Seattle Center's commitment to accessibility.

Patrons of the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Opera, Intiman Theatre and Seattle Center have already expressed strong objections to the options being proposed. The upcoming years of construction on Mercer Street cannot be ignored.

For example, would that proposed drop-off area even continue to be available? What of the path between the garage and the center grounds? Construction will surely bring changing -- and inaccessible -- pedestrian routes. As already-scarce parking becomes nonexistent, maintaining dedicated handicapped parking spaces should be the center's overriding priority.

Surely there is a rational argument to be made that accessibility for citizens is a better use for precious space than landscaping -- however well-intentioned the memorial garden might be.

I do not presume to speak for the man who epitomized an individual's commitment to bring the arts to all in our community, but I cannot believe Donnelly would approve.

-- Deborah Witmer, Seattle

Makeshift handicapped parking just doesn't cut it

Peter Donnelly was a champion of theater in Seattle, and I hardly think he would have wanted to hinder patrons' access to Seattle Center venues.

Isn't there another spot on the grounds for a memorial garden? The handicapped parking must stay, based on the comments of theater patrons quoted in the article.

Spaces in the garage across the street are not acceptable. There is a place for people to be dropped off, but what if the driver is the handicapped person who needs to park and attend the theater?

-- MaryAnne Seibert, Seattle

West Seattle should pay for parking

The Seattle Times reports ["Pay parking in West Seattle?," NWThursday, July 9] that "Free parking is one of the core values of the West Seattle neighborhood." Of course, storing something as large as an automobile in a neighborhood where land isn't cheap has significant costs. So where does free come in?

By not directly paying for the parking they use, drivers remain ignorant about their storage costs. The community harms itself with that freedom from knowledge. Charging the right price for parking would send the signals to make spaces available and eliminate the cruising for parking that significantly contributes to neighborhood traffic.

-- Bill Carr, Seattle

Solution to parking consumers: Head to suburbs

So interesting to read that Seattle has bought more special equipment ["Click! Meter cheaters are busted," page one, June 21] to discourage even more people from entering the city in cars by adding yet more obstacles to convenient parking.

Not too long ago we read ["Hey, Seattle: Where's my car?" page one, June 8] of bait-and-switch tactics that involved selling parking permits to park until 4 p.m. and then towing cars at 3 p.m. Thanks to The Seattle Times for the continuing flow of information.
Now there will be fewer spots for outsiders in neighborhoods near rail stops.

Hey! We get the message. You guys enjoy your million-dollar tiny condos overlooking your moribund downtown-shopping district. We'll head to Bellevue, Southcenter, Alderwood and other shopping centers to spend our money. At least there we can all conveniently come and go with plentiful free parking.

-- Jack McClurg, Marysville

Unfriendly parking system, unhappy visitors

On a recent visit from Maine, I stopped to have a quick look at the Sculpture Garden. I (surprisingly) found the place to deposit money for parking and hurriedly put in money and grabbed the receipt that was spit out. It said to place it in my car, so I unlocked my rental car and put the ticket on the dashboard of the car.

Fifteen minutes later, I returned and found a notice of a $35 fine for putting the receipt in the wrong part of the car. It was clearly visible to the person who wrote the ticket.

Enough, Seattle; that's just going too far. I've never seen a system like this, and I thought I was doing what was expected. Rental cars are usually driven by tourists visiting your city.

If you visit Maine, I hope you'll feel more welcome than I did in Seattle.

-- Natalie Mlller, Mount Desert, Maine