Public space at Brightwater

Brightwater Sewage Plant is, more or less, the reason for the current Wellington Hills Mess.  King County and Ron Sims wanted a new sewage plant somewhere in northern King County.  By some means they decided Snohomish County was a much better place for their sewage. 

Surprisingly (or not) Snohomish County politicians liked having a King County sewage plant in Snohomish County. I'm taking a wild guess, but maybe the pot o' gold they received had something to do with their approving the project.  $70 million dollars is a tidy sum of cash. 

So, Brightwater, aka, a big sewage plant with deep tunnels to Puget Sound was built - complete with public art, green areas, duck ponds and walking trails ... and, in the wheeling’s and dealing’s between Kingco and Snoco, it was decided a community park should be built as a soothing salve for residents near Brightwater. 

 "Oh, Look!" someone way up in Everett said, "what about the Wellington Hills Golf Course? Isn't that a perfect place for a Community Park?"  Or something like that.  

Later on, probably during a County sponsored Wafflefest, the words, “community park” were transmogrified into “regional sports complex”. 

Sorry kiddies, but we'll save that supplementary tale for another bedtime story. 

Today’s civics lesson is about having zillions of dollars and creatively spending it on a place for people to maybe gather, relax, walk dogs and pet weasels ... to aimlessly meander and maybe look at trees, birds and other disappearing natural things.

Here we go … a stroll around the Brightwater Sewage Plant.

One of several Grand Entrances.

When needing a break, these ever popular- but usually empty - benches offer ...

                                         

yes, they offer numerous scenic views of ...

                                         

(wait for it) .... the sewage plant!

                                        

A not untypical crowded Brightwater trail.  That's Rt. 9 and Costco is just over the horizon line.

                                  

At least the fowl are comfortable. BTW, there are seemingly miles of white pipe everywhere.

Zen-ish rock gardens, in a bureaucratic sort of way.

                                                        

Public plumbing art. The last time I was there a child was crying. Overwhelmed I suppose.
                                                                       

                                                                        

Very practical space and on the weekends usually without people.

                                            

The Bridge to a maze of trails with views of white pipe and big sprinklers.

                                   

Oh, you know this one, you can see it from Rt.9

                                                          

I concur, I never drink water at a sewage plant.

                                                            

photos by Bill Stankus

2013