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4 Waterfront Park Grand Opening CelebrationWaterfront Park: A new chapter for SeattleSeattle%u2019s waterfront transformation began with removing the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct, making way for a vibrant, people-centered space. Today, the 20-acre Waterfront Park offers welcoming gathering spots, public art, recreation, and cultural programming that put community first. The City%u2019s Waterfront Seattle Program also improves connections to neighborhoods like Pioneer Square, Chinatown-International District, and Belltown, and to destinations such as Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium. On Saturday, September 6, the City of Seattle and Friends of Waterfront Park mark this milestone achievement in Seattle history with an all-day Grand Opening Celebration %u2014 a once-in-a-generation moment filled with music, movement, food, art, and joy.%u201cThis moment is incredibly special%u2014marking the completion of Waterfront Park%u2014a symbol of Seattle%u2019s bold vision. It is the result of decades of the City%u2019s work with Seattle residents to create this transformation of our once-hidden shoreline into a vibrant public space for generations to come. Waterfront Park is now a dynamic local space for connection and belonging, reflective of the people of Seattle. A heartfelt thank you to everyone that has supported this journey.%u201d%u201cThe opening of Waterfront Park is a once-in-a-generation milestone%u2014showcasing Seattle%u2019s creativity, collaboration, and bold vision. It%u2019s inspiring to see our community exploring the new park and embracing this waterfront for all. My thanks to our City team, Friends of Waterfront Park, and our Seattle Center team as we take on the honor of operating this remarkable public space.%u201d%u201cWaterfront Park is a place for community%u2014it%u2019s in the DNA of this project and of Friends. Over 10,000 residents and community groups helped reimagine this space into a new heart for our city, connecting us to nature, culture, and one another. Now, our work is to ensure it thrives every day through community programming, cultural partnerships, and dedicated stewardship. We are honored to champion this space for generations to come and grateful to every partner who%u2019s been part of this audacious journey.%u201d%u201cWaterfront Park is more than a park%u2014it%u2019s our region%u2019s front porch and a promise for generations to come. This grand opening marks a once-in-a-generation transformation, reconnecting us to the water, to each other, and to Seattle%u2019s future. Just as the Space Needle symbolized an era of possibility, Waterfront Park now stands as a new icon of the vibrant, welcoming, and unified city we are building together. I invite all of Seattle and the region to make this space your own%u2014come often, explore its beauty, and enjoy a waterfront that belongs to us all.%u201d- Joy Shigaki, President & CEO of Friends of Waterfront Park- Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle- Angela Brady, Director of the Office of the Waterfront, Civic Projects, and Sound Transit- Marshall Foster, Director of Seattle CenterRemoval of the viaduct. Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of TransportationWaterfront Park Promenade. Photo by Erik Holsather