Will Georgetown dogs get to enjoy a new park this summer?

Trees are planted. Fences are installed. Light poles are in. Garbage cans and benches are placed, and the adjacent multi-use trail is fully paved. While the brand new park and off leash area located at 1035 S. Myrtle St. appears substantially complete, the question remains as to whether Georgetown residents and dogs will be able to enjoy it this summer.

Still surrounded by construction fencing and inaccessible to the public, the off leash area is now waiting on SCL to connect power in order to run the park’s irrigation system and light poles. When will that happen? As of June 5, the City doesn’t have an estimate.

The park sits on a 46,000 square foot property known as the Georgetown Flume that served as part of the conveyance system supplying water from the Duwamish River to the Georgetown Steam Plant until 1975 when the plant ceased operation. Formerly owned by Seattle City Light (SCL), the property was transferred to Seattle Parks & Recreation (SPR) and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to construct the off-leash area and commuter trail. Originally slated to open during winter 2022-23, park construction faced delays due to soil contamination and associated cleanup efforts by the Washington State Department of Ecology. Once soil remediation was completed, construction finally began in late 2025, with a new opening date set for late spring 2026.

SPR and the SDOT were coordinating with the GCC and Georgetown Open Space Committee to host a park opening celebration the last weekend in June, however that plan was paused earlier this month when it became apparent that the park would not have power in time, and that to open the off leash area without power would go against City policies. Because everyone knows that you need power to let dogs run around chasing balls, and you need lighting during the longest days of the year.

Follow along on the Gazette blog for more information this summer. Until then, remember to plug in your dogs at night to recharge.