We are the gardeners at the Magnuson P-Patch, one of several nonprofit Community Gardens in Magnuson Park. We grow food and flowers for ourselves and for three local food banks.
Our project is to improve the drainage of the P-Patch Gathering Circle and its adjoining path, which are located in the center of the P-Patch in Magnuson Park. The Gathering Circle is used for informal meetings and social events by the gardeners in the P-Patch, nonprofit groups such as Outdoors for All, residents of Magnuson subsidized housing, and the public visiting Magnuson Park. The Gathering Circle is adjacent to a wide gravel path that is the only access through the P-Patch for visitors with disabilities.
For much of the year, particularly in the rainy months, both the Gathering Circle and the gravel path are flooded due to a lack of drainage. Our project will install a drainage system over two days that will eliminate the flooding. On the first day we’ll clean out the trenches that have been dug the previous day and lay a gravel foundation, perforated pipes and landscape fabric. On the second day we’ll fill the trench with drainage gravel and compact it. This process will construct a drainage system for preventing water from accumulating in both the Gathering Circle and the gravel accessible pathway.
The event is scheduled for October 9th and 10th, from 9am to 1pm each day. Volunteers can sign up for either or both days.
We could effectively use as many as 10 volunteers each day, no younger than 16 years old. Volunteers need to be able to haul soil and gravel in wheelbarrows and manually dig out any portions of the trench that the power trencher couldn’t reach. Magnuson P-Patch will provide all gloves, tools, and materials. Feel free to bring your own gloves if you wish.
The Magnuson P-Patch has experience in hosting large groups of volunteers, including previous Seattle Works events. We are well organized and emphasize safety, teamwork and FUN! We’ll have a drainage consultant on site, who is one of our P-Patch gardeners. Our past volunteers have reported high levels of satisfaction with our events.
The address for the project is Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE in Seattle. Detailed directions will be provided to the project volunteers.
