“Tashkent Park in Capitol Hill just got a little facelift. New lights and regular maintenance that make a real difference,” the District 3 representative said over an instrumental soundtrack of T-Pain’s “I Can’t Believe It” in a video posted to social media Friday.
“Seven Hills Park, you’re up next for some love and upgrades,” Hollingsworth’s post concludes.
The announcement follows a community meeting held by the city in November to gather feedback as Seven Hills Park remained fenced-off while the city has planned changes there and at the Broadway Hill Park and Tashkent Park spaces due to complaints of crime and disorder.
CHS reported here earlier this month as 16th Ave’s Seven Hills remained fenced and closed with Seattle Parks announcing another meeting planned for February to “get feedback on some proposed activation or park updates.”
The city has championed the Tashkent recipe of strings of lights, improved but not necessarily increased maintenance, and volunteer energy in the discussions, pointing at the neighborhood’s most popular park as an example.
Parks officials say the model of partnerships with a strong core community group in the Cal Anderson Park Alliance and events and clean-ups sponsored by area businesses and organizations like Capitol Hill development and real estate firm Hunters Capital have helped improve safety conditions around the neighborhood’s large central park.
The Friends of Tashkent Park group has been more or less active around the Bolyston Ave E public space for more than a decade.
The changes at Tashkent come as Mayor Katie Wilson included the head of Seattle Parks and Recreation in her sweep of department leadership at City Hall. Parks department superintendent Anthony-Paul “AP” Diaz has served in the role since 2023 but was one of several Harrell appointees relieved of their duties under the new administration. CHS reported on Wilson’s leadership changes here including the dismissal of Diaz. Michele Finnegan will lead the department on an interim basis.
Hollingsworth’s district has also seen the catenary lights strategy put into action on its streets. CHS reported in September on funding for downtown activation diverted for stringed lights over 11th Ave joining plans for new police cameras and Capitol Hill “Stay Out of Drug Area” enforcement as the area has seen continued bursts of deadly gun violence.
Two deadly shootings in the area in late September and early October continued the troubling string.
In her video this week, Hollingsworth, who has increased social media efforts to announce “city basics” efforts like the new Tashkent lights in recent months, invited followers to suggest more D3 parks and locations in need of similar activations.
Meanwhile, Seven Hills Park has been fenced-off and closed since September. A date for the Seattle Parks meeting on changes at Seven Hills in February has not been publicly announced.
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