Leschi Lakefront

The Leschi Community Council has molded the shore area of Lake Washington over the years to better suit the community and all who visit here.

North of the business area, the Leschi Community Council initiated the development of a wide sidewalk along the Boulevard (at first it was proposed as a bicycle trail) and the construction of a fishing pier, using a share of the Forward Thrust Funds that were approved by the King County voters in 1970. When the Parks Department wanted to build a seawall, the Community Council campaigned to have two openings in the seawall for beaches. In 2006 the shore area was re-landscaped with native plants through a neighborhood planning process. Further north, near the Dance Studio, a children’s play beach was installed as a joint project of the Madrona Community Council and the Leschi Community Council.

South of the Lakeside Business Area, volunteers from the neighborhood built a floating dock next to the Yesler Dock for the purpose of launching canoes and kayaks. A kayak storing rack was installed next to it. Lately, the Police Patrol uses it, but it is still a public dock for sunbathing and small boats. South of Leschi Park are a series of streets that dead end at the Lake. Four of them were converted into public shore areas called “street ends” (S King St., S Dearborn St., S Charles St. and S Norman St. in 1993). Later, in 2002, the Leschi Community Council partnered with the Mt Baker Community Council to develop the S Judkins street end as a public area. Volunteers from the neighborhood supported by the Leschi Community Council continue to maintain these street ends.

Planned for the near future is a public access dock at the South Leschi Moorage.

~John Barber