Volunteer Park Trust

The mission of Volunteer Park Trust is to preserve and enhance the city and national landmark of Seattle's Volunteer Park for today and for generations to come.

Centrally located on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park represents the most complete and well-preserved example of the Olmsted Brothers’ design approach for Seattle city parks.

Our beloved Park is in need of immediate and long term stewardship beyond what the city can do. With a failing infrastructure and more acreage than Parks has budget or personnel to manage, its future is in jeopardy. 

In response to this challenge, Volunteer Park Trust is working in partnership with neighbors, Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Seattle Parks Foundation and others.

Our current and future projects include:

• Restore garden beds that are missing or overgrown to their original 1912 Olmsted design.
• Remove weeds, litter, and invasive plants from greenspaces at monthly work parties.
• Coordinate twice-annual community-wide major restoration events in concert with Seattle Parks & Recreation to affect change in large greenspaces of the park.
• Organize and host free community celebrations for all ages, ranging from talks and tours to garden parties and fun seasonal events.
• Replace the aging stage with an updated Amphitheater.
• Address water and power sustainability in conjunction with the Conservatory and Seattle Asian Art Museum.
• Help with future renovations of the water tower including a welcoming, well-lit observation area and improved tree canopy and views.
• Work to preserve the reservoir, including a perimeter “Sunset Promenade Walk.”

You may wonder why Seattle Parks & Recreation isn’t funding this work. Unfortunately, Parks has hundreds of millions of dollars in backlogged maintenance costs and must spread their resources among all the parks.

How You Can Help

The future and success of these goals rests with all of us who love the Park. Please join the Trust to ensure that Volunteer Park remains a magnificent urban oasis for another 100 years.

• Attend one of our fun-filled events. Picnic in the Park (July), Halloween Pet Parade (October) and Holiday in the Park (December) are hosted by Volunteer Park Trust for the entire community to enjoy.
• Volunteer. We are a volunteer organization that would love your help. Volunteer opportunities which fit your schedule and maximize your talents are available – whether that’s volunteering at our Spring and Fall Stewardship days, cleaning up the Park at our Second Saturday Work Parties, helping with an event, or joining one of our committees.
• Become a Steward of the Trust. All of your donations help us restore Seattle’s historic green oasis to its true glory. Every donation, big or small, helps immensely and is received with absolute gratitude.
• Become a corporate sponsor or help us find more funding from other sources.

 Thank you!