AS YOU LOOK west from the recently opened Fritz Hedges Waterway Park in Portage Bay, the imposing shape of the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge dominates the view. The older University Bridge, which also connects the University District and Eastlake, stands smaller but proudly by its side.
I feel like I know these bridges well. I’ve gone over them so many times — by bus and car, of course, but also by bike and even on foot (the I-5 Express lanes, during the Emerald City Ride and a few Seattle Marathons).
But this vantage point from one of the bean-shaped stones scattered throughout the park is new to me. Not many people are milling around on this cold January day. When it comes time to include a few in my sketch, I choose a woman who is pushing a stroller, a cyclist and a fellow zipping by on his electric scooter.
The park, which opened last October, has been the site of a lumber mill, a marina, the University of Washington Police station and a recycling center.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, maybe the colorful lounge chairs in my drawing will inspire you to visit. It’s a wonderful place to experience a unique Seattle waterscape — a view that’s especially pleasing when the sun begins to set behind those familiar bridges.
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