You can remove the “Property” now as yesterday afternoon I got this email from the Christopher Williams the Interim Superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation:
Thank you for taking the time to submit your naming suggestion for the recent Seattle Parks and Recreation park naming process.
After receiving overwhelming support from the community, I have decided to name the park site located at 48th Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street Ercolini Park. This name will recognize the longtime ownership of this site by the Ercolini family and their willingness to sell this property to the City for a public space.
I look forward to joining you for the opening of the new Ercolini Park in early 2008.
Ercolini Park plansThanks again for those of you who wrote in encouraging them to select it. My family truly appreciates it, and many of us are planning on going to the grand opening.
Update: They’ve broke ground and according to family lore the entire reason Joe Ercolini, my great grandfather, settled there was because that’s “some of the best dirt in world”.
Update 2: The West Seattle Herald has published a <a href=”http://www.westseattleherald.com/articles/2007/12/12/news/local_news/new s03.txt”>great article</a> about the history of my family living on the property. There were a few things in there that I didn’t even know!
Comments
AdamD
Success!!! Congrats to the Ercolini fam. You deserve it.
Rob Goodlatte
Congrats on the name!
Mike D.
Nice! I will expose myself in the park as an individual christening effort.
Congratulations…
Jeff Croft
Congrats! I was totally planning to attend to grand opening ceremony until I read Mike D.’s comment.
Kevin Tamura
Congrats to you and your family Tom. I know how much keeping the family name alive means to you.
Heather Shaw
hey, saw your tweet and checked out the link. congrats! that’s great news!
Tom Watson
Thanks everyone. I’ll be sure and let people know when the grand opening ceremony is, but be warned Mike D. may be in attendance.
Jas
hooray! i’m so happy for you and your family!
John
Woo hoo! That’s great news.
Rick Rose
Isn’t it great that Jim Ercolini gave such a tribute to his parents, Joe and Julia by selling the home he lived his whole life in to the City, rather than profit by selling it privately?
Tom Watson
@Rick Rose: Yeah, it makes me proud that my Great Uncle did such a cool thing. I have some vague, but fond memories of meeting my Great Grandpa Joe before he past away at that house. How do you know Jim?
Rick Rose
Hi Tom, Your Great-Grandma Julia and my Grandfather Paulo Michelotti were sister and brother, so Jim and my mom are cousins. That means that you and I are related! Jim had a goal over the years not to have that property developed with skinny houses. I couldn’t agree with him more.
ExNeighborGirl
Yay! Congrats! Nice accomplishment, Tom.
Stephen Halsey
Excellent Tom, I know how much you wanted this. I will be sure to take the fam there when it is open.
I see some neighbors are complaining about cement being poured for a mini skate park. If I could still skate without breaking my neck I would head over and kick some ollies.
Tom Watson
@Stephen Halsey: Well, I for one am glad they’re putting in one of those skate “dots” and if you ever do get your skills up I hope you go “kick some ollies”!
Stephen Halsey
I am really happy about that new network of skate parks, dots etc. as well. But since it’s been over 15 years since I have skated, I think I will pass that torch onto the next gen!
The double stroller can do a mean rail slide though….
april
wonderful!