Submitted by the Town of Friday Harbor

Downtown’s Breezeway Park on Spring Street will be complete May 9. The park includes extensive landscaping, three rock sculptures, a decorative curved wall and generous seating options. The transformation provides both a resting place and new vantage point within the downtown core and highlights the access point to Sunshine Alley.

The park’s layout was designed by landscape architect Patricia Lenssen with the Philbin Group of Bow, Washington. The steel wall and curved bench were manufactured by Elegant Iron of Burlington. The rock features, including a carved stone table, a granite chair and granite bench/couch, were the work of San Juan Island sculptor Tom Small. Tom was chosen with the assistance and approval of the Friday Harbor Arts Commission.

Special recognition goes to all of those involved in realizing the vision for this development. Thanks to the San Juan County Public Facilities Financing Assistance Program which provided partial grant funding;Wayne Haefele, the town’s public works director, for his engineering design; to Mike Carlson Enterprises and his subcontractors for providing excellent workmanship and creative problem solving; and to the patient and supportive local businesses that were directly impacted including Haley’s Sports Bar, the Bait Shop, Palace Theatre, Rocky Bay Café, and the Sandpebble gift shop.

Enhancing the Spring Street entrance was part of the Sunshine Alley Urban Development Plan. The project was also designed to implement some much-needed safety improvements in the area, including better visibility of pedestrians crossing on Spring Street and elimination of illegal right-side passing at the Second Street intersection.

A ribbon-cutting to officially open Breezeway Park will occur at noon, Wednesday, May 10, during which the Mayor will thank the project partners and recognize the many people who made the park a reality.