History of Bergen Place

Bergen Place Park in downtown Ballard is located in the heart of the business district on the triangular site between Leary Avenue, 22nd Avenue NW, and Market Street.

It was developed utilizing Forward Thrust funds and dedicated by King Olaf of Norway in 1975. The Crown Hill/Ballard Neighborhood Planning Association proposed the redesign of Bergen Place Park in the 1998 neighborhood plan.

Redesigned in 2004, benches and trees line the open square. The park is home to Artist Jenn Lee Dixon's "Witness Trees" and a community information kiosk.

Bergen Place was named for Bergen, Norway, one of Seattle's International Sister Cities.

Timeline of Major Bergen Place Events

1971 - Park named for Seattle, WA - Bergen, Norway Sister City status

1975 - King Olav of Norway dedicated the park

1995 - King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway dedicated the mural

2003 - Pro-Parks Levy and Arts commission - "Renovation"

2004 - Norwegian Commercial Club asked Victoria Sangrey to be their representative to

Seattle Parks and Recreation meetings for Bergen Place park - Friends of Bergen Place established

2005 - Removal of mural

2005 - Installation of granite project - five Nordic plinths, etching of Bergen waterfront by James

Cole on the Norway stone

2006 - Grant writing for six flag poles and Bergen Place sign - first round declined, resubmit July 10,

2006

2006 - Created FOBP T-shirts. Reinstallation of mural

2006 - Discussion with Parks Operations Manager about moving the art and replacing with living

trees

2008 - Bergen Place rune stone sign installed.

2008 - Five Nordic Flags installed with 25 foot flag poles.