Friends of Pugnetti Park

What the park looks like now ...

https://www.historylink.org/File/22978 Don't miss the history of this historical marker, from our good friends at HistoryLink.org. You can read it, then go have a look at Pugnetti Park's connection to early Tacoma history.

Historical marker commemorating the arrival of Tacoma's first passeng On June 10, 1926, Tacomans formally dedicate a stone tablet commemorating the arrival of the first passenger train on December 16, 1873. The historical marker, donated by the Tacoma Woman's Club, is

“The fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves.” - William Shakespeare

When it comes to conditions at Pugnetti Park, in a classic case of victim-blaming, it is not the stars but the park itself that's being blamed. Rather than holding accountable those responsible for its stewardship, the TNT's current editor and a handful of others instead blame the park for its current conditions. Without any regard for the history of this park and the many years of beauty and charm it once provided visitors and nearby residents when it was maintained properly, they instead look for reasons to get rid of it. One of their examples, perhaps a building (condos? parking garage?) with maybe a park on top? Of course suggestions like that ignore the fact that the site was determined years ago to be in need of costly remediation of contaminants and hazardous soil conditions below the surface. The TNT's former editor and park namesake would be surprised to see the TNT's current editor preferring to give these responsible stewards an easy pass; but given the current state of the TNT, perhaps not too surprised. In some ways, the park's steadily deteriorating conditions are analogous to the newspaper's. Its framing of the problem suggests that the rumored efforts several years ago to sell off and develop the park are now amping up again.

The park's design is not the problem. Those who've been around long enough to remember know that -- when properly maintained -- this park was visited and used by many people for many, many years. Just take a look back at its condition in older Street Views (https://maps.app.goo.gl/ghWyXiX8PBEnhQQw5 ) to see how differently it was once maintained and managed; things started to change in 2012. The neglect and indifference since then by government officials (both non-elected and electeds, along with the TNT) has been consistent.

A downtown park wallows in despair. For Tacoma, it was a bad idea from the start | Opinion

Since 2012 the Friends of Pugnetti Park and other community members have repeatedly voiced concerns about the neglect of the park to WSDOT, the City of Tacoma Government and others, including elected officials like Speaker Laurie Jinkins, the Mayor and City Councilmembers Sarah Rumbaugh and John Hines. Nothing changed; only further degradation. Even the recent 150th Anniversary of Northern Pacific Railroad's arrival in Tacoma, marked by the large historic marker unveiled in June 1926 behind the Pugnetti's in the photo below, brought no relief from the neglect and only further indifference. Now family members of the park's namesake are speaking up. Yes, Representative Jake Fey, we would agree that it is an "embarrassment" and more. One only has to look at the state of WSDOT-owned and -managed right-of-way around Tacoma to see what the problem is.

This gateway park to Tacoma is an ‘embarrassment’ and ‘painful to see.’ Is there a solution? WSDOT said it has higher priorities.