A group of neighbors, gardeners, poets and parks employees gathered in a paved parking lot Saturday afternoon to celebrate the start of construction on a new Capitol Hill park. Community members were encouraged to bring a card with their favorite word or line from a poem or play to add to a poetry tree. Two cans of spray marking paint were also handed out and attendees were encouraged to leave a message on the pavement. A few wrote their names. Someone made a large ‘Yay for parks’ marking.

That was about as close to actually breaking ground as things got. The afternoon featured a few speeches, some poetry readings and an occasional blustery burst of fall wind. It was noted that the park still doesn’t have a name and that the community would be invited to start providing suggestions. CHS asked one Capitol Hill notable in attendance who he would like to see the park named after. Boe Oddisey — the Capitol Hill scarf dancer — said his pick would be Gray Lambert, the man nearby Lambert House is named for. CHS also asked Oddisey if he would ever like a park named after him. “Oh, yes! But not for another 40 years,” Oddisey said.

Among those in the crowd was Virginia Hassinger, project manager for the park. She said, once it begins, construction of the park will take about four months. Some elements such as bike racks and benches are not yet funded — the Friends of Capitol Hill group has formed to work on fundraising for those elements. Meanwhile, the family of Shannon Harps has donated money to help pay for the park’s picnic tables.

Also in need of cash: ‘The 7 Hills’ art piece envisioned for the park. The art — part of park designer Mithun’s vision — would depict the ‘original’ seven hills of Seattle. Here’s a Wikipedia list of every other city in the world claiming to be built on seven hills. You can blame Rome.

More interesting might be the concept for the garden space in the project. Instead of the old model of individually controlled p-patch plots, the Howell Collective has stepped in to help lead the way to create a new form of community garden on Capitol Hill. The collective will organize members to care for and maintain garden space in the park and make the fruits — and vegetables — of their labors available to the community.