It's worth noting that both the Rainier dig and the viewers at Alki were funded by the City of Seattle's Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program. Both projects were collaborative efforts that included many community members. The viewers are part of the West Seattle Trail project that also includes work by Native American artists Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Joe Fedderson and Gail Tremblay.
Im glad Poverty hill didnt get blasted and turned into a parking lot; but I have to call BS when you mention more than once "peeling away a layer of stifling, blackberry- brambled silence with its new paths and lookouts". I've been exploring around that hill for nearly a decade and the trails and views were just as usable then as they are now. THe difference is that now the mystery, authenticity, history and soul has been peeled away and replaced with faux rustic REI style benches and that stupid parking lot. [there already was plenty of parking across the street.] Reminds me of the guy who finds a piece of ancient indian pottery and coats it with gold spray paint to match the drapes. Everything doesnt need to be so obvious.