The City of Belleview, Washington is moving forward with plans to transform nearly 28 acres of Bellevue Airfield Park, on top of what used to be a landfill.
The landfill operated from 1951 to 1964, according to the city’s parks department.
“There are simply no other properties of this size that could be used for a large piece of park and open space,” said Glenn Kost, the manager of capital planning and development for city of Bellevue Parks. In particular, there are no more spaces that aren’t bordered by residences, making this parcel a prime location for a lighted athletic field.
Across the country, the practice of turning landfills into parks is popular for urban settings where land is scarce.
The trend started in Seattle, when the old Rainier dump became part of what is now Genesee Park.