SEATTLE — A cleanup effort along a street in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood, known as Hawk Alley, has cleared the area of debris and RVs just in time for the football playoffs.
The initiative has sparked discussions about ongoing issues related to homelessness and city policies.
Wallace Watts, known as Captain Seahawk, put a call out on social media to get the area cleaned up for Saturday’s big game.
“Two weeks ago, this was all full of tents, RVs and boxcars and trailers,” said Captain Seahawk. “It was just like a regular homeless city.”
He says that environment deterred fans from going to Hawk Alley for years. But he remembers it being a vibrant spot for tailgaters and is thrilled it was cleaned up by the city on Tuesday.
Andrea Suarez, founder and executive director of volunteer cleanup group ‘We Heart Seattle,’ expressed excitement that Hawk Alley would be coming back.
“We should have [the] Alley year-round, especially during football season. Parking violations and unsanctioned camping should be enforced year-round,” Suarez said.
She emphasized the need for sustainable solutions for people living in RVs.
“This is their home and they park illegally and they need a place to park legally,” Suarez said. “And I would propose to the mayor and the Human Services Department to create safe lots, give them a place to park safely.”
Erin Goodman, the Executive Director of the SODO Business Improvement Area, clarified that although the cleanup coincided with playoff festivities, it was not the reason for it.
“We’ve known about it since December, so while it does happen right before the playoffs, it was not planned for that,” Goodman said.
Captain Seahawk is hopeful that this cleanup will be a game-changer for the city in its bid to host larger events.
“It’s time to come back here to Seattle, especially if Seattle’s trying to get the NFL draft. We’re trying to do 225,000 people in downtown Seattle for the draft,” he said.