If there was any Seattle leader to whom the needs of kids in our region came first, it was Cheryl Chow.
A two-term Seattle City Council member, Chow was a longtime advocate for kids and brought years of experience as an educator to the job. Chow championed the Families and Education Levy, which initially created outreach programs for youth involved in Asian street gangs but evolved into the seven-year levy that now funds the city’s early learning and college and job readiness programs, youth mental health services, and more.
Cheryl Chow (Image: Seattlechannel.org)
Celebrate Cheryl Chow Park opening
Chow died in 2013. But her name and legacy will live on at a new park in the Rainier Valley. Cheryl Chow Park will officially open on April 5, with a ribbon-cutting community celebration from noon to 2 p.m. The celebration will include entertainment, food, and the chance to be one of the first to explore the new park. All are welcome. Find the park at S. Charlestown Street between 34th and 35th Avenue S.
Naming a park after Chow is a fitting tribute. She was a champion of city parks and pushed for renovating or developing new recreation centers throughout the city. Kids were the focal point of her career: Chow taught at Hamilton International Middle School, was principal at Aki Kurose Middle School and Franklin and Garfield High Schools, and served on the Seattle School Board. Her advocacy led to extended recreation hours for after-school programs. She also coached and was known for her leadership of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team.
Architects designed Cheryl Chow Park as a multi-generational neighborhood gathering spot for the North Rainier community.
According to a Seattle Parks and Recreation release, the park is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-equipped: “The park will be a multi-generational community gathering space with adult exercise equipment, a half-court basketball feature, BBQ grills, picnic areas, and colorful play equipment.”
Banners in the park show work by local artists and reflect a broad range of cultures in the North Rainier neighborhood.
Cheryl Chow Park (Image: Seattle Parks and Recreation)
A family legacy of parks
Chow was born in Seattle and was the daughter of restauranteur and former King County Councilmember Ruby Chow and Ping Chow, an opera singer, Army veteran, and chef. Ruby Chow ran as a Democrat for her county council seat, despite being pushed by Ted Bundy to become a Republican. Bundy, later convicted as a serial killer, was a GOP campaign worker at the time.
Ruby Chow was the first Asian American elected to the council and served three terms.
Ruby Chow Park, located at the corner of S. Albro Place and 13th Avenue S., was named in her honor in 1985.
