On September 17, 1974, voters in King County narrowly support continued use of Sand Point (later Magnuson Park) as an airport for light aircraft in a non-binding advisory vote. King County Council members say that the "yes" vote, by 52 percent of the voters, will have no effect since the county doesn't have jurisdiction over the city property.
The vote was not considered an overwhelming endorsement by either side on the issue. "I am not disappointed," said Dave Symington, chairman of the Sand Point Multi Use Initiative Committee, which supported aviation at Sand Point. "But I would have liked to have seen a heavier 'yes' vote."
The fight over the airfield was a long-standing one, with private aviation supporters confronting neighborhood groups, such as Friends of Sand Point Park, and elected officials, including Mayor Wes Uhlman (b. 1935) and Senator Warren G. Magnuson (1905-1989).
Aviation supporters eventually lost out and the park was dedicated to more bucolic park-like activities.
Sources:
Svein Gilje, "Sand Point: Advisory-vote Impact Due," The Seattle Times, September 15, 1974, p. D-1; Svein Gilje "The Issue: Best Use," Ibid., September 15, 1974, p. D-1; Svein Gilje, "Airporters Gain Edge in Sand Point Issue," Ibid., September 18, 1974, p. A-10.
Licensing: This essay is licensed under a Creative Commons license that
encourages reproduction with attribution. Credit should be given to both
HistoryLink.org and to the author, and sources must be included with any
reproduction. Click the icon for more info. Please note that this
Creative Commons license applies to text only, and not to images. For
more information regarding individual photos or images, please contact
the source noted in the image credit.
Major Support for HistoryLink.org Provided
By:
The State of Washington | Patsy Bullitt Collins
| Paul G. Allen Family Foundation | Museum Of History & Industry
| 4Culture (King County Lodging Tax Revenue) | City of Seattle
| City of Bellevue | City of Tacoma | King County | The Peach
Foundation | Microsoft Corporation, Other Public and Private
Sponsors and Visitors Like You