No Condos Or Strip Malls Donated Land Will Create One Of A Kind Seattle Area Park

SAMMAMISH - Imagine a place where nature has been untouched that's home to 100 foot trees where plants and animals grow free and unfettered. Now, imagine that place in the middle of one of our area's fastest growing communities.

We're talking about 50 acres of the most pristine forest around in the heart of the city of Sammamish. While that community continues to grow with housing developments and strip malls, plans are in place to keep a major part of the Plateau the way nature intended wild.

Sammamish's new park was made possible by one woman's generous donation. For the last 38 years Mary Pigott has been blessed by all of the beauty in her backyard.

"To have enough of it so that you can actually kind of think you're in the middle of nowhere," said Pigott.

Now, she wants to share it with the community. This widow and grandma wants to make sure everyone gets to enjoy a true Pacific Northwest park.

"The idea of using this as a place to learn, all the different kinds of mosses, ferns, and mushrooms and fungi and how they all play a role in making a complete ecosystem," said Pigott.

This year Mary will give the city of Sammamish 15 acres for the park, then in 5 years another 20 acres and when she decides to move the final 15. But, there's a catch she says it has to stay just like it is, no strip malls or condos ever.

"Truly am delighted that this is going to stay the way it is and my grandkids and your grandkids all generations will be able to enjoy this the way I have," said Pigott.

Over the years Mary and her late husband bought 3 different pieces of property and built a 50 acre wooded wonderland complete with walking trails, streams and ponds, plenty of plants and animals and one big boulder.

"It was a rock that was pushed down here by glaciers during the last ice age," said Pigott.

Thanks to Mary it'll stay a true plateau treasure.

"I feel like it's a real privilege to be able to take part in making sure this stay sort of a natural area," said Pigott.

You'll get a chance to see the park for yourself when Mary and the city opens it to the public after the first of the year.

The last thing that's needed for this new park is a name. Mary says she hopes the city will form a committee so it can get suggestions from the community. But, Mary has some ideas on that too and she'll be involved in the process.