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Parks and Community Services Board unanimously recommends 'Eason Park' name for new Main Street site
Summary
After public testimony and staff briefings, the board voted unanimously to recommend that the city council approve the name "Eason Park" for the 1.75‑acre park at Main Street and 112th Avenue SE; staff said the name and any Japanese characters for signage will be verified before council action.
The Parks and Community Services Board voted unanimously on a motion to recommend that the city council name the new park at Main Street and 112th Avenue Southeast "Eason Park." The motion, moved by board member Elizabeth and seconded by another board member, passed after a brief discussion about signage and correct Japanese-character rendering.
The site is a roughly 1.75‑acre park built over the Sound Transit East Link tunnel and dedicated to the city in 2024 as part of Sound Transit’s park‑mitigation plan, Betsy Anderson, senior planner in the Parks and Community Services Department, told the board. Anderson said the city and ESAN Bellevue have worked on a concept design completed in 2025 and are developing a memorandum of understanding outlining fundraising and roles for design and construction.
The board’s recommendation follows public comments from community members who urged recognition of Bellevue’s Japanese American history. "My hope tonight is to honor the experience and legacy of the Bellevue Japanese American community through the naming of this special park," Amy Hirotaka, representing ESAN Bellevue, told the board. Janille Martin, a former Bellevue Botanical Garden docent, urged staff to follow up on recent changes to the docent program and asked that volunteer contributions be recognized as the city proceeds with commemorative work.
Staff told the board the park‑naming shortlist was derived from more than 250 community suggestions collected through a public outreach survey. Susan Ulla, capital project coordinator, said the shortlist of nine names included place‑based options (Main Street Park), view‑based names (Mountain View Park), and names intended to reflect Japanese American heritage (options included ESAN/Issan, Nikkei, and a longer Bellevue Japanese American Legacy Park). The city’s naming policy, Resolution 10151, guides the process and the council will make the final naming decision.
Board members who supported the motion said they favored a name that clearly ties the site to the Japanese American commemoration while being distinctive and easy to use. Several members also asked staff to verify the correct Japanese characters and exact spelling before the council considers the recommendation.
The board recorded the motion and vote during the May meeting and will forward its recommendation and meeting minutes to city council staff for the council’s final action.
