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About Us

Contact:  Contact information is at the bottom of every page.

Mission

“Urban Sparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is to facilitate the creation and improvement of public spaces, and to inspire and educate the public in the initiation and accomplishment of similar community projects. Our aim is to inspire added opportunities for relaxation, recreation and artistic enjoyment in everyday life.”

We do this by:

  • Organizing partnerships among community volunteers, public agencies, community groups, and businesses.
  • Coordinating and managing the implementation of public space projects.
  • Showcasing the significance, richness and joy of community projects.
  • Holding community workshops designed to generate optimism and ideas.

Staff

Jack Tomkinson,

Executive Director

email: JackT [at] UrbanSparks.org

Board of Directors

Karen Moe, PhD, Board Chair
Doreen Kindred, Leadership Tomorrow graduate
Vic Opperman, founder of Sustainable Ballard & SCALLOPS
Scott Otterson, PhD
Jack Tomkinson, founder of Fremont Peak Park and Urban Sparks

History: How Urban Sparks Came To Be

Birth Tenets – Urban Sparks was born in a small file box with is tenets artfully depicted on its four sides.

The Back Story:  Jack Tomkinson started Fremont Peak Park when he found a world class wooded view property for sale with three houses on it.  The only thing he knew about public work at that time was that one friend was starting Pinehurst Pocket Park and others had worked on renovating the Woodland Park Zoo Children’s Play Area.  After many phone calls, a team was formed which opened Fremont Peak Park following 7 years of building community support, raising money, buying property, and designing and constructing the park.  After benefiting from so many who had gone before us, steering members Karen Moe and Jack Tomkinson started Urban Sparks to capture and share lessons so that future project leaders might be spared the steep learning curve of first time project leadership.  We wanted to help more people to more easily experience the joy of improving their communities.

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