Seattle officials to vote on renaming park after slain activist

The Seattle City Council is expected to vote Monday to rename a park in honor of the late Donnie Chin, Chinatown-International District’s beloved community activist and go-to guy.

The playground on 700 South Lane Street will be renamed the Donnie Chin International Children’s Park.

Maiko Winkler-Chin is executive director of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (no relation to Donnie). She says renaming the park is a fitting tribute.

Donnie Chin came up with the idea for the park and pushed for its creation.

“Before the park existed and before it was remodeled, the neighborhood children had no place to go and hang out," she said. “And now the kids have a great park, just like all the kids in every other neighborhood in Seattle.”

Winkler-Chin says seeing the park built made him happy.

It’s been almost a year since Donnie Chin’s death in the early morning of July 23. Chin was responding to reports of gunfire when he himself was shot.

No arrests have been made. Community members are still waiting for answers about who fired the shots. It’s still a painful subject.

“Having Donnie gone — sorry, I’m getting emotional with this — you don’t think about it until random thoughts about Donnie come floating into your head,” Winkler-Chin said.

The park is one change since Donnie Chin’s death. The mayor has also convened a local task force to address public safety in the neighborhood. Winkler-Chin co-chairs the group. She said the recommendations are coming out later this month. They’re based on how Donnie Chin approached his work in the community.