The 1 Line Extension to Lynnwood opened on Aug. 30 of this year, and I was particularly excited to take the train north to Mountlake Terrace (MLT) to visit friends, family, and familiar haunts.
Here are some things to see and to around the station, from public art to a local park.
Kipp Kobayashi’s vision of "Re-Forestation"
Mountlake Terrace Station is wrapped in a vibrant installation of lenticular panels designed to reveal unique forest views depending on where you are standing.
Artist Kipp Kobayashi designed the aptly named “Re-Forestation” artwork adorning the station where a stand of tall trees used to hug I-5 and 236th Street SW. The many trails that lead to the station through dense suburban forest and from nearby homes remind Kobayashi of a strong root system connecting to the site of "Re-Forestation" and a new central crossing point.
Kobayashi says the Puget Sound region reminds him of the holidays—”it always smells like Douglas firs, no matter the season.”
Like the artist, I love the feeling of being in a forest and it seems natural for the trails to connect around the trees in "Re-Forestation." It's great to hop off the train and into the woods.
A tour around Mountlake Terrace Station
Recently, my mom and I met up to walk around the new 1 Line station in MLT and reflect on changes to her neighborhood.
We walked from the station to Veterans Memorial Park, to the library and the newly renovated City Hall, and then to buy coffee from my mom’s favorite coffee stand: Espresso Break on 56th Ave W.
MLT change and re-growth
One change we talked about was that some suburban forest near Veterans Memorial Park had to be cut down to make way for the light rail station and park and ride. Mom has always lamented the loss of trees for development. “We need trees to store our carbon!”
But we both agreed that it’s a smart trade to sacrifice a small number of trees to get people out of their cars and onto the train to reduce emissions.
I asked my mom how she liked the art installation at Mountlake Terrace Station, and she loved the idea of reincorporating trees into the space, but she added she’s never been a #1 fan of orange. Still, she thought the art installation was an excellent match for the fall colors on display in the neighborhood.
From the station, we walked around 236th St SW and meandered through Veterans Memorial Park before stopping at the Mountlake Terrace Library.
As we walked around Veteran’s Memorial Park, we reflected that there was still plenty of tree cover, ferns, and Oregon grape to get the breath of fresh air we needed from a short suburban forest bath.
Some things are just the same as they were
I was greeted with a rush of nostalgia when we arrived at the library because the space is virtually unchanged. The same stained glass adorns the windows, and bronze sculptor Georgia Gerber’s black bear statues are still lumbering past the front entrance begging to be climbed by children of all ages.
We asked the librarian if there was any information about the age of the forest in the park next door and she pointed us to a website with a few answers, but it’s a mystery we’ll lazily research for the next few years—updating each other at birthday parties and holiday gatherings.
After we walked the interior of the library while my mom gave a review of the books my nieces checked out most recently, we stopped by the newly renovated City Hall.
Neither of us had been in since it opened during the pandemic, but the space is inviting and smelled like new construction in the best way. In front of City Hall, my mom wondered why the stems of the giant flower installation were white, and I wondered what colors my mom does enjoy in an art installation. She promised she’ll keep an eye out and tell me when she sees it.
Snowberry bushes, creeks, and “a nice hill to walk”
Our next stop was Espresso Break, where they serve “the best coffee in Mountlake Terrace,” according to my mom. I wouldn’t disagree—mom gives a quality endorsement. Armed with an oat milk mocha and a “regular milk” 12 oz latte, we headed back to Mountlake Terrace Station and down Van Ry Blvd.
Both mom and I enjoyed getting a closer look at the Terrace Station transit-oriented development with apartments, restaurants, and a Montessori school. Mom was thrilled to see that they had daylit the creek that runs from Veterans Memorial Park down through the newly built neighborhood. And bonus! Snowberry bushes were planted below the elevated train tracks. “I love snowberry bushes!”
My mom guessed that her friend Vicki, who lives nearby and helps remove invasive ivy from Veterans Memorial Park, probably enjoys walking through the new neighborhood. It’s a nice area, and the road back to 236th has “a nice hill to walk.”
I’m so looking forward to taking more short trips from Roosevelt Station to Mountlake Terrace to visit my mom. It’s a great ride for a suburban forest bath and a “Tour de Terrace.”
I often hear about how light rail will connect Snohomish County residents to their jobs in downtown Seattle or the airport, but for me Mountlake Terrace is the destination.
