Little Hollywood: Sylvester Park Gazebo Gets a Makeover

About The Name

People ask me all the time about the name of my blog, Little Hollywood. Little Hollywood was the name of the shantytown down along the shores of what is now Capitol Lake, a place where some lively characters of Olympia lived. It was our "Hooverville" from the 1920s through the early 1950s. Well, as we know, our area has a lot of interesting, talented, educated characters, and the point of this blog is to help shine the light on some of our "stars" that might not ordinarily be heard through corporate media outlets. So, the name has a double meaning. And since it's my blog, it's Janine's Little Hollywood. Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sylvester Park Gazebo Gets a Makeover

Above: General Administration (GA) workers were reluctant to identify themselves until I assured them I wasn't with Labor & Industries (L&I). GA employees Tim Brown, left, Wes Cline, in hardhat, and TJ Snoderly, on ladder, were properly roped up and made quick work of ripping off the roof of Sylvester Park's gazebo. Thanks guys!

by Janine Gates
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The gazebo at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia is finally getting the makeover it sorely needs - a new roof. Workers began ripping off the old cedar shakes at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The roof was last replaced about 20 years ago, says Jim Erskine, communications representative for the state General Administration (GA). The cost for the project is about $8,000, which includes labor and materials. Erskine says GA is doing the work instead of hiring a private contractor. Workers will install a new cedar shake roof that is expected to last for about 50 years.

Sylvester Park, established in 1850, is an Olympia Heritage Site. It was originally Olympia's town square, dedicated by the city's founder, Edmund Sylvester.