Olympia City Council names three public spaces after former civic leaders

With strong backing from community members, the Olympia City Council unanimously approved the official naming of three public spaces to honor former civic leaders Bill Daley, Jolene Unsoeld and Marj Yung.

Director of Parks, Planning and Maintenance Laura Keehan presented the results of the process to find official names for the Olympia Armory, Yelm Highway Community Park and Kaiser Woods Park at a council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Name suggestions for the public spaces were solicited through Engage Olympia in late 2024. The Olympia Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee subsequently held a public hearing and forwarded its recommendations.

After reviewing the recommendations, the Olympia Community Livability and Public Safety Committee recommended renaming Olympia Armory to Daley Art Center, Yelm Highway Park to Jolene Unsoeld Community Park and Kaiser Woods Park to Marj Yung Park.

Keehan provided background on three individuals, who were selected.

Bill Daley served as Olympia mayor and was a strong advocate for the arts. He played a key role in assembling the first Olympia Arts Commission.

Community members described Daley as a visionary civic leader.

“Bill’s idea was to make some friends, have a lot of fun, and do some good along the way,” said Dwayne Slate, a former Olympia School District board member who described Daley as a “visionary” who helped revive downtown and championed the arts.

Other community members said Daley was instrumental in creating the Olympia Arts Commission, Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Farmers Market, Percival Landing, and other cultural and civic projects.

Keehan said the city’s current transformation of the historic Armory building into a creative campus reflects Daley’s long-standing vision for Olympia. The project is intended to support the arts as an integral part of the city’s way of life, encourage community growth through creativity and innovation, and use the arts to connect people, ideas and place while operating within an equity framework.

Jolene Unsoeld, according to Keehan, successfully lobbied for legislation in the Washington State Legislature that led to the creation of the Public Disclosure Act. She served two terms in the Washington Legislature before running for Congress in 1988, representing the state’s 3rd Congressional District. During her time in Congress, Unsoeld advanced environmental legislation and became the third woman to represent Washington in Congress.

Community members, who spoke during the public comment segment at the city council meeting, remembered Unsoeld as a tireless, principled public servant and environmental champion. She advanced environmental and parks causes, and broke ground for women in elected office.

“She represented our area with great distinction as a state representative and a member of Congress, and she is very well remembered and appreciated for her accomplishments on Parks and Recreation, the environment and Public Disclosure Act,” Karen Fraser said.

Keehan said the proposed naming of the Yelm Highway community park reflects Unsoeld’s legacy in environmental stewardship and public access to open space.

The park is Olympia’s first community park to be built since the 1980s. Phase 1 includes a full-size soccer field, 13 pickleball courts, a soccer mini-pitch, a large playground, basketball courts, a dog park and a maintenance facility. Construction is expected to begin in spring.

Marj (Marjorie) Yung served as a Thurston County Commissioner in the 1970s, when she helped establish the county’s 911 Central Dispatch System and advocated for comprehensive planning and zoning. She was also a member of the League of Women Voters.

Community members remembered Yung as a change agent and planner who professionalized county administration, advocated for comprehensive planning and zoning, and was instrumental in establishing the 911 system.

Keehan said the proposed naming of Kaiser Woods Park reflects Yung’s legacy in land-use planning, public safety and environmental stewardship.

Kaiser Woods Park is a 70-acre forested park in southwest Olympia that includes hiking and mountain biking trails. A proposed park design includes 5 miles of hiking and biking trails for users of all skill levels. Planned improvements also include a new access point off Black Lake Boulevard, a parking area, restrooms and public art along the trails.

Keehan noted the city’s naming criteria, saying the recommended honorees qualify either as historical figures or individuals who provided “outstanding civic service” and have been deceased for at least a year.

Council member Paul Berendt noted the trio’s contributions across different eras of the city’s growth.

“Jolene was a fighter for the public interest … Bill had a brilliant, policy-oriented mind, and Marj was a planner who helped move Thurston County forward,” said Berendt, adding he had the privilege of knowing all three honorees.