Pac Man Park

Walking through the Capitol Hill district of Seattle, you may begin to hear the strange, yet familiar, sound of “wakka wakka wakka wakka” as rows of yellow dots appear beneath you. You will soon realize that you have entered Pac Man Park, a painted blacktop bringing the classic arcade game to life. Finally, the city put two and two together and capitalized on the perfect opportunity: to turn the empty road into a lively public gathering space. The local government put together a neighborhood referendum to vote on the future of the plaza, and out of nine options, Pac Man was chosen. The city’s Pavement to Parks program provided the necessary funding—no copyright payments were required, as the art project qualified as fair use—and voila, Pac Man Park was born.