Katherine Nyborg, known as Kath to her friends and colleagues, met her future husband for a dance at Seattle Center when they were in college at Seattle Pacific University. On-campus dances were forbidden, and so the college students organized so-called “functions” at the Center instead.
They met in the Snoqualmie Room, now the home of The Vera Project. It was their first date – and how nice it was to get together outside the formal academic environment, where they could listen to music and talk more informally – to better get to know one another.
From that first date on, Seattle Center represented neutral, creative ground on which they could explore the arts and theater (since they were both theater majors), or spend sunny days by the fountain. For Kath, who moved to Seattle for college from Southern Cal., the Center really reflected the greater Seattle area, rooted in the core of the region between mountains and water. It was a hub for arts, culture and community, where all kinds of people came to experience the best of what Seattle had to offer – a magical place.
Now many years later, Seattle Center remains a place of magic for Kath, although her years of employment here have given her a deeper respect for what the Center accomplishes. This enduring place has matured in her eyes, and although the Center has grown older along with her, she’s excited at the younger generations who continue to nourish and rejuvenate this gathering place. Likewise, Kath’s marriage has continued and matured, always remaining connected to the Center. 
