Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the Wedgwood community to review the schematic design and provide input for a new park located at 8605 35th Ave. NE. in northeast Seattle. Please join SPR staff and the design consultant, Studio 41, on Saturday, June 29, 2019 from 10 a.m. to noon at the park site, 8605 35th Ave. NE. This Open House is an opportunity for the community to review the design and learn about the construction timeline. Additionally, this Open House will serve as the kick-off for the naming process for the site.

After working closely with the community to identify possible new park locations in the Wedgwood neighborhood, SPR purchased the .33-acre site at 8605 35th Ave. NE in 2014 to provide the neighborhood access to more open space in this urban area. SPR has hosted two community meetings and input received from the meetings has been incorporated into the schematic design. Funding for this park project is provided by the Seattle Park District.

Please submit suggestions for park names in writing by Thursday, September 12, 2019, and include an explanation of how your suggestion matches the naming criteria. The Park Naming Policy, clarifying the criteria applied when naming a park, can be found at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/Publications/namingPolicy.htm. Please send name suggestions to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Parks Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109, or by e-mail to paula.hoff@seattle.gov.The Parks Naming Committee will consider all suggestions and make a recommendation to Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre, who will make the final decision.

For more information about the project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/wedgwood-landbanked-site-park-development. For additional questions about the project or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact Colin Campbell, colin.campbell@seattle.gov or 206-256-5604. Thank you Café Javasti for their support of this Open House and to the Wedgwood Community Council for their partnership with outreach for the project.

Community invited to kickoff event on Saturday, June 29 at Highland Park

This summer, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Human Services Department, and United Way of King County are partnering to host a drop-in summer program offering free meals and recreation activities. Recreation activities are open for kids and teens ages 1 to 18 and may include arts, crafts, board games, and organized recreational games. A free lunch and snacks will be offered to youth ages 1 to 18. Click here to see a schedule of special program events and activities. The program will run daily from July 1 through August 23 from 10a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, rain or shine at 18 park sites across Seattle.

Kickoff event on Saturday, June 29:

The community is invited to attend a free kickoff event on Saturday, June 29 at Highland Park (1100 SW Cloverdale St.) from noon to 3 p.m. The event will include free meals for kids and parents/guardians. Several fun activity stations will be set up in the park, including craft stations, outdoor activities such as relay races and an obstacle course, and field games such as giant Jenga and Connect Four.

2019 Summer Meals and Recreation Activities locations:

• Beacon Hill Playground: 1902 13th Ave. S
• Beer Sheva Park: 8650 55th Ave. S
• EC Hughes Playground: 7907 30th Ave. SW
• Georgetown Park: 750 S Homer St.
• Greenwood Park: 602 N 87th St.
• Highland Park: 1100 SW Cloverdale St.
• Judkins Playground: 2150 S Norman St.
• Lakewood Playground: 5013 S Angeline St.
• Lakeridge Playground: 10145 Rainier Ave. S
• Little Brook Park: 140th and 32nd Ave. NE
• Madrona Playground: 3211 E Spring St.
• Maplewood Playfield: 4801 Corson Ave. S
• North Acres Park: 12718 1st Ave. NE
• Othello Playground: 4351 S Othello St.
• Peppi’s Playground: 3233 E Spruce St.
• Powell Barnett Park: 352 MLK Jr. Way
• Pratt Park: 1800 S Main St.
• Roxhill Park: 2850 SW Roxbury St.

For questions or more information about the program, please contact Connor Durham, Seattle Parks and Recreation, at 206-615-0303 or connor.durham@seattle.gov.

Another great season lies ahead for downtown (Center City) parks with arts, concerts, festivals and random acts of urban fun. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) and partners will host a variety of free events and activities at downtown (Center City) parks this summer. Download the 2019 Center City Parks Summer Schedule here, or see the event calendar online at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/downtown.

Offerings include Tuesday Brews and Tunes at Freeway Park, outdoor movies at Cascade Playground, and tai chi classes at Hing Hay Park. Hardly a summer day will pass without art, music, or community activities taking place in several downtown parks at once.

In addition to events and activities, we also have park concierges available in many downtown parks with games such as table tennis, giant chess, and cornhole so that community members can play in the park. Park concierges also have brochures, maps, and information to help the public plan their visits. Buskers, including musicians and performers, are also helping to enliven our downtown parks. Follow our Busker Program Facebook page here for updates on performance locations.

Once seen as bland and not very welcoming, downtown parks are undergoing a renaissance thanks to a collaboration between SPR and downtown community partners whose missions overlap with SPR’s.

The downtown partnership model began as a one-year trial in 2015, with the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) taking on the programming and activation of Westlake Park. The success of that pilot led to the relationship being extended to include Occidental Square Park and to continue for another 5 years. Additional partnerships were also developed with the Freeway Park Association, InterIm Community Development Association, YMCA, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, and Friends of Denny Park. So far, SPR and partners are activating 13 downtown parks with summer events. Working together, SPR and its “Urban Parks Partners” combine efforts and investment to enliven our downtown parks and provide free and welcoming activities for all. 

Many Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed for Independence Day or on special holiday schedules. Some facilities may be open, but have limited operations. Please call in advance.

These facilities and services will have CLOSURES:

• Community centers
• Teen life centers
• Environmental learning centers
• Indoor swimming pools
• Green Lake Small Craft Center
• Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center (some limited activities for registered programs only will be open)

These facilities are OPEN:

• Golf courses
• Boat ramps
• Beaches
• Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool
• Colman Pool
• Wading pools*
• Sprayparks*

*Wading Pools and Spraypark schedules are subject to change. Check http://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/spray-parks-and-wading-pools for detailed schedule information and updates.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to Dragon Fest 2019 at Hing Hay Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019. Please visit our current concierge booth between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to learn about the future Hing Hay Park Concierge Station and Single Use Restroom project. Hing Hay Park is located at 423 Maynard Ave. S, in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.

SPR is moving forward with the planning, design and construction of this project that will be an added public benefit to the newly expanded Hing Hay Park in Seattle’s Chinatown International District. The new restroom will be located in the northeast area of the park in the basement of the Bush Hotel.

The SPR restroom will be designed with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and constructed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The project will utilize SPR’s standard fixtures and finishes. The single use restroom will be available to the public when a concierge is present at the park and SPR will be responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of the facility.

For more information about Dragon Fest visit http://cidbia.org/events/dragonfest/.

For more information about the project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/hing-hay-park For additional questions or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact CJ de Leon at CJ.deLeon@seattle.gov or 206-684-8568.

On May 29, 2019, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) finalized the acquisition of Lake Washington waterfront property, 13000 Riviera Place NE, in northeast Seattle. This site had been a public small street-end beach property used by the community as a public park and access to Lake Washington since the early 1900’s.

In 2013 in became clear that the land was not in fact publicly owned. 

Neighboring community members rallied the City to help restore public access to this waterfront property. In 2015, the City Council authorized the acquisition. The City initiated a condemnation process in 2016, and a settlement was reached. SPR finalized the purchase of this property last month. The property totals 13,736 sq. ft, mostly water, with a small shoreline area of 3,653 sq. ft. 

“Our City’s waterfront parks are the gems of the Seattle park system. This acquisition will produce many benefits for the surrounding neighborhood and every District 5 resident who enjoys recreation on Lake Washington. I am grateful to both Seattle Parks and Recreation and the City Attorney’s office for all the hard work that went into restoring public access to this space,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez.

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said, “As the weather heats up, the North Seattle public will have new access to the cool waters of Lake Washington. I’m proud of the dogged work of Assistant City Attorney Charles Gussow on my team and our Parks and Recreation Department to secure an agreement to further open our shorelines to the community.”

“We are thrilled to add this small beach into our city’s park system. Access to the natural environment and waterfront provides incredible health, mental health, and community benefits to our residents,” said Jesús Aguirre, Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent. 

This small beach is accessible by foot or by bike, and is most easily reached by the Burke Gilman Trail.

Seattle Parks and Recreation will turn on field lighting on ballfields throughout the city on the evening of Wednesday, July 3 and Thursday, July 4  to protect the surfaces. The ballfield lights will be turned on at approximately 8:30 p.m. and most will be turned off at either 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., depending on the field.

The lights will be turned on to discourage the use of fireworks. Fireworks are illegal in the city of Seattle and will destroy the artificial turf on the fields or surrounding facilities. The approximate replacement cost for the synthetic surface based on per average full-size field (110,000 square feet) is $1.2 million. All the fields have been renovated in the past several years and benefit field users including players of soccer, football, baseball, Ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse.     

The fields will be monitored by security from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Lights at the following fields will be turned off at 11 p.m.:

• Bobby Morris at Cal Anderson Park, 1635 11th Ave
• Delridge Playfield, 4458 Delridge Way SW
• Garfield #1, E Cherry St & 23rd Ave
• Genesee Upper and Lower Playfield, 4316 S Genesee St.
• Georgetown Playfield, 750 S Homer St.
• Hiawatha Playfield, 2700 California Ave. SW
• Interbay Athletic Complex, 3027 17th Ave W
• Jefferson Playfield, 4165 16th Ave. S
• Lower Woodland Playfield #2 and #7, 5201 Green Lake Way North
• Walt Hundley Playfield, 6920 34th Avenue SW
• Washington Park Playfield, 2500 Lake Washington Blvd. E
• West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35^th Ave. SW

Lights at the following fields will turned off at 10 p.m.:

• Loyal Heights Playfield, 2101 NW 77th St
• Mickey Merriam Athletic field complex, Magnuson #5 (Rugby), #6, #7, 7400 Sand Point Way N.E.
• Miller Playfield, 330 19th Ave. E

Lights will turned off at the following grass fields at 11 p.m.

• Ballard Playfield, 2644 NW 60th St.
• Rainier Playfield, 3700 S Alaska St.
• W Queen Anne Playfield, 150 W Blaine St.

Seattle Parks and Recreation, Atlantic Street Center, and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute are proud to present the annual Teen Summer Musical, Uncle Willy’s Chocolate Factory.

The summer musical is an opportunity for local teens to perform on the big stage while learning the business side of theater operations. It allows them to connect, communicate and exchange ideas with youth from other backgrounds and cultures. Summer musical participants earn a stipend for rehearsals and performance during this 9-week summer program. The teen summer musical theater experience is just one more way to captivate our youth while they are in the “hope stage” of their development into young adults.

The program, which attracts dozens of teens of color, provides an introduction to the world of theater. Through workshops and collaborative practices, the participants develop self-discipline, self-confidence and self-motivation, character traits essential to becoming emotionally healthy, contributing members of our community.

A staff of professional artists develop the talents and skills of some 60 youth who spend nine hours together Monday through Friday for 9 weeks for acting, dance and vocal training and hands-on work with the technical aspects of theater – costume, lighting and set design.

Most past Teen Summer Musical productions have been adaptations of fairy tales whose roles have traditionally been played by Caucasian actors. But here, stories such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cinderella, Snow White and Peter Pan morph into modern tales that reflect modern experiences. The revisions reflect a look through a true racial equity lens, which allows the youth to relate to the theatrical piece.

The results speak for themselves in a full stage performance mounted in a major theater, with a full professional production team.

2019 performances will take place at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., August 22 through 25.

Show times                                  Matinee                                Evening

Thursday, August 22                         —                                         7 p.m.

Friday, August 23                            Noon                                      7 p.m.

Saturday, August 24                         1                                           7 p.m.

Sunday, August 25                          3 p.m.                                          —

Ticket information

$18 for youth (ages 4-17) and seniors (62+); $23 for adults. Patrons under the age of 3 are permitted without a ticket.

Tickets are available here: https://www.seattlesymphony.org/concerttickets/calendar/2018-2019/benaroyahall/uncle-willys-chocolate-factory

The play is an adaptation of the book Charlie and the Chocolate by Roald Dahl. Adapted and directed by Isiah Anderson, Jr. Music directed by Michelle Lang and choreography by Tyrone “Koach T” Crosby.

Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Teen Summer Musical is sponsored in part by Lyft, Banner Bank, Regal, Popeye’s, Swedish Hospital, Woodland Park Players, and New Seasons Market.

We’re highlighting some of our SW Lifelong Summer Recreation activities. All Lifelong Recreation activities, including summer fitness classes, are suited specifically for those age 50 and older. Register today at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/

Line Dance Class 

Work out your mind and body.  Learn new dance patterns to all kinds of great music! 5 classes run 7/9-8/27.  No class 7/23, 7/30, 8/13.

Beginner:

• Class#: 20612 Day/time: Tue; 10:15a.m.-11:15a.m. Location: Hiawatha Community Center Instructor: L. Reese Cost: $22

• Class#: 20610   Day/time:   Tue; 6:30p.m.-7:30p.m.  Location: Alki Community Center   Instructor: L. Reese Cost: $22

Advanced Beginner:2

• Class#: 20611   Day/time:  Tue; 9:30a.m.-10:15a.m. Location: Hiawatha Community Center   Instructor: L. Reese   Cost: $17

Zumba Gold

Ditch the workout, join the party!  Fun is the key ingredient in this low impact Latin inspired dance fitness class.  No rhythm and no partner needed. You’ll leave exhilarated and energized! $18 Four (4) classes run 7/8-7/30

• Class#: 20615    Day/time:  Mon; 10a.m.-11a.m.  Location:  Alki Community Center Instructor:M Jorgensen         

• Class#: 20616    Day/time: Tue; 10a.m.-11a.m  Location: Alki Community Center  Instructor: M Jorgensen      

Fitness at Alki            

Build total body muscle strength using fitness bands, free weights and floor work. Improve balance, flexibility and agility.  Bring weights to class. $36

• Class#: 20606  Day/Time: Wed; 10a.m.-11a.m Location: Alki Community Center  Instructor: M Dalzell

Tai Chi- Principles & Practice           

Opportunity for beginners to practice basic principles of yang style tai chi.  Continuing students will deepen their practice. Open to all.   No class 7/22, 7/29. $27

• Class#: 20614  Day/time: Mon; 10 am-11am Location: High Point Community Center  Instructor: H Dickinson   

Gentle Yoga              

Stretch and move with awareness, correct alignment and a focus on breath to increase strength and stamina, improve flexibility, and develop better balance, posture, poise, and peace of mind. $40    

• Class#: 20607  Day/time: Tue; 9:15a.m. – 10:15a.m. Location: Delridge Community Center Instructor: J Reed   
• Class #: 20608 Day/time: Fri; 10:45a.m.- 11:45a.m. Location: High Point Community Center Instructor: J Reed