Seattle Parks and Recreation is happy to announce the play area at B.F. Day Playground is open. The new play area at 4020 Fremont Ave N. provides several “nature play” elements which have been carefully chosen for this site including balance beam logs, a wood seesaw and mushroom topped stools. The play structure provides climbing and sliding elements along with an educational panel of animal tracks. These elements fit in well with the existing large trees and nature already on the site. The artistic brass leaves inlaid into the paths surrounding the play area were inspired by the Horse Chestnut trees planted along Fremont Ave. N.
Additionally, there are new swings including a bucket swing for children of all abilities. The renovation relocated the sandbox, further away from stormwater catch basin, to eliminate the sand migrating to the catch basin and provides bench seating adjacent to the play area. The full site meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and national safety standards.
“Thank you to the community for their input on this project and cooperation during construction,” said AP Diaz, Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent. “This in-house design delivers a great new play area for the neighborhood and we are happy to get it open before the beginning of school.”
During the beginning of the project the construction access moved to the north to minimize any impact to existing vegetation. Construction vehicles entered on a temporary path that ran across the outfield of the ballfields at the site. Construction fencing is now in place around this path and the area will be seeded with grass. We anticipate this area of the park opening in late fall/early winter 2023 after the grass has established.
Funding for this park project is provided by the Seattle Park District. Approved by voters in 2014, the Seattle Park District provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding to tackle the $267-million major maintenance backlog for Seattle Parks and Recreation as well as other facilities including the Aquarium and Zoo. In addition, it provides funding to improve and rehabilitate community centers, preserve the urban forest, perform day-to-day maintenance of parks and facilities, provide more recreation opportunities for people from underserved communities, provide programs for people of all ages and abilities, and acquire and develop new park land.
For more information on the project please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/b-f-day-playground-play-area-renovation.
