The City of Seattle is excited to invite the community to the opening celebration for Seattle Parks and Recreation’s (SPR) South Park Community Center and Site Redevelopment! Join us as we parade through the major multifaceted project on Saturday, May 9, 2026 from noon to 3 pm. All are encouraged to come discover South Park’s new play area, multi-purpose court, synthetic playfield with lighting, dog off leash area, spray park, renovated South Park Community Center and more! To join in the community parade line up at 11:45 am at the corner of S. Sullivan St and 8th Ave W.
“Community Centers provide an important neighborhood gathering space. This larger project delivers that and so much more. The renovated center and amazing amenities welcome all different types of users from ballplayers to kids climbing and swinging, to people and pets using the new off-leash park, and this summer a new spray park,” said Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “This renovation is Seattle Parks and Recreation’s second fully electric center and as part of the renovation we installed air conditioning that will provide a cooling center to serve generations to come.”
SPR combined the building stabilization project with the playfield and surrounding park area redevelopment. The major building renovation addressed maintenance, accessibility, sustainability and program needs to extend the life of the facility and increase programming potential. The community center includes a renovated kitchen, teen room, front reception area, restrooms and a new childcare area. To support the fully electric facility, new solar panels were installed on the roof with the capacity to provide 50KW of solar power.
“South Park is such a vibrant, proud, and deeply community-oriented neighborhood, and it truly deserves a renovated facility like this,” said Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1). “I’m thrilled to see this local investment come to life in a way that reflects the energy, resilience, and heart of South Park. I also want to thank Seattle Parks and Recreation for their work in helping deliver a space that will serve local families and youth for generations to come.”
“This major investment in South Park delivers a community space like no other in our system,” said Michele Finnegan, SPR Interim Superintendent. “The renovated community center and site offer a campus feel, creating new opportunities for connection while strengthening community and South Park pride. I want to thank all our partners and look forward to celebrating with the community in May.”
The success of the project comes from partnerships with the community and public private partnerships in funding. A unique partnership with Seattle Academy(SAAS) provides for a new all-season synthetic lit turf playfield plus hours of free youth programming and athletic clinics. Since the opening of the playfield and surrounding park area earlier this year, SPR has partnered with the Office of Sustainability and Environment’s Duwamish Valley Program to activate the playfield in collaboration with Duwamish River Community Coalition’s Youth Corps. This partnership builds health resilience in Duwamish Valley by supporting the Duwamish Valley community to identify, implement, and participate in neighborhood athletic programming at the new South Park Playfield.
A new multi-sport court was supported by the One Roof Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena. Additionally, the project received funding support from County and State grants specifically from King County Parks and the Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office with Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership funding from the National Parks Service.
Please save the date for the fun event. Please visit for more event information South Park Community Center Stabilization and Site Redevelopment – Parks | seattle.gov or contact Toby Ressler at Toby.Ressler@seattle.gov or 206-615-1482.
