Parkways Seattle Parks and Recreation

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the South Park community to participate in an Online Open House on Wednesday, February 24,  2021 from 4-5:15 pm. This is an opportunity for the neighborhood to  learn about the final design and construction schedule for the South Park Community Center and Sitewide design. Please register online here https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlfu-rrz0rHN2_Xk4oD7nJTB7XJysDV2Vh. Interpretation in Spanish will be available.

South Park Community Center is located at 8319 8^th Ave. S, 98108. The site redevelopment project will include a spray park, play area, picnic area, lawn, extended parking, dog off-leash area, and a full-size multi-sport court. The project also includes an all-season synthetic turf field with lighting and a circular walking trail, developed in partnership with Seattle Academy. This project will be concurrent with the South Park Community Center Stabilization Project that will address a number of major maintenance, accessibility, and program needs at South Park Community Center. Construction will include a roof replacement, HVAC system upgrades, renovation of the restrooms, kitchen and lobby spaces, installing a gym divider, and replacing the multi-purpose room flooring. Construction will begin in late spring of 2021 and be completed in fall 2022.

As part of this project, SPR is collecting inspiring quotations from community members to be used as part of an onsite art installation. We’re looking for examples of quotations from artists, authors, local leaders – anyone whose voice reflects and celebrates South Park’s diverse, vibrant community. Email your suggestions for quotations to toby.ressler@seattle.gov. Suggestions are due by March 31, 2021.

The community driven project is funded by the Seattle Park District and includes the Major Projects Challenge Fund, state grants and a partnership with Seattle Academy through the Seattle Parks Foundation. SPR hired Broadview Planning in 2017 and MIG/SvR in 2018 to lead the planning and design with an emphasis on providing strategies for mitigating negative health impacts resulting from the site’s proximity to a major transportation corridor. The project incorporates the principles of crime prevention through environmental design and a race and social justice lens with a strong focus on engaging underrepresented communities in order to improve health outcomes.

For more information about this project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/south-park-community-center-play-area-renovation or contact Toby Ressler at Toby.ressler@seattle.gov  or 206-615-1482.

Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to participate in an Online Open House on Tuesday, February 9 at 6:00 p.m. for the Bitter Lake Play Area and Comfort Station Renovation project. Please register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hEZP73eaTayHmb2ADQ72uA for the online event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information and directions on how to participate in the webinar. Please visit the park, 13035 Linden Ave. N, and join us online to meet the design team and provide input on the three concept designs they have developed.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the initial survey for this project. Your input was incorporated into the design from Hoshide Wanzer Architects and Berger Partnership, and they are eager to share the concept designs with you and gather your feedback.

The project will provide a modern, all-gender comfort station/restroom facility, new play equipment that provides play opportunities for all abilities. In addition, the project will make safety and  accessibility improvements that meet the standards from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/bitter-lake-playfield-play-area-and-comfort-station-renovation or contact Kevin Bergsrud at kevin.bergsrud@seattle.gov or 206-684-5831.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is excited to work with the community on planning for a new community center in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Located at the corner of Mercer Street and Dexter Ave., the center will be a private-public partnership operated by SPR, but located on the ground floor of a private development project. The new center will be a welcoming space for all and visible from the street with easy access for pedestrians, cyclists and people traveling by mass transit.

SPR and the design team from NBBJ needs your input to help create a successful center for all. Please visit the Online Open House from January 28 through February 18 at slucc.infocommunity.org.

This Online Open House is an opportunity for the community to share priorities for the center’s activities and programming. The community can also learn more about the project, as well as the constraints and opportunities. Key features of the center include a full-size basketball court, fitness area, and childcare. The community will be asked to share additional recreation priorities to help the design team determine what activities and programs should be included in the new facility and design the layout of the spaces within the community center.

For more information please visit www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/south-lake-union-community-center or contact David Graves at david.graves@seattle.gov or 206-684-7048

Duwamish Waterway Park, Marra-Desimone Park, South Park Community Center and South Park Plaza

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is excited to be working on five projects in the South Park neighborhood over the next two years. SPR is working across City departments to improve parks and open spaces in the community and plays a central role in advancing these priorities and the Duwamish Valley Action Plan.

“We are excited to be moving these projects forward and to bringing increased access to parks, open spaces, and recreational facilities for the South Park community. Each project involved extensive community input as we work across City departments and with partners to address equity, access and health outcomes for all in this vibrant neighborhood,” said Jesús Aguirre, SPR Superintendent.

Below is an update on the projects with contact information for each project for any community questions.

At Duwamish Waterway Park, SPR began construction in October and the renovated park will be open to the public this summer. The community led park project has been carefully designed to maximize open space for recreation and festivals, and to preserve river access for launching hand-carried boats. The renovated park will provide a new play area, an accessible perimeter pathway with a series of interpretive artwork boulders, new park furnishings with accessible picnic tables, barbecues, as well as a drinking fountain and food wash area. Working with Seattle Parks Foundation, the Friends of Duwamish Waterway Park raised over $1 million for the park renovation. For more information please contact Jessica Michalak, Capital Projects Coordinator, Seattle Parks and Recreation, at Jessica.michalak@seattle.gov or 206-470-9147 or visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/duwamish-waterway-park-activation.

At Marra-Desimone Park, SPR awarded the construction contract to A1 Landscaping & Construction who will be mobilizing on the site by early Feb. SPR developed the park design through extensive community engagement and the new design will provide a start to an accessible, multi-use and attractive park that will improve park/farm safety and visibility through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. The renovated park, shaped by budget and community priorities, is a phased park development that includes accessible pathways and walking loops, a central open green area, benches, picnic tables, drainage improvements, paved parking lot with ADA parking, new irrigation system with solar powered control system and 80+ trees and grass plantings. Subsequent phases of park development will need to address other community/park needs, including the play area, added park benches, picnic tables, gathering facilities (shelters, meeting space, Harvest Center), farm improvements and other active play facilities. As part of the Marra-Desimone Park improvement project, SPR is collaborating with SDOT on street accessibility improvements on S 7th St. and Director Ave. S and will include these improvements into the upcoming construction project. To stay up to date on the project please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/marra-desimone-park or contact Jay Rood at jay.rood@seattle.gov or 206-516-9477. 

In conjunction with the Marra-Desimone Park project the Rejuvenate our P-Patches Program, a partnership between, SPR and the Department of Neighborhoods, will be making improvements at the east portion of the site which houses the farm and P-Patch.  For more information contact Michelle Whitfield at Michelle.Whitfield@seattle.gov or 206-465-8492.

At South Park Community Center, SPR is in the final stage of design for the site redevelopment project that will include a spraypark, play area, picnic area, lawn, extended parking, dog off-leash area, and a full-size multi-sport court. The project also includes an all-season synthetic lit turf field with a circular walking trail, in partnership with Seattle Academy (SAAS). Construction will begin in late spring of 2021 and be completed in fall 2022. This project will be concurrent with the South Park Community Center Stabilization Project that will address a number of major maintenance, accessibility, and program needs at South Park Community Center. It will include a roof replacement, HVAC system upgrades, renovation of the restrooms, kitchen and lobby spaces in addition to the addition of a gym divider and replacement of the multi-purpose room flooring.  For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/south-park-community-center-site-redevelopment or contact Toby Ressler at toby.ressler@seattle.gov or 206-615-1482. 

The future South Park Plaza project is located along the South Park River Walk, an element of the South Park Green Spaces Vision Plan. SPR purchased the .83-acre site in 2014 to provide the South Park community access to open space within this high density urban area and has worked with the community on the schematic design. We are finalizing the design which includes an open lawn, primary event space, play elements, seating terraces, accessible pathways, bio-swales, irrigation and landscape improvements. SPR anticipates project construction starting in Winter/Spring 2022 with completion in Fall/Winter 2022. This project is also collaborating with SDOT on S. Dallas Street and 14th/Bridge and S. Orr Street accessibility and circulation improvements for pedestrians and vehicles at this important open space connection between South Park’s Business District and the river. For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/south-park-plaza-landbanked-site-park-development or contact Jay Rood at jay.rood@seattle.gov or 206-516-9477.

While we cannot meet in person right now, your input is important to the future of the Salmon Bay Park play area! Salmon Bay Park is a neighborhood park in Ballard at 2001 NW Canoe Pl, Seattle WA 98117. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) incorporated the community’s early input—all 350 responses—for the play area renovation project into three concept designs. The project team appreciates your previous input and encourages additional community participation.

Please participate in the design by first viewing the design team project presentation here https://youtu.be/ecraZ07Gs4E and then taking a short survey,  https://seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/SalmonBayDesign.  We will be hosting an online Open House to answer any additional questions and gather further input on Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The online Open House will be hosted on Webex at http://bit.ly/SalmonBayOpenHouse and can be accessed through your web browser. Please join us! All links and additional information can be found on the project website.

SPR’s project team wants to hear what the community values about this park and play area, and how it might be improved. Three concepts will be presented proposing new play equipment layouts (the newly replaced zipline will be retained), adjusting equipment locations, potential access improvements, and locations for new and replaced site furnishings. Renovated elements will meet current safety and accessibility standards.

For more information please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/salmon-bay-park-play-area-renovation or contact Jessica Michalak at Jessica.Michalak@seattle.gov or 206-470-9147.

Seattle Parks and Recreation(SPR) is happy to announce the beginning of construction for the Loyal Heights Play Area, 2101 NW 77^th St. SPR awarded the construction contract to Green Tech Excavation who will mobilize on site on Monday, January 11, 2021. The play area will be completed in early May. 

The play area renovation project installs new play equipment from Landscape Structures with slides, swings, and climbing features. The renovation will provide a new plaza with picnic tables, benches, water fountain, and accessible pathways connecting the play area to the community center. The improvements will bring the site into compliance with current play area safety standards and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessibility.

For more information on the play area project, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/loyal-heights-play-area-renovation. If you have questions about the project please contact Shannon Glass, Seattle Parks and Recreation, at Shannon.glass@seattle.gov or 206-733-9319. 

The Loyal Heights Playfield Turf Replacement project experienced some Covid delays and issues with the drainage discovered after the turf/carpet was removed. The project is making good progress and is anticipated to be completed in February 2021. To stay up to date on the project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/loyal-heights-playfield-turf-replacement.

Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to take a short survey in this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BitterLake1 and provide input on the renovation of the Bitter Lake play area and comfort station/restroom. This is an opportunity to provide feedback on the restroom renovation and let the design team know the desired types of play elements you would like to see in the renovated play area. Please visit the park, 13035 Linden Ave. N, and share this survey with your neighbors.

The project will provide a modern, all-gender comfort station/restroom facility, as well as new play equipment that provides play opportunities for all abilities. In addition, the project will make safety and accessibility improvements that meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/bitter-lake-playfield-play-area-and-comfort-station-renovation or contact Kevin Bergsrud at kevin.bergsrud@seattle.gov or 206-684-5831.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to review the conceptual design for the new Green Lake Community Center and Pool. Please join the Online Open House between November 16 and December 4, 2020 at glcc.infocommunity.org.  Guided by community input on location and site concepts we finalized the conceptual design and encourage all to provide feedback by visiting the Online Open House.

The Open House provides an opportunity for the community to review the overall site plan, the building layout, and conceptual renderings of what the building and activity spaces could look like in the facility. By visiting the Online Open House, you can provide feedback to the design team from Miller Hull and the Berger Partnership and share what activities/amenities you would like to see in the center and pool.

After this Online Open House closes, SPR and the design team will be back to dive deeper into the building design and materials with public in 2021. SPR is working to secure funding for the facility and anticipates the new Green Lake Community Center and Evans Pool could start construction in 2025.

The community center (built in 1928) and pool (built in 1955) structures are at the end of their usable life and SPR is working with the Green Lake Advisory Council and the greater north Seattle community on the replacement of the facility located at 7301 E. Green Lake Dr. N. 

For additional questions about project please contact David Graves, Strategic Advisor, at 206-684-7048 or David.Graves@seattle.gov.

As SPR plans for the new center and pool, we will continue with the facility stabilization work in 2020 to ensure the building is functional and usable for the public until the new center can be constructed. Stabilization work involves replacing the boilers and the air handling system at the facility. For more information please contact Garrett Farrell at garrett.farrell@seattle.gov or 206-233-7921.

More information for both projects can be found here http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/green-lake-community-center-projects.

While we cannot meet in person right now, your input is important to us! Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is beginning the renovation of the Soundview Terrace Park, a neighborhood park in Queen Anne at 2500 11th Ave. W, Seattle, WA 98119. Please participate in this short survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YGJ9R9H and provide your input on two proposed play area options. As part of the project and to improve accessibility, the rubberized surface slope and engineer wood fibers will be replaced with new playground grass. The new play equipment will be installed in early spring of 2021.

Funding for this play area project is provided by the Seattle Park District. 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. The Seattle Park District helps improve and rehabilitate community centers, preserves the urban forest, performs day-to-day maintenance of parks and facilities, provides more recreation opportunities for people from underserved communities, supports programs for people of all ages and abilities, and acquires and develops new park land.

For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/soundview-terrace-play-area-renovation or contact Janice Liang at janice.liang@seattle.gov or 206-507-3058.

Work postponed to Monday, November 2 due to weather.

Seattle Parks and Recreation(SPR) has contracted with Statewide Parking Lot Services to repair sections of the Burke-Gilman Trail in 2020. On Monday, November 2, weather permitting, the trail will be closed between N.E. 125^th Street and 42^nd Place N.E. as they make trail improvements.  

Cyclists and pedestrians will be detoured around the construction area onto side streets. SPR and SDOT worked together on detour routes and we recommend trail users visit www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/burke-gilman-trail-repairs for detailed detour routes. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience during construction.

The Seattle Park District provides $250,000 in funding each year  for this Burke-Gilman Trail improvements. Trial sections were determined by 2015 condition-assessment work done in collaboration with SDOT and reconfirmed each spring. Approved by voters in 2014, the Seattle Park District provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for Seattle Parks and Recreation including maintenance of parklands and facilities, operation of community centers and recreation programs, and development of new neighborhood parks on previously acquired sites.

For more information, please visit www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/burke-gilman-trail-repairs or contact Sandi Albertsen, Project Manager, at sandra.albertsen@seattle.gov or 206-684-8938.