Parkways Seattle Parks and Recreation

Please join our online event!

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is seeking input from tennis and pickleball players on how we can best support the growth of pickleball. Please join us online on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. To register visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsf-2rrTwqE9bpE6f9JbwvhTUl7WUYt3RW.

This online event is part of the 2021-2022 Pickleball Study funded by the Seattle Park District. The project team will use the input from our community survey, the project advisory committee, and community meetings to recommend revisions to our dual-striping practices, evaluate standards for dual-striping, and draft a list of potential sites for dedicated pickleball. The team  looks forward to presenting pickleball study work, input to date, and next steps at this meeting. Thank you to the over 3,300 people that responded earlier this year to our pickleball survey. Please continue your involvement and join us at this meeting to learn more and provide input.

An advisory committee is meeting throughout the study and additional community engagement will include one additional public meeting.

To find out more about the study and to subscribe to updates please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/2021-2022-outdoor-pickleball-study or contact Oliver Bazinet at oliver.bazinet@seattle.gov.

Seattle Parks and Recreation will begin construction this summer and install new play equipment at Westcrest Park. The play area has been closed for safety reasons and will reopen in fall 2022 when installation is complete.

This new play structure replaces a wooden one that has deteriorated beyond repair and the play area has been closed for safety reasons.

Seattle Park District is funding the work. 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, please visit Westcrest Park – Parks | seattle.gov.  If you have addition questions please contact Shannon Glass at Shannon.Glass@seattle.gov or (206) 733-9319.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) needs final community design input for the north Rainier Landbank park site located just north of the Safeway on S Charlestown St. between 34th and 35th Ave. S. Please get involved. Neighbors of all ages are encouraged to participate and provide input on textile patterns that are reflective of the Rainier neighborhood.

SPR has purchased two sites adjacent to the original park parcel creating a significant new neighborhood park that will be just over an acre in size and consistent with the community’s expressed interests. Park construction will begin in the summer of 2022. The park will provide multi-generational activities and incorporate universal accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A Fitness Zone with exercise equipment for teens and adults is made possible by Kaiser Permanente Washington.

Original funding for this park is provided by the Seattle Park District. Additionally, to help with the development costs of the new parcels, SPR has applied for several grants. We are awaiting final grant award letters prior to completing the construction documents.  

For more information, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/north-rainier-landbanked-site-park-development. For questions about the project please contact Mike Schwindeller at mike.schwindeller@seattle.gov or 206-615-1165.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), and Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group invite the Lake City Community to participate in the first of three online planning workshops for the future Lake City Floodplain Park, 2318 NE 125th Street, Seattle, WA 98125, on Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 7 p.m. To receive a Zoom link for the workshop, please register at lakecityfloodplainpark.com/register.

This first online workshop will introduce the project, we will share what we have learned about the project site, and the project team will listen to community needs for the neighborhood and dreams for the new park. Community feedback about how Lake City residents would like to use the upcoming park will be incorporated into park design, and what the project team hears from the community in this first workshop will be brought back in two upcoming workshops (Summer 2022 and Fall 2022) for further community input to make sure this new park is an accessible space that supports a healthier creek and serves the needs of the Lake City community.

The community encouraged the purchase of the property, previously privately owned, because they saw an opportunity to create more green space in the Lake City community and to restore and protect Thornton Creek. In response to strong community advocacy and support, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Utilities jointly purchased the property in 2019.

For more information on this project, and to learn how you can contribute ideas at any time, please visit lakecityfloodplainpark.com. For additional information on the project planning please contact Cynthia McCoy, Seattle Parks and Recreation at Cynthia.McCoy@seattle.gov Holly Scarlett, Seattle Public Utilities at Holly.Scarlett@seattle.gov.  For information about the public workshops or how you can provide input contact Tracy Banaszynski, Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group at tracy@midsoundfisheries.org.

Today, Friday, February 4, 2022, the newly renovated south play area at Fairmount Playground opens to the public! Fairmount Playground is located at 5400 Fauntleroy Way S.W.

The renovated play area includes play structures for children ages 2-5 and 5-12. The equipment features multiple slides, overhead ring trek, small net climber, suspension bridge places to hop and balance, plus fun ways to get up and down. The two structures include accessible transfer platforms. Two, new accessible play ramps have been installed. A future pavement renovation project will update adjacent paths to meet current accessibility standards and connect the north play ramp with a new accessible sidewalk.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the public process and a special thank you to the students at Fairmount Park Elementary for their input and patience during construction. This project is funded by the Seattle Park District.

For more information about the project please visit

http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/fairmount-playground-play-area-renovation. For additional questions please contact Shannon Glass at Shannon.glass@seattle.gov.

Do you live in the Aurora-Licton Springs neighborhood? Is pickleball your new passion? Just want to hang out with friends and shoot some hoops? Love having play-dates with the kids, or a walk with an old friend?

We need to hear from you! Please take this short survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AuroraLictonSprings). Your responses will inform Seattle Parks and Recreation’s 6-year plan and help us guide investments to provide recreation facilities and programs that fit your community’s needs.

This survey is part of a Seattle Parks and Recreation feasibility study to assess the recreation and community gathering space needs of the Aurora-Licton Springs neighborhood. The project team is looking for your input to understand the current and future community recreational and open space needs.

Thank you for your time and participation. For more information, please contact Susanne Rockwell at Susanne.rockwell@seattle.gov or 206-886-6294.

Seattle Parks and Recreation is happy to announce that construction will begin for a new restroom and pathway improvements at Kubota Garden through a contract with Optimus Construction and Development Inc. The contractor will mobilize on site on Monday, January 31, 2022. 

The project is a result of the Kubota Garden 2019 Master Plan Update process, which was created in partnership with the Kubota Garden Foundation. This current phase of the project will expand ADA access in the garden and enhance the visitor experience by creating two all-gender restrooms, ADA-accessible pathways, and a picnic area will be developed in the 5-acre Terrace Overlook area. The project will include removal of 14 trees from the south side of the parking lot area to make room for an accessible ramp and future parking lot improvements. The trees will be replaced with two trees for every one removed. Construction is anticipated to be completed by summer 2022.

Funding for this project is through a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program grant for $500,000 and a Land and Water Conservation fund grant for $500,000. Additionally, the Seattle Park District Major Projects Challenge Fund is contributing $100,000 with the Kubota Garden Foundation providing additional volunteer labor.

The construction will impact the south entrance to the garden, the pathways leading from the south entrance to the Terrace Overlook, and access to the picnic area. When pathways are closed, directional signage leading to alternate routes will be provided. Seattle Parks and Recreation and the contractor are working closely with garden staff and with the Kubota Garden Foundation to minimize impacts to public access to the garden.

Located in South Seattle, Kubota Garden is a stunning 20-acre landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. The city acquired the property, which is a historic landmark, in 1987 from the estate of master landscaper Fujitaro Kubota.

For more information please visit: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/kubota-garden-improvements. For more information about Kubota Garden and the Kubota Garden Foundation please visit: http://www.kubotagarden.org/.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in this short survey!

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is seeking input from tennis and pickleball players on how we can best support the growth of pickleball. Everyone is encouraged to participate in a short survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SeattlePickleball), whether you play pickleball or not, your thoughts are invaluable as we plan for the future of this sport in Seattle.

Your answers to the survey questions will inform how we:

• Approach immediate improvements such as dual striping existing tennis courts for pickleball (for which some funding is available now);
• Add pickleball lines to tennis courts during programmatic resurfacing and renovation projects; and
• Develop options for future dedicated pickleball courts (yet to be funded).

This survey is part of the 2021-2022 Pickleball Study funded by the Seattle Park District.  An advisory committee is meeting throughout the study and additional community engagement will include two public meetings. Dates and venues for the meetings will be posted on the project page.

To find out more about the study and to subscribe to updates please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/2021-2022-outdoor-pickleball-study or contact Oliver Bazinet at oliver.bazinet@seattle.gov.

Seattle Parks and Recreation is happy to announce the Marra-Desimone Park renovation is substantially complete and the park is open. Marra-Desimone Park (including Marra-farm) is located at 501 South Director Street in the South Park neighborhood.

SPR developed the park renovation plan through extensive community engagement and used the 2008 Marra-Desimone Park Long Range Development Plan as a launching point for the park design. The park provides 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 address other community/park needs, including addition of a play area, added park benches, more 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 collaborated with SDOT on street accessibility improvements on South 7th St. and Director Avenue South and included these improvements into the construction project.

This project is funded by the Parks and Green Spaces Levy.

For more information about this project and to download translated flyer please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/projects/marra-desimone/.  For questions contact Jay Rood, Seattle Parks and Recreation, 206-733-9194 or jay.rood@seattle.gov.

Remainder of Duwamish Waterway Park and beach area to reopen after additional environmental remediation work

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), Seattle Parks Foundation and the Friends of Duwamish Waterway Park, opened the play area at Duwamish Waterway Park, 7900 10^th Ave. S in South Park in late August.  SPR purchased the 1.3-acre, main lawn portion of the park from King County after a community-led process to make the entire property a permanent neighborhood riverfront park. A small portion of the park area is owned by the Port of Seattle, but has been operated as part of the park for many years.

SPR is working with the contractor, the Port of Seattle, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), and the Duwamish River Community Coalition regarding additional environmental remediation needs before opening the remainder of the park. Seattle Parks and Recreation activities to date include renovation of the park and partial removal of soil contamination discovered between 2014 and 2019. After the soil removal, the addressed areas were covered with clean soil, grass, and/or concrete and the actions were reported to the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) through the Voluntary Cleanup Program. After consulting with Ecology and the Duwamish River Community Coalition, Seattle Parks and Recreation identified further actions are needed before opening the remainder of the park. Completion of the cleanup of the park will be advised by Ecology under the Voluntary Cleanup Program and the Duwamish River Community Coalition to ensure we are in agreement with the community goals.  Though the schedule for cleanup is yet to be determined, SPR is working to open the remainder of the park as soon as possible.

Working with SPR and the Seattle Parks Foundation, the Friends of Duwamish Waterway Park raised over $1 million for park improvements and launched the renovation effort as this park is a high priority for the community. The community led and funded park project is carefully designed to maximize open space for recreation and festivals, and to preserve river access for launching hand-carried boats. SPR renovated the park which now offers 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 foot wash area. Voluntary Cleanup Program activities to address the contamination at the park to date have been funded separately.

For additional information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/duwamish-waterway-park  or contact Karen O’Connor at karen.oconnor@seattle.gov.

For more information on the status of the site cleanup under the Voluntary Cleanup Program, see Ecology’s webpage (Site Information (wa.gov)).

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