Parkways Seattle Parks and Recreation

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is happy to announce the addition to Greenwood Park is open and substantially complete. Jesús Aguirre, SPR Superintendent, cut a celebratory ribbon at the park on Friday, May 15, 2020. “It is important to open this additional park space. Together with community input we have created a great addition to Greenwood Park,” said Aguirre. “Although the park can’t be used to its fullest, we hope people will visit, walk through, and participate in the community tag project.” Blank manila tags have been placed on the fencing around the grass and the community is encouraged to draw on the tags or write a message about what the new park space means to them.

“I am excited for the Greenwood community to acquire additional park space. Greenwood is home to many families, so the park expansion and all of its amenities will serve this growing neighborhood well,” said Debora Juarez, District 5 Councilmember and Chair of Public Assets and Native Communities, which works with SPR to support residents across the city.

The new park offers so many activities and although some will be closed off, we wanted to open the walking paths and additional park space. When you visit the new park area please respect the minimum of 6 feet of separation between people, do not congregate in the park and please stay home if you are feeling sick. The lawn areas are temporarily fenced to allow the grass to established. Please remain off the lawns.

The new addition to Greenwood Park reflects the “game” theme input received from the community and offers a ping pong tables, corn hole, 4-square, hopscotch, and tether ball. The sport court striping for pickle ball will occur in the coming week. The project also features a wood arbor connection to the pea patch, a hillside slide into the play area, picnic area with BBQ, ping pong tables, corn hole, tether ball, and skate elements. It incorporates accessibility features in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is seamlessly incorporated into the existing Greenwood Park.

SPR is waiting on the delivery of the site furnishings and will install them as soon as they arrive. The tether-ball, ping pong paddles, and beanbags for cornhole will be available when the slide and play area opens in the park.

SPR purchased the 0.1-acre site at 8805 Fremont Ave. N in 2013 to provide more open space for the growing neighborhood and expand the existing Greenwood Park. King County Conservation Future grant provided funding for the acquisition. The acquisition of the property was identified in the Greenwood neighborhood plan and the 2009 Greenwood Park Master Plan.

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 or for meeting notification translations please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/greenwood-park-addition

For questions about the project or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact Katie Bang at katie.bang@seattle.gov or 206-684-9268.

Thank you to the North Seattle Boys and Girls Club  and Vision Greenwood for their partnership.

Seattle Parks and Recreation(SPR) is in the early planning phase for the Green Lake Community Center and Evans Pool replacement project and needs community input on the future location of the facility. SPR is considering six possible locations for the community center and pool in the greater area around Green Lake Park and Lower Woodland Park. SPR and the design team from Miller Hull invite the community to participate in an online Open House hosted at glcc.infocommunity.org from May 5 to 22, 2020 and an online live webinar presentation on May 13 from noon to 1 p.m. Please register for the online live webinar presentation at bit.ly/greenlakemeeting.

The purpose of these presentations is to offer the community an opportunity to learn more about this redevelopment project, review the benefits and challenges of each potential location and provide feedback on which locations work best for the community.

“Green Lake Park, Green Lake Community Center, and Evans Pool are some of the most popular and treasured spaces in our city,” said Jesús Aguirre, SPR Superintendent. “We are turning our focus to the future location and design of the community center and pool and look forward to hear how the community will help us re-envision this center that serves both neighbors and our growing city.”

The Green Lake Community Center is one of twenty-six community centers owned by SPR. It is one of several public amenities located within Green Lake Park and is open to the public year-round for program related and drop-in recreational use. The center was constructed in 1928 and the pool was added in 1955. The community center and pool need to be reconstructed to better serve the needs of both the immediate neighborhood and the broader city.

To ensure that the current facility remains usable and useful to the community for the next 5 to 7 years, SPR is undertaking building stabilization work which involves replacing the boilers and the air handling system in 2020. For more information on the stabilization project please contact Garrett Farrell at Garrett.farrell@seattle.gov or 206-233-7921.

For more information on the redevelopment please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/green-lake-community-center-projects or contact David Graves at david.graves@seattle.gov or 206-684-7048.

Currently, all SPR community centers and pools are closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, however Green Lake Community Center is open to offer showers to the most vulnerable populations that rely on the community center to provide critical hygiene services. Showers are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. More information can be found here https://parkways.seattle.gov/2020/03/16/seattle-parks-and-recreations-free-shower-program-operating-on-modified-schedule-at-5-community-centers/.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to participate in the future renovation of Terry Pettus Park, a waterfront pocket park on the eastern shore of Lake Union at 2001 Fairview Ave. E.

SPR values community engagement, and public input is essential for the success of this project to improve the health and safety of the existing park and its new addition directly south of the park. While SPR cannot conduct in-person meetings at this time, we hope you will continue to participate via other technologies. We invite community members to take this short survey–https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TerryPettusParkRenovation–and participate in the future of the Terry Pettus Park.

The new parcel, purchased by SPR, will add 4,000 square feet of shoreline property to the existing park, at its south side. This survey is part of the planning process to incorporate the new parcel as part of Terry Pettus Park.

This renovation project seeks to maintain the park asset and improve the health and safety for all. The waterfront recreation use and character will be maintained with additional goals of incorporating the new parcel, restoring the existing park’s pier, enhancing the park entrance to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards, and implementing shoreline habitat restoration.

For more information please contact Susanne Rockwell at susanne.rockwell@seattle.gov or 206-684-7133 or visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/terry-pettus-park-renovation.

This spring, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) will begin construction in Seward Park to perform an emergency replacement of the main electrical service to the park. The primary electrical service to Seward Park is a buried cable that powers the restrooms, clay studio, park lights, Seward Park Audubon Center and other park amenities. This cable has repeatedly failed, and Seattle City Light is unable to make further repairs. Construction is expected to start April/May 2020 and take 6 to 8 months to complete, weather dependent.

SPR is working with Seattle City Light to install a new “raceway” system. The new service will be located in underground pipes and electrical vaults allowing direct access for future maintenance and replacement. Construction work will take place along the main roads, parking areas and a portion of the east walking path at Seward Park.

SPR will work with the contractor to minimize impacts to park users and the community. SPR and the contractor hired for this project will be relying on the patience and cooperation of all park users as construction work progresses through Seward Park. We ask park users to follow construction notifications and be prepared for detours around work areas. Events previously scheduled at Seward Park will proceed unless canceled or postponed by event organizers.

For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/seward-park-electrical-system-replacement.

Seattle Parks and Recreation also announces maintenance closure of current facility to occur May-October 2020

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to participate in the first steps to develop a new Green Lake Community Center and Evans Pool. Please join us on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Green Lake Community Center gym, 7201 E. Green Lake Drive N.  Please note the March meeting has been cancelled and rescheduled to this April date.

The April 15^th  meeting is an opportunity for the community to learn about the project, meet the design team from Miller Hull, and provide input on the future location for the new community center and pool.  Some of the questions we are working to answer with community input are:

• Should the facility be constructed in its current location or is there another site or sites where a community center and pool could better serve the community?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each location?
• What are the potential construction impacts at each location and their relationship to other amenities around the lake?
• Should the community center and pool continue to be located in one building or should the community center and pool be located in separate buildings and possibly in separate locations?

For additional questions about project or interpretation or accommodation for the meeting 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 by the public until the new center can be constructed. Green Lake Community Center and Evans Pool will be closed May through October 2020. 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

Community invited to participate in mural project and learn about upcoming construction

The Lake City community is invited to participate in a mural project and learn about the upcoming construction for the new Lake City park. Join us at Coyote North, 12325 Lake City Way NE on Sunday, February 9, 2020 from noon to 5 p.m. Refreshments and food will be available. Please wear painting clothes if you would like to participate in the mural project.

This is an opportunity to view the new park design, meet the design team, hear from the project manager about the upcoming construction, and participate in a mural painting project. The design team will be available from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Additionally, other City departments, including Seattle Department of Transportation and the Department of Neighborhoods’ P-Patch program will be available to discuss work and programs they are planning for in the Lake City neighborhood.

Seattle Parks and Recreation purchased property located at 12510 33rd Ave. NE in 2010 with funding from the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy to provide additional open space for the Lake City community. SPR demolished the building on the property and worked with the community on the design for the park. The new park will offer a multi-generational appeal with a wide range of activities and green space in this urban neighborhood. The park will include a half-basketball court, climbing structures, ADA pathway, picnic areas, open lawn, and bike racks. The park will include public art sculptural work by artist Elizabeth Gahan funded from the 1% For The Arts program. Construction is anticipated to start in March 2020, and we anticipate the park opening by late summer.

Kendra Azari, a local mural artist, and Lynn DeBeal, a local mural artist and musician, will be leading the mural project from noon to 5 p.m. and providing paint supplies. The community created mural will be displayed on the fencing around the park during construction. Lake City neighbors, friends and families are encouraged to attend. Coyote North is a new community-based arts space created to make Coyote Central’s youth programs available to families in the Lake City neighborhood.

This park project is made possible by the voter-approved Seattle Park District, which provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for SPR, 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 or for meeting notification translation please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/projects/lake_city_uv/ For questions about the event or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact Karen O’Connor at karen.o’connor@seattle.gov or 206-233-7929.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to participate in the design for the Maple Wood Playfield and Play Area renovation project. Please join SPR staff at the final Open House on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Maple Elementary School cafeteria, 4925 Corson Ave. S. Community input is essential for this project.

This final Open House is an opportunity to learn about the project and review the preferred design developed with your input by PLACE Landscape Architecture.

Maple Wood Playfield is located at 4801 Corson Ave. S. on the corner of Corson Ave. S and S Angeline St, just north of Maple Elementary School. The project will improve both the field and the play area. SPR held two previous meetings in October and December 2019; this third and final meeting will focus on gathering input on the preferred park design.

This park project is made possible by the voter-approved Seattle Park District, which provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for SPR, 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 http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/maple-wood-playfield-renovation-projects or contact Libby Hudson at Libby.hudson@seattle.gov or 206-256-5988.

Please participate in the online survey

As one of the many community input options for the new plaza park in South Park, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to participate in a survey. Please participate in this short survey and provide input for the design team:

• English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SouthParkPlaza
• Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SpanishSouthPark

Thank you in advance for participating and thank you to all the community members who participated in the Open House last November.  SPR is working with the design team to develop site options. These site options will be presented to the community at a meeting in late February.  A preferred community-informed design will be presented at a third and final community meeting in the spring of 2020.

In 2014, as part of a community-initiated acquisition, SPR purchased the .83-acre site at 8456 Dallas Ave. S, just west of the South Park Bridge to provide the community more open space. SPR is ready to move this new park and plaza project forward and we are excited to work with the South Park neighborhood to develop a design for the community gathering space.

This project was made possible by the voter-approved Seattle Park District, which provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding for SPR, 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 about the project please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/south-park-plaza-landbanked-site-park-development.

For additional questions or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact Ed Pottharst at ed.pottharst@seattle.gov or 206-386-4232.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is happy to announce the new play area at E.C. Hughes Playground is open. Small areas around the play area are fenced off and will be seeded in the spring when the temperatures will allow for grass establishment.

The play area renovation project provides nature-themed play structures accessible to children of all abilities, ages 2-5 and 5-12. The play area features slides, climbing structures, new swings, a large netted merry-go-round and climbing balls. Improvements to the site also include new bike racks, relocation of the kiosk, a new accessible drinking fountain, and an accessible transfer platform for the sand pit. Through this project, safety has been improved and play area accessibility has been brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Funding for this park project is provided by the Seattle Park District. Approved by Seattle voters in 2014, the Seattle Park District provides more than $47 million a year in long-term funding to Seattle Parks and Recreation for 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 on the project please visit: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/e-c-hughes-playground-renovation. For questions about the project please contact Katie Bang at katie.bang@seattle.gov or 206-684-9286.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to participate in the Beacon Hill Playfield basketball court renovation. As part of the City’s Your Voice, Your Choice program, community members voted for neighborhood renovations. Improving the surfacing of this court for better play was highly rated in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.

The basketball area features a wall with a net on each side. SPR landscape architects recommend removing the wall to create a larger playing surface and to improve sight lines at the park. SPR invites the community to take quick survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BeaconHillBasketball and help shape the future of these courts. The survey will close on January 6, 2020.

Your Voice, Your Choice: Parks & Streets is a participatory budgeting initiative in which Seattle residents decide how to spend a portion of the City’s budget on small-scale park and street improvements. This program is a partnership between the Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), and SPR.

For questions or concerns please contact Pamela Kliment at pamela.kliment@seattle.gov or 206-684-7556.  For more information please visit

http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/your-voice-your-choice.