The Beacon Hill Playground will see some upgrades soon. Photo by Bridget Christian in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr.Improvements are coming soon to the Beacon Hill Playground, with $180,000 provided by the Parks and Green Spaces Levy. According to Seattle Parks’ project page, the plan is to provide access improvements and other site improvements, including bringing the play area into compliance with current play area safety standards.
My thoughts on the Beacon Hill Playground are similar to Curtis’s (see below). Madrona Playfield is a great model. I also like the Lakewood Playfield. I’d definitely like to see more trees, especially ones that will get BIG, like oaks or elms. Considering the wading pool was closed all last summer, I’m wondering if its worth keeping, maybe some small scale skateboard features could be added to repurpose the pool. I also think the wall that holds the basketball hoop should be removed. I have admired the many very good murals that have been painted there, but they are always defaced with graffiti. I’d propose removing it and building a proper full sized basketball court – it would be more useable (the current surface is poor), and allow visibility through the park, especially from 13th. Lighting on all the sport surfaces (tennis court, basketball court, skate surface and soccer/baseball fields) would also be beneficial for two reasons 1) it would allow legitimate use of the park later into the evening and 2) increased legitimate activity and better lighting both deter crime, which is a serious, long-standing problem at the park.
I’ll be sending my comments to Kelly Davidson, I hope you will too. I’d encourage you to mention problems or deficiencies, or ideas for how you’d like to see the park used, whether you have a solution or not. (What would be a good use of the building with the bathrooms, there is another room in it that could be used for something if it weren’t so nasty – think of Madrona Playfield with a similar building which is used as a Community Council meeting space and is available to rent for parties).
It sounds like ADA access is going to be part of the project, which should include ramp access from 14th – something I would have appreciated when I was pushing a stroller. Thanks everyone for taking the time.
David Gackenbach
On Dec 19, 2009, at 2:09 PM, Curtis Bonney wrote:
I too am excited, but won’t be able to make the meeting. I thought maybe
I’d throw my two cents out there and see what, if anything, you all think
about them.
I was at the playground in Madrona recently, on 34th there, near Cupcake
Royale, I thought that that park could serve as a model for the Beacon Hill
Playfield. Not just the equipment, sand traps and jungle gyms, which are
excellent, but also the fantastic landscaping — big trees and bushes which
make it feel like an urban oasis.
After that we could change the Asian Mart into a kid-friendly pizza joint
with draft beer!
Best,
Curtis
“Considering the wading pool was closed all last summer, I’m wondering if its worth keeping”
It was closed so that new safety equipment could be installed. Theoretically it will be back next year.
“As an element of the City’s water conservation effort, we’re encouraging people to use public wading pools rather than fill their home ‘kiddy pools’ or run backyard sprinklers.
“In accordance with state law, we fill, supervise, and empty each wading pool every day, which requires a substantial amount of water. With a bit of analysis, we learned that filling home wading pools uses more water than a public community wading pool. For example, if 50 families used the East Queen Anne wading pool at 160 Howe St., rather than filling their home wading pools, the water saved would equal that needed to fill the public wading pool, which would serve a lot more than 50 kids!”
So, apparently there is some public benefit to providing a wading pool (besides the obvious benefit of providing recreation space, that is).
Let’s lobby to keep the wading pool! The wading pool is a good way for parents to meet one another and fosters a sense of community which we need to support.I agree that the basketball area could use revisions, but please not at the expense of the wading pool.
Neighbors-
If you cannot attend the meeting regarding BH Playground and would like to comment, send your comments to the following:
kelly.davidson@seattle.gov
My thoughts on the Beacon Hill Playground are similar to Curtis’s (see below). Madrona Playfield is a great model. I also like the Lakewood Playfield. I’d definitely like to see more trees, especially ones that will get BIG, like oaks or elms. Considering the wading pool was closed all last summer, I’m wondering if its worth keeping, maybe some small scale skateboard features could be added to repurpose the pool. I also think the wall that holds the basketball hoop should be removed. I have admired the many very good murals that have been painted there, but they are always defaced with graffiti. I’d propose removing it and building a proper full sized basketball court – it would be more useable (the current surface is poor), and allow visibility through the park, especially from 13th. Lighting on all the sport surfaces (tennis court, basketball court, skate surface and soccer/baseball fields) would also be beneficial for two reasons 1) it would allow legitimate use of the park later into the evening and 2) increased legitimate activity and better lighting both deter crime, which is a serious, long-standing problem at the park.
I’ll be sending my comments to Kelly Davidson, I hope you will too. I’d encourage you to mention problems or deficiencies, or ideas for how you’d like to see the park used, whether you have a solution or not. (What would be a good use of the building with the bathrooms, there is another room in it that could be used for something if it weren’t so nasty – think of Madrona Playfield with a similar building which is used as a Community Council meeting space and is available to rent for parties).
It sounds like ADA access is going to be part of the project, which should include ramp access from 14th – something I would have appreciated when I was pushing a stroller. Thanks everyone for taking the time.
David Gackenbach
On Dec 19, 2009, at 2:09 PM, Curtis Bonney wrote:
I too am excited, but won’t be able to make the meeting. I thought maybe
I’d throw my two cents out there and see what, if anything, you all think
about them.
I was at the playground in Madrona recently, on 34th there, near Cupcake
Royale, I thought that that park could serve as a model for the Beacon Hill
Playfield. Not just the equipment, sand traps and jungle gyms, which are
excellent, but also the fantastic landscaping — big trees and bushes which
make it feel like an urban oasis.
After that we could change the Asian Mart into a kid-friendly pizza joint
with draft beer!
Best,
Curtis
“Considering the wading pool was closed all last summer, I’m wondering if its worth keeping”
It was closed so that new safety equipment could be installed. Theoretically it will be back next year.
The city’s wading pool web page at http://www.seattle.gov/PARKS/wadingpools.asp says:
“As an element of the City’s water conservation effort, we’re encouraging people to use public wading pools rather than fill their home ‘kiddy pools’ or run backyard sprinklers.
“In accordance with state law, we fill, supervise, and empty each wading pool every day, which requires a substantial amount of water. With a bit of analysis, we learned that filling home wading pools uses more water than a public community wading pool. For example, if 50 families used the East Queen Anne wading pool at 160 Howe St., rather than filling their home wading pools, the water saved would equal that needed to fill the public wading pool, which would serve a lot more than 50 kids!”
So, apparently there is some public benefit to providing a wading pool (besides the obvious benefit of providing recreation space, that is).
Let’s lobby to keep the wading pool! The wading pool is a good way for parents to meet one another and fosters a sense of community which we need to support.I agree that the basketball area could use revisions, but please not at the expense of the wading pool.