By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Park and playground updates filled most of the agenda at the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting Wednesday night.

As we’ve been reporting, the anxiously awaited Delridge Skatepark is moving forward with a total of $750,000 virtually secured, and plans in the works for a 12,000-square- foot skate bowl with trimmings.

Some had hoped for a slightly larger skateboard park, maybe a little closer to 15,000 square feet, but there are also many advantages to the more compact counterpart:

The money is available and it will fit nicely among the trees at the corner of Genesee and Delridge. No trees will have to be removed.

As reported before, the next step is a meeting to take comments on the new schematic design, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Youngstown Arts Center.

Meantime, Betsy Hoffmeister gave an update on the Delridge playground project, which seems to be zipping along without even a nod to the usual “Seattle process” that often slows projects to a crawl.

“It’s moving so fast, it is hard for Seattleites to grasp,” said Hoffmeister. The Bank of America Foundation has contributed much of the money for the playground designed for kids ages 2 to 12.

What still has to materialize is about 130 community volunteers on Friday, July 17. If your organization is looking for a summer project, this might be it. Work will start at 6:30 a.m.

All kinds of skills are needed, food servers, builders, and a couple of medical technicians for inevitable bumps, bruises and blisters.

The organizers especially want to include youth groups and teenagers.

Besides the playground itself, there will also be side projects for volunteers to work on a little bit apart from the bustle.

They include building some steps to the playground, installing “mile markers” along a sidewalk for walkers who want to keep track of the distance they travel, and maybe a graffiti fence, designed specifically to give spontaneous artists a place to express themselves.

Anyone interested in volunteering in any possible capacity, or donating tools, large amounts of food, or some cash to the effort can send a note to helpdelridgeplay@gmail.com

Organizers particularly want to hear from people who work with youth groups or in-service learning.

One other volunteer opportunity noted at the NDNC meeting: The West Seattle Food Bank needs help – you can sign up to give time monthly.