SURVEY: Moving, renovating Hiawatha’s play area

Seattle Parks plans to move the Hiawatha play area – and renovate it with new equipment – and is looking for your thoughts. First, the flyer explaining what’s planned

Before the October 25th event, you can comment via this survey, which will ask your thoughts on some potential “elements” for the relocated play area.

15 Replies to "SURVEY: Moving, renovating Hiawatha's play area"

  • Paula October 7, 2019 (9:37 pm)

    But why are they spending our money to move it in the first place?

    • WSB October 7, 2019 (9:53 pm)

      From the top of the survey: “We plan to move the play area away from among the trees to reduce the risk of injury from limb fall. Additionally the new location, just south of the wading pool, will move it closer to the community center, improve play area visibility, and cluster activities in keeping with the original Olmsted Plan for Hiawatha Playfield.”

  • Mj October 7, 2019 (10:26 pm)

    The existing play area is illuminated (with daylight hours getting shorter a nice feature), has interesting artwork in the retaining wall; attributes that need to be maintained.  Further being in the trees is actually a nice feature, especially in the middle of summer!

  • Eric October 7, 2019 (10:55 pm)

    Seems fine where it’s at all 38 years I’ve lived in West Seattle I played on the old wood structure and know my kids play on the current one fin and it’s safe I’ve never had a tree branch issue  who takes their kids out in a wind storm anyway if it’s not broke don’t fix it 

  • Rob B October 7, 2019 (11:36 pm)

    Hi WSB,Thanks for posting. I wonder about the current swings and exercise equipment. Will that stay? Both are used quite a bit. I’d think the money would be better spent on rehabbing the baseball diamond and the underutilized old track and field (shot put?) set up just east of the community center. 

    • Apey October 8, 2019 (8:15 am)

      But I like to use that baseball diamond to practice both fielding balls that take crazy bounces, and twisting my ankles! 🤣

    • Tsurly October 8, 2019 (8:50 am)

      The baseball diamond and adjacent field is the neighborhood unofficial dog park; hands off!

  • Mike October 8, 2019 (5:53 am)

    Maybe we should have better care of our trees and have an arborist come out to analyze and cut limbs as needed?  I dunno, there’s some dead trees in other parks I’ve reported, yet they still stand totally dead shedding all brown needles (imagine an XMAS tree that’s been waiting 5 months to be removed after XMAS) and ready to flame up at a moments notice with the flick of a cigarette.

  • steve October 8, 2019 (9:25 am)

      a million$$ for fear of a tree branch? How about a tree inspection and call it good?

  • kdkd October 8, 2019 (9:25 am)

    Equipment looks new, how about a grocery store in Delridge?

  • Livewire October 8, 2019 (10:22 am)

    Would love an update on the Lincoln Park playground that was removed. I attended several community meetings a few years ago in the design phase. I’d think it would be completed by now? 

  • steve October 8, 2019 (12:23 pm)

    How about telling the Seattle Parks and Recreation (the use it or lose it committee),  to just throw the allocated million dollars away,  burn it,  or buy an apt. building for the homeless,  BUT leave the park the way it is.  My kids love that play area. Changing it is stupid.

  • West Seattle Dad October 9, 2019 (12:05 am)

    What really needs to be replaced is the old wading pool. It would be great if we could have that turned Into a nice new splash park for the kids. If you haven’t visited some of the new splash parks there are really some awesome ones around in other cities. That would be s huge hit for kiddos all summer. 

  • Greg October 22, 2019 (9:31 pm)

    This seems like a big case of an unneeded change. The play area is pretty good (minus those pipes the kids all bang on that don’t actually make music) and the location under the trees is nice.Here are some things that the money would be better used on: 1) Bring back the digger in the sand area next to the playground 2) Update the wading pool to have splash pad features 3) Install some frisbee golf cages in the wooded area to the west of the tennis courts 4) Put in a full basketball court

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