REOPENING DAY: Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area ready for use, city says

After seven month of work, West Seattle’s only off-leash area is reopening today. Seattle Parks announced early this afternoon that the Westcrest Park OLA would reopen by the end of the day – if it’s not open already (we won’t get to go look for a few hours). The drainage work that has had the area closed since November is detailed here. Today’s announcement says some work remains, however:

There are a few work items that will be completed after reopening due to shipment delays and construction sequence:

-Installation of (1) new accessible picnic table. The contractor will close off individual areas to install the benches once they arrive.

-Restoration of the temporary off-leash area near p-patch. Fencing around this area will stay up for the contractor to restore this area with soil amendment, hydroseed and allow for lawn establishment.

We have also kept temporary fencing around two newly seeded lawn areas in the main off-leash area for lawn establishment. Fencing will be taken down once the lawn has established vigorous growth.

As noted here earlier this week, another Westcrest project – play-structure replacement – isn’t expected until fall.

Chris June 10, 2022 (3:41 pm)

Thanks so much for the update! I know of one really happy dog today. Almost as happy as the human will be when the bridge opens some undetermined day in the future.

Pets June 10, 2022 (4:22 pm)

To pay for the amenities , the pet license fees should be raised.

Fiz June 10, 2022 (5:14 pm)

Hopefully not for my two indoor kitties!
Duh June 10, 2022 (5:51 pm)

Amenities you say….How about many years of neglect from Seattle parks, big ponds of gross water when it rains, because of drainage issues still not fixed by this. How about we call it even.
Pugtown June 10, 2022 (5:56 pm)

Srsly!?!? As if our taxpayer money is not good enough? It’s good enough for the parents of children whose playgrounds are funded and are not required to license their children. That being said of course dogs should be licensed but your comment is baseless and uneducated. And we can talk further about the “amenities“, the park looks like hell. Whoever designed it didn’t know anything about dogs and didn’t seek any input from anybody that knows anything about dogs. They have black asphalt in the park that’s going to heat up to about 170° in the summer causing massive burns to the feet of our beloved dogs. It’s all gravel so it’s going to tear up their feet. The list goes on and on but without knowing what you’re talking about I suggest not doing so.
Rant over…
- Admyrl Byrd June 10, 2022 (9:04 pm)
  
  Agree with everything you say (trying to see the grass in the picture), except maybe the 170 degrees in the summer…this summer anyways….

MyThruppence June 11, 2022 (9:00 am)

I think the idea is that the grasses will, over time, make its way up through the gravel, as grass always does. This will create, over time, a ‘semi-grass’ surface that has a robust gravely substrate. This feature allows dogs of all sizes to run and play without as much damage to the turf itself. It may well be that this mixture of materials is ideal for the longevity of the park, over time.

flimflam June 11, 2022 (12:15 pm)

Grass doesn’t usually last long at dog parks…That said, for all the complaining I hear from dog owners about lack of dog parks (also their excuse for allowing their dog off leash pretty much anywhere) now they will also complain about actually getting a dog park?

Gorbin June 11, 2022 (2:17 pm)

What fun! Fresh & new just in time for summer! Westcrest was always a wonderful off leash park. I loved going to dog meetups there. Have tail wagging fun times!