FOLLOWUP: Checking back on Lincoln Park South Play Area

That’s one of the photos Tom Trulin sent last week, showing significant progress on the years-overdue rebuild of the Lincoln Park South Play Area. When we published an update last week, Seattle Parks told us they hoped to have more information “early (this) week” on when the playground would open. So we asked for an update, and received this reply: “The play area is still anticipated to be completed by the end of the month – no set date for opening.” (The month ends one week from today.) It’s been closed for seven years.

Anne Helene Cagney July 24, 2024 (2:07 pm)

What was the budget/ cost of this project?

WSB July 24, 2024 (3:33 pm)

Project page says $600,000.
https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/lincoln-park-south-play-area-renovation

D-Mom July 24, 2024 (10:14 pm)

Longest playground build ever! Even discounting the 7 year wait. They started on MLK day, which was odd. We wait 7 years for them to start work on a holiday. 6 months later and we are still waiting. But it is looking good. I just wish my child was still young enough to want to play there.

AHC July 25, 2024 (8:11 am)

$600,000 seems like a lot of money for one playground. At one public forum I thought a city planner/parks rep had mentioned $1 Million dollar project for South Lincoln park. I am assuming there is no plumbing or electrical work for this project. Also, Did the project run over budget due to delays making the budget different than what was posted by the city. A quick search of cost for a playground indicates spending $1000 per child for large structures. 600 children simultaneously playing on the new structures is unlikely. Maybe more money was needed for engineering since there is a slope but it really seems as if someone should question this number besides me.

Jeff July 25, 2024 (11:24 am)

Of all the black holes of spending this city has, you want to make a (relative) rounding error of a playground your hill to die on?
AlkiMom July 26, 2024 (8:09 am)

Looks like the 600,000 was for two playgrounds, one in Westcrest Park and one in south Lincoln Park. And the cost of labor in Seattle is very high, hopefully the winning contract went to a company that offers a living wage for this area.
- WSB July 28, 2024 (2:20 pm)
  
  No, the $600,000 is Lincoln Park South alone. It was bundled with Westcrest but as we reported last year, the winning bid for the two projects totaled just under $1.2 million.
  https://westseattleblog.com/2023/08/followup-one-more-step-toward-lincoln-park-south-westcrest-park-play-area-replacements/