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FOLLOWUP: Contractor chosen. But long-delayed West Seattle play area projects won’t be done before next year.
September 11, 2023 3:48 pm
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB photo, Lincoln Park South Play Area right after July 2017 closure)

Five weeks ago. we reported that a contractor had been chosen for the long-delayed Lincoln Park South and Westcrest Park play-area projects. At the time, Seattle Parks said the “best estimate” was that work would start in “late summer,” though they didn’t know which would be first. So we checked back, with “late summer” running out, and learned that work actually is now still months away. Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor tells WSB, “For the South Lincoln Park Play Area and Westcrest Play Area replacement projects, we will negotiate a start date with the contractor this fall. The contractor has other park projects under construction now that must be finished before these start. We have also learned the play equipment will be available to ship in March 2024. Construction will likely start in winter 2023/early 2024 to align with the availability of the play equipment.” By that time, Lincoln Park South will have been closed 6 1/2 years, while Westcrest will have been closed 2 1/2 years.

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REOPENING: Delridge Community Center scheduled to reopen tomorrow after week-plus closure
September 10, 2023 4:03 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Today is scheduled to be the end of a nine-day closure for Delridge Community Center. According to Seattle Parks, the shutdown since September 2nd has been for “re-flooring and front entrance construction.” Monday and Tuesday, the community center is scheduled to be open “but no showers or programs.” Full operation is to resume Wednesday (September 13).

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Tree loses limb by Lincoln Park lot
September 8, 2023 8:02 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

That’s the aftermath of tree trouble by Lincoln Park‘s north parking lot. According to tips and photos from readers, that tree lost a big limb – right onto at least two cars, accordiing to AmyC, who sent this pic:

No injuries that we’ve heard of – photos show Seattle Fire Ladder 13 on the scene, but their call was simply coded “assist SPD” rather than a medical/injury response. P.S. WSB archives show we covered something similar six years ago.

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FOLLOWUP: Hiawatha Playfield reopening after turf replacement
September 8, 2023 12:56 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

12:56 PM: Thanks to Scott for the tip! He noticed that part of the fence was down and Hiawatha Playfield‘s new turf looked complete, so we went over for a look and then asked Seattle Parks about its status. Spokesperson Karen O’Connor replied that the turf-replacement project “is substantially complete,” adding: “The field is available for use and the remainder of the construction fencing will be removed by end of today. FieldTurf USA, Inc, the contractor for the project, will be working on finalizing a few items including delivering new soccer goals and completing the batting cage frame and tunnel.” FieldTurf won the contract with a $1.2 million bid.

3:33 PM: Update from Parks spokesperson O’Connor: “I just learned the construction fencing at Hiawatha will stay in place for another week or so; their subcontractor had some trouble with truck availability. There are openings in place around the field.”

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Get up in the tree tops with Camp Long’s ‘pay to play’ fundraiser
September 2, 2023 6:10 pm
|    Comments Off on Get up in the tree tops with Camp Long’s ‘pay to play’ fundraiser
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Photos courtesy Camp Long)

One week from today, you can get up in the treetops at Camp Long (5200 35th SW) for a donation that helps the park’s popular ropes course thrive. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share about a fundraiser that the park’s Advisory Council is presenting:

Come join us for an opportunity to get out onto the High Ropes Course at Camp Long while supporting our programs! Funds raised will be used to purchase needed replacement gear for programs and towards purchasing equipment to improve accessibility of our challenge course.

September 9th

12 slots in the morning from 9 am to 12 pm

12 slots in the afternoon from 1 pm to 4 pm

Suggested donation of $75 per slot or $200 for a family of 3

You must register at this link: form.jotform.com/camplongchallenge/camp-long-pay-to-play-fundraiser
AND you must follow up by calling in and paying for your slot – instructions are on the form. Slots are not confirmed until paid for

Participants must be:

12 years old or older

Able to fit into our harness and helmets which accommodate a range of sizes that most people 12 and older are able to fit

Wear CLOSED-TOED SHOES the day of the event and other weather-appropriate clothes

Confirm registration by calling in for payment

Submit a completed and signed waiver for each person participating

The challenge course was installed a little over a decade ago.

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Here’s why Whale Tail Park’s play structure is closed, and when it’s expected to reopen
September 1, 2023 2:16 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Thanks for the tips about the fenced-off closure of the play structure at Alki’s Whale Tail Park. There’s no fully explanatory signage, so we asked Seattle Parks on Wednesday about the situation. We got the info today from Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor:

The “whale tail” play area on the north end of the park had a damaged slide. When we received the replacement slide, it was the wrong specs and could not be installed. We have ordered another. Once we receive the slide, we will re-install and open this section of the play area. We anticipate it will be re-open by mid-September.

O’Connor says they’ll get a sign posted so visitors know what’s going on.

P.S. We also asked her about the schedule for replacing long-closed Lincoln Park South and Westcrest Park play areas, since the construction contract has now been officially awarded. She’s hoping to have that information post-holiday.

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FOLLOWUP: Bruun Idun, the West Seattle troll, now online too
August 30, 2023 2:18 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, Sunday evening)

We went back to visit Bruun Idun, the giant troll newly installed at Lincoln Park by artist Thomas Dambo with private funding and volunteer help, and have been watching for her to turn up on the Northwest Trolls website. Today, she’s there, along with the full poem that Dambo debuted at the troll-“unveiling” event Friday (WSB coverage here). She’s now also on the worldwide map of Dambo’s trolls. Bruun Idun (Idun, pronounced like Eden, in short) is the third of six he’s installing around the Northwest; the first two are in Portland and on Bainbridge Island, and the next three will be introduced in Issaquah this weekend and on Vashon Island and in Ballard in mid-September. (If you haven’t been to see Bruun Idun yet, she’s right behind Colman Pool.)

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REMINDER: Final week for city’s outdoor aquatics facilities in West Seattle
August 27, 2023 2:12 pm
|    Comments Off on REMINDER: Final week for city’s outdoor aquatics facilities in West Seattle
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo)

A reminder as summer ebbs: All but one of West Seattle’s wading pools have already closed for the season, but Lincoln Park‘s wading pool is open through Labor Day – and that’s also the final day for the two other city-run outdoor aquatics facilities open right now in West Seattle: Saltwater, beachfront Colman Pool and Highland Park Spraypark. Unless there’s major bad weather sometime between now and Labor Day (Monday, September 4th), all three will be open daily – noon to 7 pm for Colman Pool and the Lincoln Park wading pool (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), 11 am to 8 pm for the spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale).

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READER REPORT: Indecent exposure at Roxhill Park playground
August 26, 2023 7:25 pm
|      89 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Westwood

From a reader who wanted to be anonymous:

I think it’s important for the public to be aware of this (for lack of a better word)… insanity occurring in places that are generally considered safe.

Police Call Reference Number 23-246390.

There was a guy at the park who was either high out of his mind, or very mentally impaired. Around noon he emerged from the playground area bathroom completely naked, exposing himself to lots of kids that were present. An agitated woman who I do not know told me her son just went in the bathroom where this naked guy was just weirdly hanging out and he was pretty shaken up.

Several people called the police. We did not engage him as we weren’t sure if he was violent.

For the next hour, no police showed up. A couple of Park Services people showed up and tried to contain the guy to the bathroom area, but they were pretty helpless. Anyways, this guy continued to go in and out of the bathroom and walk by the play area, where people were trying to shield their kids.

After an hour of no police response, a few people eventually had enough of this guy, decided he wasn’t physically violent, and chased him away. He walked over to Westwood Village, still naked.

Two hours after the police were called and we left the scene, I got this text:

“The officers searched the area for your incident but were unable to locate the incident or person(s). We appreciate your help in keeping our community safe.”

It’s frustrating that a drugged-out naked guy can hang out at a playground for 2 hours before law enforcement shows up.

We were away from the scanner much of today while at the Admiral festival, so we didn’t hear the related radio traffic, and the Broadcastify audio archives are missing significant chunks of time prior to 4:15 pm today. The Twitter/X call logs did time-stamp this call – usually the time when it was received, not necessarily when it was dispatched – at 12:04 pm, and show a separate “lewd/flashing/exposing” call at Westwood Village, 23-246448, at 1:01 pm.

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MEET WEST SEATTLE’S TROLL: Bruun Idun unveiled at Lincoln Park
August 25, 2023 4:17 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

4:17 PM: At an invitation-only (but crowded) event under way right now, West Seattle’s troll Bruun Idun has just been “unveiled.”

As we first reported back in June, with a followup when troll-building began last week, this is one of six trolls that Danish artist Thomas Dambo is making from recycled materials and installing around the Northwest – first one was in Portland, then Bainbridge Island, now West Seattle (still to come are Issaquah, Vashon Island, and Ballard). Now that it’s been completed, its location at Lincoln Park has been revealed – right behind Colman Pool, where volunteers were still working to complete it this morning:

We took that photo after hiking in for a scheduled chance to talk briefly with the artist:

We also met John “Coyote” Halliday, a Muckleshoot Tribe artist who is contributing decorations to the troll, made primarily from bark and shells.

More photos and info to come – including the troll’s story (Dambo told us it’s meant to be “singing to the orcas”) – when we’re back from the event!

7:06 PM: Turns out Bruun Idun (“Idun” for short – pronounced like “Eden”) is playing a flute with a song for the orcas. Each troll has a poem, and Dambo read part of this one at the podium, including the line, “She played for them the orca song, to ask them where they all had gone.” Artist Coyote, meantime, explained that his creations are adorning Bruun Idun’s flute. He and Dambo had an “artist exchange” as part of this, including a visit by Coyote to Denmark, where he painted a killer whale on Dambo’s house. He and Dambo also exchanged gifts today.

This is all shown in our video of the program, which was emceed by Visit Seattle‘s Tracey Wickersham – a West Seattleite.
Guest speakers included Mayor Bruce Harrell, who talked with the artist before everyone moved to the portable podium:

The program began with a song by the Muckleshoot canoe family.

As underscored by the listing of partnerships at the end, this was a privately funded project. More information about Bruun Idun should appear soon on the nwtrolls.org website, as it has for the Portland troll Ole Bolle and the Bainbridge troll Pia. Dambo said this all was intended to happen a few years ago, but the pandemic interrupted the timeline. He has installed 121 “environmental sculptures” around the world and has more on the drawing board – even as this one was being built, he flew briefly to Austin, Texas, for meetings about a series planned next year.

P.S. As explained in our earlier interview with the artist – video above – no, they are NOT left to decompose; at some point the site host (Seattle Parks for this one) will decide when to dismantle it and recycle its components.

(Editor’s note: Troll’s name corrected post-publication to reflect that Bruun Idun is two words, not one as originally reported)

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SMOKE: City wading pools closing for the rest of today
August 20, 2023 2:33 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle weather

2:33 PM: The season is over a bit early for the EC Hughes wading pool, which was scheduled to have its last day of the season today. Seattle Parks and Recreation just announced all of its wading pools citywide will be closed for the rest of the day – including daily-operation pools such as Lincoln Park – “due to the poor air quality.” No other aquatics closures have been announced so far.

7:58 PM: For the record, Parks announced belatedly that it had closed other outdoor aquatic facilities early including Colman Pool.

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YOU’RE INVITED: Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks to tour Hiawatha on Saturday
August 18, 2023 2:30 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo)

While Hiawatha Community Center and Playfield await their future, if you’re interested, tomorrow (Saturday, August 19th) brings a unique chance to learn about Hiawatha’s century-plus-long history. Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks invites you to a free walking tour, 10 am-noon. All they ask is that you RSVP – the link for that, and details of the tour, are here.

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SPORTS: City to resurface Solstice Park tennis courts, add some pickleball striping
August 10, 2023 3:36 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS & Sports

Thanks to Brian for the tip: The Solstice Park tennis courts will be resurfaced soon. And that work will include adding pickleball lines to three of the six courts. Though the work was scheduled to start next week, Parks tells us the start date may slide because, “The contractor who will doing this project is currently working on resurfacing the courts at Volunteer Park, which has been delayed some this week due to the change in the weather. It has to be dry for the surfacing to dry or cure properly between the layers of color.” Once the Volunteer Park work is complete, Parks says, then the Solstice Park work can begin. Meantime, regarding the plan to add pickleball stripes to three of the courts: “It will be the north three courts so that the Lock Box we plan to install will be easily accessed from the north court gate. We will be purchasing 6 temporary nets there to be used at Solstice Park.”

P.S. While researching this, we noted that the city is still proceeding with a plan to add “dedicated pickleball sites,” including Hiawatha; while that plan suggested there would be community “engagement” this month about that, Parks told us it’s now more likely to happen this fall.

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RETURNING: Flutes in the Forest
August 10, 2023 9:36 am
|    Comments Off on RETURNING: Flutes in the Forest
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

(File photo, courtesy Flutes in the Forest)

Before we get to what’s up for today/tonight, here’s a “set your calendar” note – Flutes in the Forest is returning this year! Here’s the announcement we received to share with you:

FLUTES IN THE FOREST continues in 2023 with free outdoor classical music concerts. Enjoy the sounds of the JBC Rose Flute Trio on Saturday afternoon, August 19, from 2:00-3:00 pm in Schmitz Park. Jennie Goldberg, Barb Cotton, and Carolyn Hoppe-Denend will play classical music from various eras as well as arrangements of popular tunes.

Bring your own chair or blanket; stay as long as you’d like. Enter Schmitz Park off SW Admiral Way and SW Stevens Way. Walk the paved road 300 feet to the sound of flutes in the forest. Plenty of street parking along SW Stevens.

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YOU CAN HELP: Habitat helpers sought Saturday at Shoreline Street End #7
August 9, 2023 9:12 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Habitat helpers sought Saturday at Shoreline Street End #7
 |   How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Right next to Constellation Park/Charles Richey Viewpoint is a bit of public land that’s actually separate – known as Shoreline Street End #7, technically the end of SW Spokane Street. Volunteers are invited to join in restoration work there this Saturday morning – here’s the invitation:

A community effort supported by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Friends of Street Ends to restore approximately 11,000 square feet of right-of-way for shoreline access, views, and habitat: The project is located at Shoreline Street End #7, SW Spokane St, in West Seattle (3555R Beach Dr SW). The site is one of 141 Shoreline Street Ends designated by Seattle City Council.

Goals
• Improve and maintain shoreline access and views
• Enhance shoreline habitat
• Build partnerships and encourage stewardship through community partners

Work party will focus on removing invasive plants, spreading mulch, installing new plantings

Work Party Dates
August 12th, 2023 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Spokane St SW

To RSVP for Work Part!es:
seattle.gov/trees/events.html
206-615-1668 | TreeAmbassador@seattle.gov

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FOLLOWUP: One more step toward Lincoln Park South, Westcrest Park play-area replacements
August 7, 2023 10:09 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Westcrest Park, reader photo by Jon from May 2021)

Two long-delayed West Seattle play-area projects are another step closer to finally happening. As we reported back in June, the Lincoln Park South and Westcrest Park play-area projects, bundled together, went out to bid. Bidding closed in mid-June with three bids received, but for weeks, the next step – awarding a contract – hadn’t been taken. Finally, the city bidding site shows, last week notice was given that the city intends to award the contract to the low bidder, LW Sundstrom, which bid $1,192,820. Seattle Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor told us that “Our best estimate at this time is that construction may start late summer. Means & methods are to be determined by the contractor, so we do not know at this time which play area will be first.” Lincoln Park South has been awaiting replacement play equipment for six years; the closed structure at Westcrest has been awaiting a replacement for two years. Our archives show LW Sundstrom’s previous projects include the High Point Play Area renovation in 2018.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Vandals destroy shaved-ice stand that provides jobs for people with disabilities
August 4, 2023 11:53 am
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

We just received this report from Chelsea:

This morning between the hours of 6-10 am, my husband’s shaved-ice stand that he runs through his non-profit, Enigma ASD Services, was vandalized and demolished. The shaved-ice stand is located next to Colman Pool in Lincoln Park. The stand provides first job opportunities for people with disabilities. It has been damaged beyond being able to reopen this season.

It was undamaged when he went on his morning run at 6 this morning. We are surprised by the amount of damage considering the beach/park/path are crowded with people fishing this morning.

This is the third incident involving the stand and theft/destruction.

It is a sad day for the employees who won’t have a job to go to this afternoon and this summer.

We asked Chelsea what people could do to help. First, if you were in the park early and saw anything, this has been reported to police, though so far they just have a tracking number (T23017099) pending the official incident number. You can also donate to Enigma.

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Delridge Community Center expanding hours, days
August 3, 2023 1:07 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Seattle Parks photo)

Right now, Delridge Community Center is open Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 am-6:30 pm. The city announced today that its hours will expand starting Monday, September 11th, to Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 am-9 pm, plus Saturdays, 9:30 am-6 pm. It’s one of eight community centers around the city that will get added hours with Seattle Park District funding; it’s one of West Seattle’s only two city-run community centers currently in operation, as Hiawatha CC is closed for eventual renovation and Alki CC has only been in use for child care.

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SATURDAY: Colman Pool closing early
July 28, 2023 6:55 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo of Colman Pool)

If you’re thinking about swimming at Colman Pool – the city-run beachfront saltwater pool at Lincoln Park – tomorrow (Saturday, July 29th), be forewarned: It’s closing early “for a staff event,” Seattle Parks says – 3:15 pm. It’ll be back to normal hours on Sunday.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Vandalism at Alki
July 27, 2023 12:11 pm
|      44 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

That photo of a mostly-stripped beach bench was sent by Stephanie, who told us after an Alki walk this morning: “One of the Honey Buckets is tipped over this morning. Another regular morning walker told me he saw older kids push it over then take off in a car, laughing. Two benches are also ripped up. This is around 59th and Alki.” The other “ripped up” bench was not stripped of most of its wood, but instead left with one board on the ground and two rearranged as sides of a triangle. We checked in with Seattle Parks to ask about repair plans; spokesperson Rachel Schulkin tells WSB, “We will make those repairs in the next couple weeks (hopefully less).”

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FOLLOWUP: Parks hosts off-leash-area pop-up at Junction Plaza Park, extends online survey
July 23, 2023 12:10 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

That’s the tent to look for in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) until 2 pm today if you have questions about Seattle Parks‘ list of potential future off-leash-area sites, including two in West Seattle, and/or want to offer your opinion. Easels include closeup looks at the two options in West Seattle – one south of West Seattle Stadium:

And one in Lincoln Park:

The Parks reps at the pop-up told us the online survey will be extended into mid-August – and that update will appear online this week (right now, the survey page – linked from this page – still says it closes July 31st).

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SUNDAY: Talk with city reps about where West Seattle’s second off-leash area should be
July 22, 2023 7:50 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Reminder – tomorrow in The Junction, you can talk with Seattle Parks reps about where you think West Seattle’s second off-leash area (aka dog park) should be. Two locations are under consideration, as first reported here last month: Upper Lincoln Park or just south of West Seattle Stadium.

So far, we haven’t heard of organized opposition to the stadium-adjacent site, but wildlife advocates have been lining up against the Lincoln Park site. Whatever you think, you’re invited to drop by Parks’ pop-up 10 am-2 pm tomorrow (Sunday, July 23rd) in The Junction. Note: The original Parks announcement said they’ll be at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska), while a subsequent reminder said the Farmers’ Market – so look there if you don’t find them in the park. If you haven’t already answered the online survey, that’s supposed to stay open through the end of this month – find the link, and details of the city’s proposals, by going here.

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Where will West Seattle’s second dog park be? Your next chance to unleash an opinion
July 13, 2023 4:20 pm
|      70 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As first reported here one month ago, Seattle Parks is proposing two site options for a new dog park (aka Off-Leash Area) in West Seattle: Upper Lincoln Park or just south of West Seattle Stadium.

Your next chance to tell Parks which you prefer has just been announced – a pop-up 10 am-2 pm Sunday, July 23rd, at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska). They’re also continuing the online survey through the end of this month – find the link, and more information about the city’s proposals, by going here.

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