(WSB file photo of Lincoln Park wading pool)

Seattle Parks has just announced its summer aquatics hours. We’ve already reported on the Colman Pool schedule – what’s brand-new today is wading pool/spraypark hours. First to be open will be West Seattle’s lone spraypark, Highland Park (1100 SW Cloverdale), with daily operation 5/23 through 9/7, 11 am to 8 pm every day.

Then come the wading pools (a quick look at last year’s schedule shows they’re opening, and closing, later than last year):

Lincoln Park – 6/27-9/7, every day, noon-7 pm
E.C. Hughes Playground – 6/29-8/23, Mondays, Tuesdays, Sundays, noon-7 pm
Delridge Community Center – 7/1-8/21, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, noon-5:30 pm
Hiawatha Community Center – 7/2-8/22, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, noon-5:30 pm

We’ll link the full citywide announcement when it’s up on the city website. (UPDATE: Here it is.)

Back on April 30, we reported that the community group long working to get a “skate dot” into the Morgan Junction Park Addition project had word that Seattle Parks would present the newest design to the community on May 13. Now it’s official – Parks has sent this announcement about the gathering one week from tonight, which will start at 6 pm instead of the previously reported 5:30:

Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting an Open House to share an update on the Morgan Junction Park Expansion Schematic Design. Join us on May 13, 2026 from 6 to 7:30 pm, at The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW in West Seattle.

The Open House will provide an opportunity for community members to view the updated schematic design, connect with the project team, and learn more about the current phase of the project.

The expansion area is now open to the public for interim use. The site will remain accessible until the start of Phase II construction, when the existing park, additional parcel, and the Eddy Street right-of-way will be closed off for construction.

Following more extensive than anticipated soil work, the project design has been value engineered to align with available funding and site conditions. Permit review and final design are anticipated to continue through fall 2026 with construction anticipated to begin by late summer 2027.

To view the schematic design, visit: Morgan Junction Park Addition | Engage Seattle Parks

Seattle Parks and Recreation purchased the 0.47-acre property [in the early 2010s] at 6317 California Ave SW, just north of Morgan Junction Park, to expand the park and provide additional open space for this high-density neighborhood. The project was placed on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic as the City focused on essential services. In September 2022, the Seattle City Council, acting as the Park District Board, approved funding for the project as part of the 2023–2028 Park District cycle.

The future Morgan Junction Park Addition site – north of the current park – is now open to the community as an open grassy spot, after Seattle Parks removed the fencing that’s been protecting the site while the grass grew. Meantime the Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association, which has been advocating for a “skatedot” – sort of a mini skatepark – at the site is gathering support to ensure it stays in the project. Here’s the design – with the “skatedot” actually incorporated into the original park site – as shown at the Morgan Community Association gathering two weeks ago:

Next step, according to MJAWA, is a community meeting to present the current design, and though it hasn’t yet been formally announced by Seattle Parks, they’re asking supporters to save the date for 5:30 pm May 13 at The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

(2025 WSB photo by Oliver Hamlin)

Thanks to Jimmy for the tip! The full schedule is up for Colman Pool, the outdoor salt-water pool operated by the city on the shore at Lincoln Park. Here’s how it starts:

Preseason Weekends: May 9 to June 7, 2026
May 9-10, May 16-17, May 23-25 (Memorial Day), May 30-31, and June 6-7

Each day will have 4 swims:

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
3:45 pm – 5:15 pm
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Each swim will have 4 lap lanes (50 meters) and 1/2 open pool for recreational use. The 1 meter diving board will be open.

After that:

Main Season: June 13 – Aug. 30, 2026
Colman Pool will operate 7 days a week from June 13 to August 30, including the July 4th holiday.

Closures and Holidays
Swim Meet closure: June 19-20
Swim Meet closure: July 9-11

Postseason Weekends: Sept 5-7, 13-14, and 19-20, 2026

For full details, see the pool’s website.

(WSB photo by Oliver Hamlin, May 2025)

West Seattle’s “pool with a view,” outdoor saltwater Colman Pool on the shore at Lincoln Park, will open again for pre-season weekends starting in “early May” though the exact date hasn’t yet been announced. Registration for summer swim lessons at Colman Pool is already open and today’s the last registration milestone date for the summer season – at noon today, Seattle Parks opens reservations for pool parties. Most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the season – June 26-August 30 – and Mondays, August 3-24, Colman Pool is available 7-8 pm for private parties of up to 30 people, for a $365 fee. Here’s the direct link to the page where reservations open at noon. (And you can watch here for the full 2026 schedule to appear any day now.)

What was dispatched as an overdose response at the encampment stretching from Rotary Viewpoint Park to West Seattle Stadium has turned fatal; SPD has been dispatched, after SFD reported that the patient, a man in his mid-40s, has died.

5:47 PM: Side note, numerous readers have asked recently what the city’s plan is for addressing this encampment, especially in light of the recent assaults; we’ve been trying to find out but haven’t gotten an answer yet, as the mayor’s office pointed us to the Human Services Department, which then pointed us back to the mayor’s office.

7:20 PM: We’ve been out checking on a few things since publishing that. Shortly after we left, the city sent this response to our original inquiry (initiated Wednesday, before this latest death) regarding the encampment; this response was attributed to the Human Services Department:

The Unified Care Team (UCT) is actively monitoring encampments surrounding Camp Long and Rotary Viewpoint, with outreach partners working to connect individuals onsite to available services. UCT crews continue to remove debris and hazards to mitigate public impact.

Additionally, UCT coordinated with Seattle Public Utilities to conduct a recent two-day deep clean at Camp Long. UCT also met with West Seattle Golf Course staff and SPD to discuss ongoing concerns and the benefits of a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) review.

Unsheltered people are often more exposed to danger and can be vulnerable to violence. The City continues to advance its work to quickly stand up more shelter capacity because we know programs with 24/7 staffing and other safety protocols are a much safer environment for people experiencing homelessness as well as surrounding neighbors.

ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: The man who died is on the daily list of King County Medical Examiner investigations. It says he was 54 years old and died of “acute combined drug intoxication including fentanyl and methamphetamine.” His was one of two deaths on today’s report listing that cause; the other person was a 57-year-old man described as having died at a “residence,” while this man’s death was described as “outdoors.”

2:56 PM: Seattle Parks sent this news release about Seacrest today, and it immediately raised questions, so we sought answers. First, the news release:

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a qualified operator for the Seacrest Boathouse in West Seattle. SPR is seeking to partner with an operator who can keep the park activated and engaged year-round.

The selected party will be responsible for operating the restaurant and retail spaces within the boathouse, providing a healthy and reasonably priced menu, and offering or coordinating watercraft-related activities such as kayaking or rentals. The operator will also oversee routine maintenance and custodial care of the facility and patio, and maintain strong partnerships with other park users, including the King County Water Taxi, watercraft and diving groups, and SPR staff.

Proposals are due by 3:00 p.m. on May 15, 2026. Late applications are not accepted. All RFP proposals must be emailed to: Joann.gunter@seattle.gov

For more information or to download a copy of the RFP packet, please visit: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/contracts-and-partnerships/partnership-opportunities/seacrest-boathouse-rfp

Taking it on face value, you might wonder where the current longtime tenants at Seacrest – Marination ma kai and Alki Kayak Tours – are going. So we checked with both of them. Both are planning on staying. So far as we’ve learned – pending confirmation with Parks (we’ll update when we hear from them) – the RFP is just something the city has to do every so often. (If you’re a longtime reader, you might remember a bit of a stir almost a decade and a half ago when Marination became the official Seacrest operator.)

ADDED WEDNESDAY: Here’s how Parks spokesperson Kasey Smith replied – “This is a routine process done with concession locations when contracts are expiring. Current operators are welcome to apply, along with other businesses who meet the RFP requirements.”

(WSB photos)

A month and a half after Hiawatha Community Center reopened following a six-year shutdown, today you’re invited to visit for today’s “Housewarming,” happening right now. When WSB’s Torin Record-Sand stopped by a little while ago, pickleball play was under way:

The history display was set up:

And you can vote on a Hiawatha mascot:

This all continues into the evening, ending with a flashlight egg hunt for teens and tweens at 6:30 pm. (Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW.)

(February WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn)

Hiawatha Community Center has been ramping up operations since it reopened a month and a half ago, and now it’s ready to welcome the community to a bigger celebration. Tomorrow (Friday, April 3) you’re invited to the free “Hiawatha Housewarming,” and Seattle Parks says plenty of activities are planned:

Hiawatha Community Center welcomes you to its Community Housewarming!

Crafts, food, games, raffles, giveaways, and various drop-in activities for all ages in the building alongside Recreation staff and community members.

Come view the “115 years of Hiawatha Community Center and Playfield History” exhibit

Your vote will help select the new Hiawatha mascot!

Some Activities:

Morning coffee and tour 11 am
Pickleball 11 am-1 pm
Tot Gym 1:15 pm-3:00 pm
Tot Dance with Teacher Marika 3:15-4 pm
Under 18 Basketball 4:15-5:30 pm
Adult Basketball 5:30 pm-8 pm
Historic Tree walks
Craft projects
Come knit with Hanan
Ping Pong, Corn Hole and table games
A Disco themed photobooth and all-day dance party
The evening culminates with a Tween and Teen Flashlight Egg hunt from 6:30-7 pm

Hiawatha is in The Admiral District at 2700 California SW.

In recent years, summer hours and patrols at Alki Beach (and Golden Gardens) have started around Memorial Day and ended around Labor Day. This year, the city Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners was told tonight, they’ll start earlier and end later – May 1 through September 30. While the “Summer of Safety” briefing did not get into specifics like park hours, some other details were discussed such as plans for more patrols by Park Rangers, police, and Animal Control, plus larger signs about park policies, and a “really fun” social-media campaign including the mayor and police chief.

The city’s 31 rangers will be spread out on shifts between 9 am and midnight.

And they’re trying a pilot program with overnight private security guards to be posted at two parks – Golden Gardens and Magnuson. One other note, though “summer” will start earlier and end later, beach-fire season will remain as it’s been, Memorial Day through Labor Day, and there’ll be a “support program” to go with that. We’ll follow up with Parks to see what other details are available for this summer’s plan.

Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association – aka MJAWA – says there’s some good news about the plan they’ve long worked on, to include a “skate dot” area in the Morgan Junction Park expansion. (Above is a photo of the expansion area, where grass continues to grow so that it can be opened for interim public use before the addition is built.) MJAWA’s Matthew Lee Johnston and Josh Radick talked with Seattle Parks this week and report that a community meeting is still expected this spring – as mentioned at the last Morgan Community Association meeting – mostly as an update on where the project an design stands. Other points from MJAWA:

*The design is close to being revised and most features from the original plan have been retained, including the All-Wheels Area.

*The play area and hilltop feature have flip flopped in position.

*Skatedot may possibly need to be nudged to the south to accommodate for the Eddy street easement requirements, but they do not anticipate any design changes as a result.

*They need to extend the storm main to the north end of the site per SDOT requirement, but this also does not affect the skatedot.

*Due to the design being mostly unchanged, they should not have to go back through Design Commission. If it did, the schedule could be extended another six months.

*There is currently no need for additional funding.

*Grindline has been added back to the design team to work on integration and any tweaks needed.

In the January update, Parks said construction of the park expansion is expected next year; MJAWA says they were told this week that Parks is finalizing a schedule and budget update. (Regarding the site’s interim use, Parks has said they don’t expect to bring the fences down before “mid-spring.”)

(Hiawatha Play Area, as seen when project first surfaced in 2019)

As reported here a month ago, the Hiawatha Play Area moving-and-renovating project has gone out to bid; now that the community center has reopened, the playground project is in the spotlight. Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 4) is the deadline for interested contractors to submit bids. The contract is estimated at $600,000 to $700,000, according to this brief description on the city’s bid site:

Project Description: This project relocates and replaces the play area at Hiawatha Playfield. Additives are Accessible Asphalt Paving, Site Furnishings, and Play Equipment; and Alternate is Synthetic Safety Surfacing and We-Go-Round.

Engineer’s Estimate: $574,916, Additive#1: $16,729, Additive#2: $15,700, Additive#3: $13,077, Alternate#4: $118,617.

Seattle Parks says it expects construction to start in “late summer/early fall.” The play area will move to a site south of the wading pool, as shown when the design was finalized five-plus years ago.

Today’s the first day you can sign up for Seattle Parks and Rec programs announced inn the spring brochures. Here’s the main brochure; here’s the brochure for Lifelong programs (focused on people 50+). This includes child care and sports programs.

(WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn, Saturday)

Though the “grand reopening” was celebrated Saturday (WSB coverage here), today is the first official day for Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW) public use. Tot Gym is just wrapping up, and the fitness room remains open until 2 pm. It’s on a limited schedule for two “Welcome Back” weeks until March 6, then expands a bit for the rest of spring, to include some sports – you can see that schedule here.