Just received the agenda for the next meeting of the Seattle Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, and it includes one item of potential West Seattle interest – a presentation on the department’s “pickleball and tennis vision.” A proposal to convert a former Lincoln Park tennis court into pickleball courts sparked a significant amount of controversy last year, and the department has yet to officially update its status. The last Parks official to address the plan at a West Seattle meeting, deputy superintendent Andy Sheffer, is listed as co-presenting the briefing; we don’t yet know if it will include specifics on locations or will be just a policy overview. It’s on the agenda for 6:30 pm Thursday (April 25); the board meets in-person at Parks HQ downtown, and you can also attend online – info is in our calendar listing.

(Images provided by Friends of West Seattle Bike Park. Above, possible location off 35th south of Alaska)

Could that strip of city-owned land south of Rotary Viewpoint Park (35th/Alaska) be transformed into West Seattle’s first bike-skills park? Or another location? The new group Friends of West Seattle Bike Park says it’s something missing and needed on our peninsula, and wants you to know what they’re advocating for, as well as how you can join in:

Skills parks for bikes promote healthy lifestyles, are increasingly popular with people of all ages and abilities, and are currently a long drive from West Seattle.

Friends of West Seattle Bike Park (FOWSBP) is proposing the establishment of a modest public bike-skills park in West Seattle. This park will serve as an inclusive community hub for cyclists and other wheeled adventurers of all ages and skill levels, providing a safe and accessible environment for outdoor adventure and community building.

Objective

The primary objective of the proposed skills park is to create a dynamic and inclusive space where individuals and families can experience the thrill of mountain biking, BMXing, dirt jumping, one-wheeling and ADA-accessible biking/wheeling, while promoting physical activity, outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and community building. Additionally, the park aims to foster a sense of community among cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts, promoting social interaction and camaraderie. We are committed to utilizing the diverse skills, talents, and resources of West Seattle residents towards the creation of more than just a recreational area – we are building a symbol of community collaboration and pride.

Facility Features

The bike skills park is envisioned to feature a variety of trails and amenities designed to accommodate riders of all ages and abilities. Key conceptual features of the park include:

(Dirt pump track in Baltimore)

Pump Track: A loop that consists of a series of rollers and berms. The “pump” part is the pushing-down and pulling-up action performed by riders in accordance with the structure’s design as the main source of propulsion. It’s a thrilling experience because users experience an up-and-down feeling of weightlessness, similar to the drops and climbs in a roller-coaster, but on a micro-level.

(Paved pump track in Port Angeles)

Pump tracks are designed this way so they can be ridden completely without the need for pushing and pedaling and a great avenue for new riders to learn how to ride a bike. The pump track will include design elements making it ADA-accessible.

Skills Area: A designated skills area equipped with features such as rock gardens, boulders and skinnys to help riders develop and improve their biking skills in a controlled environment.

Jump Lines: A diverse network of three to five trails catering to beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders. Trails will vary in difficulty and terrain, offering a range of experiences from gently sloping, rollable table tops to large steep-faced jumps. The trails will be designed to allow riders to progress safely and confidently as their skills develop and be ADA-accessible where possible. These trails will also allow for the general public to observe and rally behind the aerial capabilities of some very talented West Seattle-based riders!

Amenities: The envisioned park design includes amenities such as picnic tables, a drinking fountain and a tool stand to enhance the overall visitor experience and encourage prolonged stays.

Safety Measures: Safety is a top priority, and the park will implement well proven design measures that allow riders to push themselves as much as desired, in a controlled environment.

Community Engagement

Community engagement and involvement will be integral to the success of the bike skills park. To foster a sense of ownership and pride among West Seattle residents, the park will offer opportunities for volunteerism, educational programs, events, and workshops focused on biking skills, trail stewardship, and environmental conservation.

Partnerships

The establishment and operation of the bike skills park will require collaboration with various stakeholders, including local government agencies, cycling organizations, environmental groups, community members, and local businesses. Partnerships will be sought to secure funding, resources, expertise, and ongoing support for the development and maintenance of the park.

The establishment of a public bike-skills park in West Seattle presents an exciting opportunity to create a vibrant yet modest outdoor recreational area that promotes health, wellness, and community engagement. With careful planning, collaboration, and investment, we can realize the vision of a unique facility that enriches the lives of residents and visitors alike. We look forward to working with stakeholders to bring this vision to fruition and create lasting memories for generations to come.

In the coming weeks, FOWSBP will launch a website which will serve as a centralized location for community members to stay updated on project happenings, submit feedback on project design and location, and provide a schedule of times and locations for public meetings.

Being that FOWSBP is still very much in its infancy, we are looking for volunteers interested in supporting this effort. Immediate needs are folks that can write grant proposals/navigate the grant seeking process, are familiar with web design, and those that can produce conceptual renderings of skills park designs. Please send an email to friendsofwestseattlebikepark@gmail.com if you would like to be part of this amazing project!

For more information on pump tracks, please explore the links below:

Bermstyle – Guide to pump tracks
Port Angeles Pump Track Grand Opening

The new group says they’ve already had a preliminary discussion with Parks about the possible location shown atop this story but it’s very early and they’re truly interested in feedback about the site and the overall idea.

Along with the 12-site Duwamish Alive! mega-work party, one of the other Earth Day events on our Saturday list was at Lincoln Park, around the section of bluffside forest watched over by Bruun Idun the troll. Thanks to forest steward Lisa McGinty for the photos and report:

39 volunteers and one much-loved troll shared their time and efforts to honor the earth and environment yesterday at Lincoln Park. We also had a lovely surprise visit from Deputy Mayor Greg Wong, who jumped in to help us remove vast amounts of ivy from the forest floor!

Thanks to all who showed up – you really made a difference!

Speaking of the city, the One Seattle Day of Service on May 18 has a long list of volunteering opportunities – at least 10 in West Seattle.

Thanks to Doug Eglington for the photos. Crews were back at Don Armeni Boat Ramp this week for more of the finishing touches on the dock-replacement project. The new docks are open for public use but Seattle Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor tells us a few things remain to be done – installation of bollards to keep people from trying to drive onto the docks – “a nearby resident had informed the project manager of this was an issue” – and installation of “additional cleats (for vessel tie-up).” The project replaced deteriorating, weather-beaten docks and pilings. It was partly funded by grants and has been in the works for seven years; we first reported on the plan in early 2017.

(WSB file photo of Colman Pool)

Thanks to Keith for the tip. He discovered via the Seattle Parks website that Colman Pool rental reservations opened today, and the season opening date is set. If you’re new – Colman Pool is the only city-run outdoor pool in West Seattle, on the shore at Lincoln Park (approximately midway between the north and south waterfront entrances), filled with heated Puget Sound salt water. This year, the Parks website says, Colman Pool will open Saturday, May 25, for the first of multiple preseason weekends. The website doesn’t have a date (yet) for the summer seven-days-a-week schedule to start, but this might be a hint: Rentals are available daily, starting at 7 pm (when the pool closes), June 30 through September 1. Some kids’ swimming lessons will be offered this summer too, according to session and registration dates on the Colman Pool page, which is also where you’ll find the link for booking a rental. One more note, the dates are set for the annual swim-meet closures: June 27-29 and July 12-13.

(WSB file photo, future park site at 48th/Charlestown)

We’ve heard updates in recent months about two of Seattle Parks‘ three “landbanked” sites in West Seattle, in The Junction and Morgan Junction – but nothing recently about the third, at 48th/Charlestown, aside from a brief mention during last November’s “West Seattle park projects” meeting. Now the city has announced that planning has resumed:

Seattle Parks and Recreation is excited to get back to work on the 48th and Charlestown Landbanked Site Park Development after it was paused during the pandemic. SPR is currently working on renewing Osborn Consulting’s contract to complete the Bid Documents and SDOT Street Improvement Permit. A few refinements to the construction document’s electrical design are the last remaining coordination items needed to complete the set for final technical review. SPR anticipates a Bid Opening in late 2024 and construction to run through the end of 2024, with completion in mid 2025. We look forward to bringing the Community’s ideas and vision synthesized during the early design stages of this project to life!

Seattle Parks and Recreation and Osborn Consulting worked with the community on the design for the new park, which will provide a “neighborhood green” for people of all ages to meet, eat, play, and celebrate. The design includes an oval lawn surrounded by a loop path with arching seat walls, imaginative and active play for young children, picnic areas, and a small stage. Native and drought-tolerant plants will express the natural history of this area, and trees will frame the park and provide shade.

Parks says $1.2 million is budgeted for the project, from Park District funding. Site development/planning was “paused” in June 2020; the site was purchased more than a decade ago.

That’s a Google Maps image of the restroom building at the Whale Tail Park end of Alki Playground. Andrew emailed us about it, noting that it’s still “perpetually closed” despite usage in high gear with the arrival of spring, including youth baseball and soccer, pickleball, and other park/playground users. We checked the Seattle Parks map/dashboard tracking restroom status – which labels it a “seasonal closure.” Andrew says one side also has signage about vandalism, but a Parks spokesperson checked on that and reported back, “Just closed for winter. Will be reopened soon. Sounds like the winter closure sign may have gone missing and the vandalism sign was the one that the staffperson had on hand.” So take note that the spring reopenings of buildings closed for the winter aren’t complete yet; if you happen onto what instead seems to be a maintenance or damage problem at any Parks facilities, the number to call is 206-684-7250.

11:49 AM: Great day to get out and play! Thanks to Janice for the photo showing the fencing is down at the Westcrest Park play area, one week after Seattle Parks told us the new equipment was expected to open within two weeks. (We’re checking with Parks to see if the work is truly all done, as the fencing removal would suggest.) The old play structure was closed three years ago because of safety concerns. The same contractor that worked on this replacement is now supposed to be fully focused on the seven-years-closed Lincoln Park South Play Area, which Parks expects will be finished in June.

1:17 PM: Parks says this isn’t officially open yet: “This new play structure installation is complete. The play area will reopen at the end of the week after final inspections are complete.”

Thanks to Joan Mussa for the photo and video of part of the second new dock being placed at West Seattle’s Don Armeni Boat Ramp:

The project website explains in detail why Seattle Parks couldn’t fulfill the initial promise of keeping one dock (float) open at all times, and says there won’t be one available until “late March,” but adds that “boaters can put their boats in without floats during non-working hours.”

A quick look at what’s happening at three Seattle Parks project sites in West Seattle:

HIAWATHA COMMUNITY CENTER: After Friday’s announcement that work would start today, we went by this morning to see if a crew was truly in view – and yes, as our photo above shows, mobilization is indeed under way.

WESTCREST PARK PLAY AREA: Thanks to Phillip for sending that photo over the weekend, showing work is progressing. You’ll recall that the project was “bundled” with the long-delayed Lincoln Park South Play Area, so we went over for a look at that:

LINCOLN PARK SOUTH PLAY AREA: No workers in sight there this morning, and work does not appear to have progressed beyond digging; it’s been two months since work began here. We’re asking Parks about its status, and whether it’s still on track to open in June.

(WSB file photo)

A resident near Hiawatha Community Center told us the contractor for the long-delayed “stabilization” project was making the rounds today informing neighbors that work is about to start – and Seattle Parks has just confirmed it. Optimus Construction Co. was chosen as contractor, with a $2.5 million bid, and Parks says Optimus has received the Notice to Proceed, so they will “mobilize on site” starting Monday. Parks says that means “the contractor will set up construction fencing to allow for deliveries and construction activities on the east and south side of the Hiawatha Community Center building.” According to Parks, “This project addresses a number of major maintenance, accessibility, and program space needs at Hiawatha Community Center. It will include a seismic retrofit of the gym and brick veneer, roof replacement, and renovation of the restrooms, kitchen, childcare area and lobby spaces, in addition to relocation of the teen room.” Hiawatha has already been closed for four years; here’s our December story with Parks officials attempting to explain why.

After six days, that slide on Lincoln Park’s north-shore trail is cleared, and the path has reopened. That’s according to Seattle Parks‘ communications team, with whom we checked after a reader sent the top photo on Tuesday, saying the trail was still blocked. Parks says a crew cleared the slide this morning. We got first word of it after a reader tip last Friday.

A reader texted that photo of a Seattle Parks crew at the future West Seattle Junction Park site (40th SW between Alaska and Edmunds), wondering if park-development work is finally getting under way. Short answer, no; longer answer from Parks’ project manager Kelly Goold: “Current work on site is general cleanup and lawn care to improve current temporary open lawn space.” Park construction is still on the other side of getting bids, choosing a contractor, and finalizing permits, but could start this year. “Until then, the site is an open lawn for public use.” (As explained here last year.) The city bought the third-of-an-acre parcel more than a decade ago.

FYI for tomorrow, since we have so many Seattle Parks facilities in West Seattle:

Many Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities and programs will be closed Thursday, March 7, 2024, due to a Recreation Division staff training day.

These facilities and services are CLOSED:
All recreation programs
Community centers and teen life centers
Environmental learning centers [Camp Long is an ELC in West Seattle]
Indoor swimming pools
Green Lake Small Craft Center
Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center

These facilities are OPEN on regular schedules:
Parks
Amy Yee Tennis Center
Volunteer Park Conservatory
Japanese Garden
Boat ramps
Golf courses and ranges