Category Overview
Local Parks grants help protect these symbols of vibrant communities, providing places for families to gather and play and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in an era when people spend increasing amounts of their time inside. The WWRP is the largest source of local parks funding in Washington, helping communities fund the acquisition, development, and renovation of vital recreation areas and green spaces.
Project Highlights
The site prep for the playground included the removal of trees, 3 dilapidated picnic shelters, pea gravel safety surface and the old playground equipment. The ballfields required the removal of all of the concrete walkways leading to and through the complex and fencing. The athletic fields and playground required the removal of 4” to 6” of surface soil/clay which would not allow water to penetrate into a drainage system. The substandard soil was replaced with a sand-based ballfield grade soil. A subsurface engineered drainage system was placed in the both the ballfield complex and playground area. An automated irrigation system was installed in the outfields of the ballfield complex, around the perimeter of the park and perimeter of the playground. One existing light pole on field #1 was removed as it was located in the main walkway. The bank of lights from the removed pole were relocated to an existing pole on field #2 and calibrated to luminate on field #1. The bulbs on the remaining poles in need of replacement were replaced and calibrated. The athletic fields have been renovated into a high quality four field complex that will accommodate all ages of girls’ softball play and 12 & under boys’ baseball. The scope was amended to install synthetic turf infields instead of keeping dirt infields. Synthetic turf was installed on the infields and natural sand-based sod was installed on the outfields. New concrete pathways and were placed throughout the complex to meet ADA standards and to create barrier free entrances into the dugouts and onto the fields. The new Penny Playground is a fun and challenging play space that incorporates inclusiveness throughout the design by providing barrier free access. The playground is built on an all-weather synthetic turf surface. A concrete pathway goes though and around the play area making it easy to navigate. The design allows for good visibility from all areas of the park to watch children at play. The playground provides a 2–5-year-old area and 6–12-year-old areas. The WE-GO-Round allows wheelchairs to roll on to it so all children can spin together, one of the 3 zip lines has a molded bucket seat and two swings are made with molded bucket seats for accessibility. There are sensory panels, a roller slide, musical instruments, tall towers, multiple climbing and spinning elements, a variety of slides and an elevated hillside. General site improvements included an asphalt walking path placed around the back side of the park to create a trail that connects to the new sidewalks within the park that extends to an existing sidewalk in front of the park. Pedestrian lighting was installed through the center of the park and around the Penny Playground.