With budget cuts looming, Seattle Parks got some more bad news this week — construction of the new Seven Hills Park at 16th and Howell will be delayed after a contractor discovered a layer of ash at the site. But we’re not all bad news — we’ve got some happy info regarding the Summit/John park project below. Here are the details from Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad:

While working on the site, the contractor discovered some lead contaminated soil. After initial analysis, we believe that it is from a building that burned down at the site circa 1900. We are doing further sampling, with an emphasis on the P-patch area, to discover the extent of the contamination. We don’t have a remediation plan yet, but it will most certainly involve removing contaminated soils and replacing them with clean soils.

This work will cause a delay in the park opening by up to a month.

We have updated the project webpage with a few extra details. http://www.seattle.gov/parks/ProParks/projects/7_hills_development.htm

Signs are being posted on the fences with the above information today.

The Parks update notes that the delay is only expected to impact the construction schedule by three to four weeks. That would put the park on schedule for an August opening.

Meanwhile downhill at the Summit at John park site, we’ve heard that they’re gearing up for a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, April 17. More details here soon.