Volunteer Park-area children with hearty constitutions capable of maintaining vigorous play in Seattle’s gloomy April showers, rejoice. Your playground is about to be returned to service.
CHS has learned that the construction fences are tentatively slated to be removed Tuesday from the multi-hundred thousand dollar overhaul of the Volunteer Park playground.
We told you last month about the final sprint to the finish for construction of the new structures and paths added to the popular play area and wading pool. Next for the park, by the way, is this renovation project for the Volunteer Park Conservatory. In coming years, there will also likely be a project to cap the reservoir.
We’ve also already heard from a few moms and dads and kid-friendly folk with questions about the new Americans With Disabilities Act-mandated path and railing above the Volunteer Park wade pool. Parks tells us the railing that you see at the site today is it — there will be no more added — just in case you were concerned about being on kid patrol and having to hurdle or swing underneath the railings to make a pool rescue of your little one.
With the fences coming down, you’ll still see lots of the grass areas strung-off to let the turf take better hold. The play structures, however, are ready to rock and roll.
Come May, Seattle Parks tells us there will be a proper grand opening ceremony for levy-funded project.
Hat tip to Rebecca for helping us on this story!
UPDATE: Here’s a press release from Seattle Parks on the Tuesday, April 16th opening:
Seattle Parks opens renovated Volunteer Park play area
The newly renovated Volunteer Park play area will open to the public on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. Fencing around the play area will be removed before the end of the day Tuesday, but fences around the upper lawn will remain until early June to allow the grass to establish. The play area is located near the 15th Ave. E and E Galer St. entrance.
The play area offers musical components, climbing rocks, a climbing wall, net, slides, higher swings, and a new sand box. The play area now features wheel chair access onto the small play structure and into the two play spaces. ADA compliant pathways connect the play area and wading pool with the restrooms and parking area to the west. The design of the new pathways is sensitive to the original Olmsted plan and mimics the historic promenade. Olmsted style benches will be added near the wading pool.
The existing Block (“bone”) play sculpture, created by Chas Smith in 1962, remains in the renovated play area. The design also retains the shooting star paving feature and Pablo’s plaque installed as part of the 1991 Neighborhood Matching Fund project.
During the 2011 design process Volunteer Park was approved as a Seattle landmark. Prior to the park’s landmark status, the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the Volunteer Park Conservatory buildings were individually landmarked.
The Parks and Green Spaces Levy funded the renovation of the play area.
Seattle voters passed the Parks and Green Spaces Levy by a 59% vote in November 2008. The $146 million Levy provided acquisition funding for new neighborhood parks and green spaces and development funding for projects such as improved playfields, reservoir lidparks, renovated playgrounds, community gardens, and safety upgrades at city owned cultural facilities.
“Volunteer Park-area children with hearty constitutions capable of maintaining vigorous play in Seattle’s gloomy April showers, rejoice”
Remember Children, April showers bring May flower. But what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims!
As a disabled person I find it ridiculous that parents are concerned about ADA requirements getting in the way of them managing their children. People are so self-absorbed and concerned about themselves.
“People are so self-absorbed and concerned about themselves.”
so says the person who’s more concerned with compliance to regulations than the fact that a poorly designed accessibility feature could hinder a parent’s ability to save their child’s life if need be. bravo.
Says the self-absorbed person
OK. Points made. Nobody asked us why the pool needed compliant pathways — only questions about how it was going to be done.
I understand the need for people with disabilities to have access (a gently sloped entry/exit point with railing), but not sure why the railing around the pool is necessary. Can someone please explain?
http://www.ada.gov/qa_existingpools_titleIII.htm
go have a look…there is no “railing around the pool”
Yes, the railing runs up the northern path. We’ve heard a few questions about whether the wood stakes placed along the path were marking future railings — they are not. Those are there to protect the grass following construction.
I am not self absorbed – I am disabled – and ADA compliance in this country is a joke and it is FEDERAL LAW SIGNED INTO EFFECT IN 1990. Everywhere I go there is little to no ADA compliance. There are plenty of self-absorbed, entitled, helicopter parents with obnoxious children. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard parents with strollers expressing how much they love ADA amenities because it makes THEIR lives easier – when those amenities are not for them or their children or their strollers, unless they are DISABLED.
And when I lived in the hill (2002-2007) there were signs asking people not to go in the water – but of course everyone ignored it and let their kids and animals in the water anyway, because hey, why should the rules apply to them? Self-absorption and entitlement and a complete and total disregard for sharing the world with other people is at an all time high.
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