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Seattle Parks and Recreation offered creative input opportunities for younger community members during the engagement meeting for the Firehouse Mini Park renovation project on Saturday, April 6. (Image: Ashley Yu/UW Journalism News Lab)
(Image: Ashley Yu/UW Journalism News Lab)
By Ashley Yu/UW News Lab
Members of the Central District community gathered at Byrd Barr Place last weekend, to give their input for the proposed renovation to the historical Firehouse Mini Park at 712 18th Ave.
Hosted by Seattle Parks and Recreation, community members were invited to meet the design team and provide input for the design plans of the $781,000 project. Since the current play equipment was installed in 1988 and is now due for replacement, the goals of the meeting were to gather insights on enhancing the park’s current use and identify the community’s preferences for themes and specific equipment.
Some of the features requested included maintaining the current firehouse theme and creating accessibility for children of all ages.
“The play equipment is not meeting the current safety and accessibility standard,” said capital projects coordinator Jessica Michalak. “The main goal is to make it safe and accessible for the community and to draw more folks in based (on) what the current needs are.”
The meeting was conducted in an interactive open-house format. Various options for playground themes and equipment were presented on display boards—attendees, notably community members with children and pets, voted by placing stickers beside their preferred options.
Favorites that emerged from the voting included swings, climbing structures, bridges, slides, and a nature-inspired theme for the play area. Attendees further suggested the play area include more vibrant colors, additional seating, and lighting in the winter.
“We live really nearby, so having a lot of different playgrounds around the neighborhood we can walk to is priority number one,” said local resident Stephanie Velasco. “The playgrounds have different features, so we choose where to go based on what mood we’re in.”
Other planned renovations include the installation of new engineered wood fiber safety surfacing, the replacement of the drinking fountain with a more accessible model, the re-seeding of the lawns, and the addition of three vine maples along with other potential plantings to enhance the park’s greenery.
“Right now, the plan is to stay with the current basic structure,” said SPR senior landscape architect Amy Lindemuth. “It’s really in the paving where there will be site changes so we can get an accessible route from the sidewalk to the play area.”
Construction is scheduled from fall 2025 through summer 2026, with the planning and design phase running until summer 2025.
Community members voiced a preference for the park to cater to users of all ages. They emphasized the importance of having equipment and spaces that accommodate the evolving needs of children as they grow, as well as facilities that allow adults, particularly caregivers, to effectively use the park.
Attendees also expressed an interest in preserving the unique firehouse theme of the playground.
“The theme is what we love about this (park),” said Velasco. “It has a historical element, so even if this isn’t a firehouse anymore, it’s a way for us to talk to our kids about it. It’s what’s unique about this place.”
SPR has extended the community engagement process through an online survey that will be open until approximately April 22. Another engagement meeting is scheduled for June, during which the project team will present three refined options derived from community feedback for the community to vote on.
Updates on the Firehouse Mini Park play area renovation project will be posted on SPR’s website.
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