Westlake Play Area

Westlake Play Area
At Westlake Park, Parks is partnering with Downtown Seattle Association to help make downtown more family and kid-friendly by providing a small play area for children.

Project Description
Westlake Play Area is a two year pilot project aimed at providing a safe and fun place for young children to play while downtown. The play area will be encircled by attractive low barriers and benches for guardians to relax on. There will be two exciting play elements inside.  The first is called a Mini Geode which is a climbing structure with a combination of rounded and linear beams forming the outside sphere and a complex inner structure of play ropes. The second structure is a grouping of three rolling climber domes made of stainless steel.  The surfacing will be a forgiving rubberized material that rests directly on top of the existing pavers allowing it to be removed without much disruption. 

The play area is proposed to be located near the northwest side of the site near the trees adjacent to the Metropolitan Building. Some of the existing planters will be relocated and pedestrians will be able to smoothly flow past and around the play area. 

Events and Outreach
Friday March 1, 2013  11:30 a.m.

• Celebration for new play area.

Starting the week of February 17, 2013

• Installation and construction of play area. Parks anticipates installation lasting 5 – 7 days. Construction and construction staging will take up half of the park.  Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time.

Wednesday July 25, 2012

• Join us for an informational meeting and Center City Concert for Kids. Parks project manager and planner will be there to answer questions from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. The concert starts at noon and features The Bears Upstairs and Morgan Taylor of Gustafer Yellowgold

April 2012

• Downtown Seattle Association distributed via email the rendering and description of project to Friends of Westlake with a follow up discussion in May

March 2012

• Presentation to the Friends of Westlake Park on the initial proposal.
• Presentation by Mithun and DSA to Downtown Residents Council
• Meeting of Downtown Seattle Association Urban Experience Committee. 
• Cocker Fennessy conducted focus groups with downtown parents and expectant parents on opportunities to improve the family-friendliness of downtown. 

January/February 2012

• Downtown Seattle Association email outreach

Funding
Downtown Seattle Association raised the funding for the planning, design and construction of the pilot play area. They have partnered with a number of organizations:

• Seattle Children's Research Institute, Presenting Sponsor
• Metropolitan Improvement District, Funder
• Ben Bridge Jeweler
  
• Bentall Kennedy
  
• Mark Barbieri
  
• Clise Properties, Inc.
  
• Foster Pepper
  
• Joshua Green Corporation
  
• Matt Griffin & Evelyne Rozner
  
• Shaula & Darrin Massena
  
• Mayflower Park Hotel
  
• Metzler
  
• Pacific Place
  
• Pine Street Group
  
• Richard Hedreen
  
• Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau
  
• Seattle Hotel Association
  
• Seattle Monorail Services
  
• Seattle Parks Foundation

Documents

• Open House brochure

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