In May 2021, Seattle Parks fenced the main play structure at Westcrest Park after a structural assessment found deterioration, part of the larger reservoir-lid drainage project context WSB reported at the time. What Parks once framed as a “short replacement timeline” slid across multiple bid and contracting pivots—often alongside the long-delayed Lincoln Park South job—until new equipment opened in spring 2024. Project complete: see “ahead of schedule” and fence-down coverage.

Where Is Our Playground‽

Welcome

Families are back on the new structure after roughly three years of closure—longer than early Parks emails suggested, and long enough that neighbors learned to consult the West Seattle Blog whenever official timelines drifted.

Bidding was eventually paired with Lincoln Park South; Westcrest’s install proceeded first, which WSB noted briefly affected sequencing for the Lincoln site. Accountability work here is mostly post-mortem: document what happened, and apply the same scrutiny to the next promised opening date elsewhere.

Timeline

  • May 2021 — Fencing appears around the play structure; Seattle Parks tells WSB the equipment had deteriorated and would be replaced in kind as part of Westcrest drainage/off-leash work, with no timeline in the first reply. Westcrest Park play structure closed, to be replaced
  • February 2022 - Oliver Bazinet states "Basically, we are no longer able to use a more streamlined purchasing mechanism that we previously used for installation of play equipment at this scale. We’ve adjusted to a strategy of including this work as part of a larger bid package. A new (to this project) project manager has been assigned and I have requested that they keep you up to date when they have a more firm timeline."
  • March 2022 - Website updated to indicate bids will go out in Summer of 2022 with installation to complete in Fall of 2022.
  • August 2022 - No bids went out. Karen O'Connor says "We anticipate the project going out to bid in the fall. We have bundled this project with the Lincoln Park South Play Area."
  • December 2022 - Shannon Glass announces more delays "The bid for construction will be advertised in January or February 2023".
  • No response to emails in March 2023 asking for an update.
  • On June 1, 2023, The West Seattle Blog reported that after years of delays, both the Lincoln Park South project, and the Westcrest project have finally gone out to bid!. FOLLOWUP: Two long-delayed West Seattle play-area projects finally go out to bid
  • On September 11, 2023, The West Seattle Blog reported that according to Karen O'Conner with parks, "For the South Lincoln park Play Area, and Westcrest Play Area replacement projects, we will negotiate a start date with the contractor this fall..." Construction is now "likely" to start in winter 2023/early 2024. FOLLOWUP: Contractor chosen. But long-delayed West Seattle play area projects won’t be done before next year.
  • On March 25, 2024, WSB reported Westcrest’s contractor was ahead of schedule, with an opening expected within a couple of weeks subject to inspections. FOLLOWUP: Westcrest Park play-area project ‘ahead of schedule’
  • On April 1, 2024, a reader photo showed fencing down at the new play area; Seattle Parks told WSB installation was complete but final inspections would keep it unofficially closed until later that week. READER REPORT: Fence down at new Westcrest Park play area

Thanks to @kpetersmark for the timeline details for Westcrest Park.

By The Numbers...

4

delays since January 2021

1059

approximate calendar days from public WSB coverage of the May 2021 closure through mid-April 2024 reopening window
(see timeline for exact milestones)

How You Can Help

Seattle Parks is not a very responsive organization. In fairness they are understaffed and underfunded like every other part of our city. If you want change, you are going to have to work at it. Here are some things you can do to help.

  1. Monitor the City's project page: https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/westcrest-park
  2. Contact Shannon Glass at Seattle Parks. Ask for a project update and a full accounting of the project's delays.
    They can be reached by email at Shannon.Glass@seattle.gov, or by phone at 206-733-9313
  3. Contact Your Councilmembers. Ask them when Parks will complete the Westcrest Park Play Area project.

  4. Adopt this page. Seattle Parks is responsible for so many parks, and we don't have enough people to watch them all. Join us!

WhereIsOurPlayground.org

Do you know of a park play area project that Seattle Parks has been delaying?

Reach out to us on GitHub and let us know the details.

We must hold Seattle Parks accountable. Nobody else will.