Two-year-old Tala wasted no time exploring the pathways and slides Wednesday at the Washington Park Arboretum’s “Tot Lot” playground, stopping only every so often to say hi to her mom.
Tala’s confidence in the play area was something new, according to her mother, Steffanie O’Brien. The youngster is often more cautious, given that playgrounds in the city are usually built for older children.
“This is not normal for her. She’s usually more reserved,” O’Brien said. “I’m very happy to see her be so confident.”
City and community leaders that morning unveiled the newly renovated play area on the arboretum’s western edge near East Lynn Street and 26th Avenue East. The publicly funded $118,000 Arboretum play area renovation project — conceived by Seattle Parks and Recreation, the UW Botanic Garden and Arboretum Foundation — is aimed at enhancing safety and providing easier accessibility for children ages 2 to 5, said parks and recreation spokesperson Karen O’Connor.
The renovation is one of three such projects underway in Seattle, according to the department. The others include renovations to the Cal Anderson Park play area by the end of July and Soundview Terrace by the end of September.
Safety is always top of mind for any parent, O’Brien said. She welcomed the park’s new features, which aren’t overly tall, and said it’s been a struggle to find parks in Seattle that are suitable for toddlers because most are geared toward older kids.
“I usually get weary, but here I feel like I can just sit and watch her,” O’Brien said.
Philip Huang appreciated the accessibility the play area affords younger children — including his twins, who are under 2 years old. He usually brings them along a trail through the Arboretum, steering clear of the play equipment, but they eventually become bored of sticking to the path and collecting pinecones.
Some children on Wednesday tried their luck climbing up the new slides, while others were more interested in bark covering the ground or using chalk on the concrete pathway, drawing colorful creations unidentifiable to the average grown-up.
Meanwhile, a young girl took a break to dance to Seattle violinist Pasquale Santos’ rendition of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” It was an especially happy occasion for Santos, who has been playing for 56 years but hadn’t performed at an event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The park was full for part of the morning, with parents and nannies taking children to explore the new play features.
Jennifer Jackson, nanny to 21-month-old Wade Bracht, kept a careful eye on the toddler, who waddled in his stylish brown cowboy boots, exploring every corner of the play area.
While the old play area had more features — like three slides instead of two — the renovations include features like horizontal hand-holds and low access points that make it safer for kids to use, she said. A safety surface made from material akin to a running track lines the edge of the play area.
“It’s also something new, and kids always love new,” Jackson said.
The previous play structure was built in 1999 and had been due for a renovation, Parks and Recreation said in a construction update earlier this month. The city hired King County contractor LW Sundstrom for the renovations, which took into account community input.
The entrance and area surrounding the the play area was also built to be ADA accessible, O’Connor said. Planning for the project began around 2020.
