Bitter Lake Playfield Public Restroom and Play Area Renovation
Updated: January 9, 2025
Early 2025
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is happy to announce the renovated Bitter Lake play area is open!
The new play area provides many opportunities for children of all abilities, ages 2-5 and 5-12 to explore. Sliding, spinning, zip-lining and climbing on new colorful play equipment are a few of the options at the renovated play area. In addition, the renovation made safety and accessibility improvements to meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). New picnic tables and site furnishings were also included.
SPR's $2.5 million investment delivers a renovated play area, a universally accessible restroom facility, and new tennis court light poles. The play area and tennis courts are open and SPR anticipates the remainder of the restroom improvements to be completed by the end of January 2025.
Location
Bitter Lake Playfield, 13035 Linden Ave N, 98133
Budget
The current budget includes $1,520,000 of REET 1 funding for planning, design and construction.
Schedule
Planning: Fall 2020
Design Permitting & Bidding: Fall 2021 - Fall 2022
Construction: 2023-2025
Project Description
This project will replace the play area equipment and renovate the existing public restroom with the goal of bringing these amenities up to current safety and accessibility standards. Accessibility for all is a value of Seattle Parks and Recreation. The restroom renovation will likely include individually accessed, all-gender toilet facilities, and the play area will include new play equipment that is accessible to children of all abilities. In addition, the project will make other site accessibility improvements that meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
During construction, the contractor will need to close this portion of the park. Seattle Parks and Recreation and the contractor hired for the project will work to minimize the impact on the neighborhood.
Community Participation
Seattle Parks and Recreation thanks everyone who participated in the December 2020 play area survey.
See survey results here
Seattle Parks and Recreation thanks everyone who participated in the summer 2021 second play area survey.
See survey results here
Seattle Parks and Recreation thanks everyone who participated in the September 2021 online survey and the third public meeting in the park on September 18, 2021.
Feedback results from both events are combined here
See the Schematic Design presented here
Online Open House 2/9/2021
Online Open House 7/15/2021