Ballard Playfield is getting an upgrade

If you’ve visited the Ballard Playfield on NW 60th St. next to the community center recently, you know it could use an upgrade.

The city has set aside $1.6 million to refurbish the two baseball fields, and you’re invited to a meeting on Monday evening to hear the details.

The plan is to install “state of the art synthetic turf systems” and energy-efficient field lighting “which minimizes spill light and glare off the field.” The project will also bring the facility up to code with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

All this work will result in closing the Playfield during construction, which is planned for next year.

Seattle Parks and Recreation will hold a community meeting on Monday, June 11 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Ballard Community Center, 6020 28th Ave. NW. to talk about the project.

(Archive photo from last year via Google Maps)

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

22 thoughts to “Ballard Playfield is getting an upgrade”

  1. How about some sort of deterrent from all the entitled people using the field as an off-leash area for their dogs?
    I see my lazy neighbors walking over there to let their canines tear-up the field instead of going to Golden Gardens or Woodland Park official off-leash areas. Not long ago I was playing with my kids there and some jerky lady (who’s dog was running amok) scolded me because my kid was in a fenced-off area that was hydro-seeded. I told her where to go and I’ll tell any other off-leash dog owners the same

      1. Oh, you young fools. Just wait until you have kids in sports and they slide into first, or dive to block that goal and get smeered in your entitled honky dog pile of poo.

          1. Don’t forget to force people to edge of the sidewalk with your barking nums nums on the way home with your bags of poop. #classy

          2. @Dog Lover: your online engagement style is very familiar. Is this POTUS?

    1. The dog owners in Seattle are some of the most selfish people around. Which is saying a lot in city filled with narcissists. There are exceptions, of course, but precious num nums is more important than wildlife preserves, tranquility, and safety.

      Some of the more civilized cities in Europe require muzzles. We should follow suit.

    2. Seattle is generally out of control with both off leash dogs and free ranging cats. I do welcome the occasional coyote – though – ha ha. Nest failure in Discovery park is 80-90%, principally due to cats (per UW research) – not raccoons or squirrels as you might think. It is pretty exasperating that dog owners also use the school yards as an off leash are. Especially since there are very nice off leash areas that have been set aside for dog owners.

      1. My cat only eats organic, free range, artisanal, locally-sourced, ethically-raised, conflict-free, gluten-free birds.

        Therefore, she’s a very good kitty.

  2. Speaking as a second generation Ballardite, Little League advocate, and current baseball coach at Ballard High School, this is great news for Ballard youth baseball and softball. But to do this project right, the City should turf the whole field, not just the infields, to include soccer, lacrosse, and football play. It’s the smartest way to utilize a great city park year round. This model has proven effective at Loyal Heights Community Center, which is in too much demand by both youth and adult leagues year round. A similar field set up with this project at Ballard Community Center would provide another much needed option in the area. Unfortunately I can’t attend the meeting on Monday, but wanted to get my thoughts out there for the community.

  3. Can’t wait for the upgrade so my baby num nums has new place to make poop.
    If you disagree with this you are a racist because my dog is a pit bull.

  4. Good news! Now, if this city could also bring a gazillion aging signals at way too many intersections into this millennium. 65th + 24th being a good place to begin. I suppose things have to get worse before acting. I feel real good about the MILLIONS being spent on a van for heroin junkies instead of places for our kids to be kids. 7 of the 9 city council members are about to feel the heat.

    1. Hello.

      This article is about the Ballard Playfields getting upgrades to its turf, lighting system and accessible routes.

      Your comment is complaining about a traffic light at an intersection a 1/4 mile away, an alleged van for drug addicts and something about a majority of our council members possibly attempting a ghost pepper eating contest.

      🐘 Therefore: irrelevant. 🐘

  5. Isn’t this the field they just spent a year and lots of money digging up, leveling, and sodding for $250,000? Now they want to dig it up all over again and replace it with shredded up tires loaded with carcinogens?

    Seattle is already the epicenter of the controversy and using shredded tires is a practice that has been blocked throughout the country largely because of the cancer linkage identified by UW Athletics.

    https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Critics-say-EPA-played-dual-role-in-recycled-tire-6094382.php

    Clearly the City of Seattle has learned absolutely nothing. Not really a surprise.

    For those of you who are interested the current administration blocked the EPA from releasing their preliminary findings which were supposed to be released a few months ago on the cancer risk associated with exposure to shredded recycled tires.

    https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/federal-research-recycled-tire-crumb-used-playing-fields

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