A group of Ballardites want to create a better playground at Ballard Commons Park.
Ballard Alliance is hosting a public meeting tonight to gain some traction for the idea, which they say is still in the public outreach and conceptual design phase. They note that construction is not yet funded.
“Our vision is to provide a new opportunity for year-round, active play for young children and their families. By creating a new play space, we anticipate revitalizing this beautiful urban park with enhanced enjoyment for all,” the Alliance writes in the event info.
Tonight’s meeting will be at the Commons at Ballard’s Rooftop Space (5621 22nd Ave NW) and will start at 5:30pm. The group plans to hold another outreach meeting on Feb. 11.
Vikings vs. Seahawks @ 5:15 and public meeting for Ballard Commons @ 5:30. Have to wonder about the timing. Yeah everyone isn’t a Seahawks fan in Seattle, but those who aren’t are usually Vikings fans.
As much as I detest the pop-up encampments at the Park, and needles and trash that comes along with it, the reason I no longer go there with my kids is all the dog poop. You can’t step on the grass without getting some on your shoes. It would be great to block off at least one of the green spaces for people only where we don’t have to watch every step we take.
No disrespect to dog owners but even the good ones who clean up after their dogs sometimes don’t get it all.
But dogs are like people right? Maybe we need another “activist” on the city council that will lobby for pets! I do have to say though that I would rather step in dog poo than on a needle.
Dogs are much better than most people I’ve found 🐾🐾
Vagrants with dogs? Broken windows theory. No one wants to take their kids to a really cool park infiltrated by drug addicted bums. They are a public nuisance and a danger to public health and safety.
“enjoyment for all”
Welcome junkies!
Don’t let your children grow up to be junkies,
They’ll steal all your money and dope too.
They won’t ever visit for Christmas,
And they’ll pimp out around the Ballard Loo.
Homeless people!
The park is a mess, I wouldn’t take my kids there. It’s gross, the homeless need to be driven out.
Liked because we don’t want, like or need your kids so all is well.
I never had kids but if I did I wouldn’t take them there.
….Says homeless vagrant
We dont need playgrounds. We DO need to fix potholes.
Yes! Like that 7 foot deep well some guy stepped in– find it fix it!
i wouldn’t recommend doing anything else at that bum park until st lukes stops their junkie support programs or the city actually takes steps to keep it clean and safe for normal, non drugged out screaming lunatics.
whats with the guy that wanders around with the metal rods all the time, by the way?
I saw him last week near the library rattling the rods. Gave him a wide berth.
Crazy as an outhouse rat!
That’s a saying for the ages. Love it!
Oh hook man? Well that’s what I called him at first because the first time I saw him he had two metal poles that bent at the end. But then I noticed he has different ones all the time so I’ve renamed him “Rod”.
Mostly harmless from what I can tell. He was wandering around at the bus stop on Market one day and ignoring everyone as he waived his rods.
Too late do anything about that park cause the ACLU protects bums in your precious park and if you really want change protest in the park and at St. Luke’s for days and nights even till something has to be done !
This is ridiculous, the whole area is a haven for drug dealers, users, tents and dirty needles. This is blocks from my home and I avoid it like the plague that it is. I wouldn’t want my child or dog anywhere near this place. Why not use the funds to rid the streets of vagrants!
Personally I think that if more people can be encouraged to use this wonderful park the better it will become. If a playground is installed and families use it I believe the general atmosphere at the park will change.
Agreed. The people saying “I avoid this park” are giving up and just letting it be taken over. We shouldn’t let them win. I’ve seriously been considering going through once a day and picking up trash myself. I already pick up random food wrappers or cans and bottles. But think I’m going to order a box of gloves and hefty bags and collect the bigger garbage like the cardboard and blanket “beds” that are left lying around and toss them.
Really it’s not all that great.
But abandoning it isn’t going to make it better.
Abandon I walk through it every day. Never have a problem.
Play is learning. Playgrounds lack creativity and teach children nothing but canned fun.
A sweet new playground was put in at Gilman Park and guess what? There’s still camping there, needles, the whole shebang.
It’s called putting lipstick on a pig.
More places for tarps and tents to attach themselves to I’m sure. My grandkids don’t go there anymore cuz they have witnessed inebriates fighting, others defecating, and the obligatory urinated in public. Not to mention the public drinking and drug use. No thanks. The kids now have out at Golden Gardens which is only a short drive. Same with Gilman Park. Just not safe for law abiding taxpayers. Time to sweep with serious intent for a change. If only the Police were allowed to do their jobs…..
I have to agree – most people who encourage people to “fight back” and use the parks don’t have kids. They have no idea how complicated it is to talk to young kids about adults behaving like that and how much it affects the kids. When you have kids you have to pick your battles and you feel responsible for their pain, physical or mental. That park is actually quite new – the fact that it now has to be “revitalized” strikes me as an indication that it is total a loss for the community.
If talking to your kids about real life is hard either you are dumb or they are.
Vote Mike O’Brien out then
Homeless people!
Hi, thanks for your support! I’d love to expand this park. I bet we could fit more tents on the lawn and on the larger sidewalks. Can we also pour some concrete for parking, so that we can fit some RV’s in the park as well? Our vulnerable community members shouldn’t be excluded from park-ness because they’re passed out in their RV’s. Big Hobo demands more junkies in the park. Big Hobo must be obeyed! Stay Woke, Friends! And Remember, Vote Salty, Vote O’Brine 2019!
Parks now a days aren’t safe for kids to play in with the sharps in the parks ! We have to fix the homeless problem before we put more money into our parks !