Playground Update

On Thursday, November 6th, Daniel Winterbottom and Jennifer Szabo presented the final master site plan for the entire JSIS school site. Their plan is packed with active play structures, dynamic slides, seating, quiet refuges, games, trees and picnic tables. The plan addresses three distinct areas on the school grounds; the southern playground, the kindergarten play area with the northwest garden and the eastern building entry with the northwest school sign. In each of these three areas the design team incorporated themes and elements that were preferred in the public design workshops. The plan successfully reflects the diverse cultures and creative minds that participated in the design. It also incorporates many opportunities for artist and student participation in construction.

About 20 adults attended the unveiling and applauded the completion of the master plan. Questions regarding safety, lighting, grading, construction timing and funding were discussed. The design team presented rough construction costs for the three areas of the site as well as phasing plans. The rough grand total cost for all improvements came in at $1.3 million. This cost can be broken out into many mini-phases of construction depending on funds available and interest from parents and community members. Gretchen DeDecker with the school district attended the meeting and contributed to the brief brainstorming session regarding funding sources. The Department of Neighborhoods, the school district, Vulcan and Starbucks were all mentioned as possible funding sources for construction and final design. There is also the possibility of developing a safer pedestrian connection between our school and the Burke Gilman trail by linking the playground improvements with the Lake Union Loop trail development by the City of Seattle. There are currently no playgrounds along the the new Lake Union Loop trail.

On December 3rd, the design team and steering committee will present the plan to the Wallingford Community Council at the Good Shepherd Center. At that time we hope to make connections with people in the neighborhood that could lead to avenues for fund raising. Please attend to show your support and enthusiasm for the improvements at our school. The plans will also be posted at school soon for those who couldn't attend last Thursday's meeting.

If you would like to be involved in the next phase of fund raising to make the plan a reality please contact Kim Lokan at kimlokan@gmail.com or Janel London at londonjanel@yahoo.com.