EVERETT – The playground structure at Walter E. Hall Park will be completely renovated with $1.25 million in upgrades after a 6-0 vote by the Everett City Council that will more than double the size of the current playground area.
The playground renovation includes demolition of the existing playground, remove existing turf, provide drainage system improvements, installation of a new ‘forever lawn’ surfacing system, installation of the new playground equipment, and equipment certification, according to city documents.
The upgrades expand the playground area from 3,500 square feet to approximately 8,347 sq. ft. The Walter E. Hall Park playground is currently 17 years old and exceeds the City of Everett Park’s life-cycle standard, which was the driving force behind the unanimous vote. The City Council report on the proposed playground upgrade says it recognizes the need for increased park facility capacity improvements, site improvements, and identified residential population growth for the Walter E. Hall Park community to help serve the growing Casino Road neighborhood.
The costs include all construction activities, contingency, tax, and all other costs associated with the project. Equipment procurement and installation will be through King County Directors Association (KCDA) Cooperative. $900,000 toward the playground upgrade costs is derived from Everett’s Fund 148, for park impact fees, which are collected from developers in lieu of providing onsite recreation for residents and can be used for new or enhanced park recreational expenditures. The remaining $350,000 comes from CIP3, Capital Improvement Program, which is the parks construction fund. These dollars can be used for the design and construction of park improvements and the funding comes from real estate excise tax (REET).
CIP3, according to a city spokesperson, was created to finance improvements that will be funded from the second one-quarter percent real estate excise tax. This tax was specifically enacted as a part of the state’s growth management statutes, which call for the provision of resources for capital facilities that relate directly to growth. The long-term goal of this fund is to accumulate sufficient cash for Park and Street capital needs deemed appropriate within the scope of the Growth Management Act.
There was no immediate start date given for the project or how long the renovations would take to complete but playground users should prepare for no playground access while the upgrades are completed. One provision in the $1.25 million approval by the Council is that the appropriation shall not lapse but shall be carried forward from year to year until fully expended or the purpose has been accomplished or abandoned without the necessity of reappropriation.