Celebration for Renovated South Park Community Center Kicks Off with Parade on May 9

Days before the long-awaited and improved South Park Community Center opens, Seattle Parks and Recreation will host a community parade to celebrate the completion of renovations to the center and adjoining park. The parade will take off on Saturday, May 9, at 11:45 a.m. from the corner of South Sullivan Street and Eighth Avenue South.

The center will officially open on Monday, May 11.

The city spent $11 million on improvements to the community center and South Park Playfields. The project addressed previous issues of maintenance, accessibility, and availability for South Park residents.

A new roof, flooring in the multi-purpose room, and HVAC system have been added to the center. Remodeling inside the center will address issues in bathrooms, the kitchen, and lobby space.

Karen O’Conner, communications strategic advisor for the parks department, wrote in an email to the Emerald that the community was excited about the new amenities to the playfield, including a spray park opening up this summer. “Everyone is happy and looking forward to the celebration and welcoming the South Park community back to the center and park,” she wrote.

The South Park center was one of eight centers identified by the 2016 Community Center Strategic Plan, which focused on increasing the longevity of facilities and expanding the possibilities in programs. A year later, the parks department partnered with private and public organizations to improve maintenance on the playfields outside of the South Park Community Center. One goal of the renovations was to create an active space for the South Park community that is environmentally sound.

Rob Phillips, co-head of Seattle Academy (SAAS), partnered with the parks department to provide the community in South Park with access to items they cared about and wanted. “It’s more than just helping to build a field,” said Phillips. “Let's develop this relationship together.”

Through a $4 million contribution from SAAS, the City was able to fund the multi-sport field, which includes synthetic turf and a circular walking trail. With the use of new technology, the LED stadium lights on the playfields will reduce light pollution and minimize harsh, high-intensity lighting that some people find uncomfortable. There will be new play facilities ranging from playgrounds and outdoor gyms to an off-leash dog area. 

Part of the collaboration agreement with SAAS and the parks department addressed protecting the community's access to the field. The City will not place the field park on the field scheduling system for up to five years, to ensure there’s no reduction in drop-in times for those who wish to use the outdoor facilities.

SAAS athletics will be able to use the fields for 375 hours annually under the current agreement, an agreement that can be extended for up to 30 years. During SAAS’s fall and spring sport seasons, drop-in times will be scheduled for the afternoons. 

“The big thing is we supported and partnered with incredible leaders in South Park,” said Phillips. “We stepped in to help, because at that point, the city wasn’t gonna be able to do it, and the perseverance of the leaders in South Park would say, ‘Nope, we’re gonna figure out a way to get a field, ‘cause our kids need this and deserve this.’ It’s not the City, it’s not us: It’s those leaders and what they advocated for.”