Photo:
Nancy Chaney
Next time you have to make a Target run in North Seattle, there's a sweet new playground to put on your radar. While Victory Heights may be a lesser-known Seattle neighborhood a few blocks east of Northgate Mall, its awesome, just-opened Victory Heights Playground will put it on the map.
The new playground is chock-full of adventures for kids of many ages (plus one for adults!), with even more good stuff in the works.
The play structure for kids ages 5–12 features a curving blue slide, a rope climber and other balance elements. A bright yellow merry-go-round sits just behind.
The play structure for little kids, ages 2–5, has a smaller play tower, on a scale appropriate for preschoolers. This area also sports a nifty orange car to play in and a sandbox that's ready for some toy trucks, buckets and shovels to show up from the community.
Two sensory elements provide extra fun. Xylophone-like musical instruments attracted both kids and adults on a recent visit and made for pleasant sounds to accompany active play. Decorative elements perhaps best described as stained-glass leaves tower above the play structures and cast colors onto the ground when the sun shines. They're a lovely and unusual addition to typical playground features.
For grown-ups, there's a tennis court right next to the play area. Parents or caregivers could easily enjoy a game of tennis while elementary-age kids played within sight on the play structures. Bonus: The tennis court is reservable. Benches and picnic tables provide a spot to relax or have a snack.
A bonus for families with kids who love machinery; a large backhoe sits right next to the play area and while viewable through the fence, it's enclosed and not accessible. More work is planned for this park. A basketball court is scheduled to be finished this spring and a path for wheels and walks is in the works. Stay aprised of ongoing park improvements at the Victory Heights renovation project website. Beyond the fenced-off area still under construction is a large grassy area perfect for kicking the soccer ball or practicing cartwheels.
If you go...Where: Victory Heights Playground is in northeast Seattle, east of Northgate Mall, at 1737 N.E. 106th St., Seattle When: The park is open daily from 4:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Getting there and parking: There is parking along the west side of the park or park on the street in the surrounding residential neighborhood. Metro bus route 75 passes nearby the park along N.E. Northgate Way. It's about a 20-minute (adult-paced) walk from Target or Northgate Mall to reach the park. Tips for parents:
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