This article originally appeared in the Oct. 15, 2021 edition of This Week in Renton.
This Week in Renton delivers up to date news, feature stories, videos and more. It will be emailed and posted to our website on Fridays.
If you’re not already a subscriber, please sign up and get up-to-date news and information from City Hall.
Use the "Language" button at the top of this page to translate.
Great cities have great parks and trails. In Renton, we’re fortunate to have 33 parks and six trails for all to enjoy. From a leisurely walk along the Cedar River or Lake Washington, a play date on the swings, to a spirited game, Renton parks have something for everyone.
Our Parks Planning and Natural Resources division focuses on meeting our current demand for these facilities. But they’re also looking ahead to what future generations will need through new construction or reconstructed parks and trails. The Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas Plan, adopted by the city council in January 2020, guides the decision-making.
In 2021, the division completed these five significant parks and trails projects, ensuring our residents enjoy outdoor activities.
- Cedar River Trestle Bridge. Completed in March, the project ensured the long-term structural integrity of the bridge and continued safety for trail users. Repairs to the bridge structure included replacing and repairing timber pilings, rebuilding an existing bridge abutment, and replacing timber sheathing. In addition, the trestle approach was replaced, and deck joints were repaired.
- Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park. The existing playground received all new equipment and reopened on March 2. The new equipment, chosen through a community survey, is designed for ages 2-5 and 6-12. There are many all-abilities components: see-saw, individual and group swings, and two unique climbing structures.
- Liberty Park. A new playground opened on Aug. 25, replacing the oldest one (23 years) in the city’s park system. The new playground includes swings, unique climbing structures, spinners, slides, all-abilities rocker seat, wheelchair glider, and free-standing play amenities for ages 2-5 and 6-12. In addition, a poured-in-place rubberized surface replaced the existing wood fiber surface.
- Sunset Neighborhood Park. The 30-foot-high Berliner Neptune XXL climbing structure is the most striking addition to the city’s newest park. It's the only one of its type in the Pacific Northwest and one of only four in the United States. Two Helix Climbing Towers are connected to the structure. This Phase II project, which opened on Jan. 28, also added playgrounds for ages 2-5 and 6-12, a parent plaza with picnic tables, an adult fitness area, gazebo/picnic shelter, performance/open space lawn, a mist feature, rain gardens, and loop walkways.
- Teasdale Park. The existing basketball court, posts, and goals were removed and replaced with an asphalt court with sport court surfacing and new posts and goals. New sub-grading and a concrete mow strip around the perimeter were part of the project. The new court opened at the end of July.
In 2022, the division has improvement projects scheduled for Cascade Park, Kennydale Beach Park, Kiwanis Park, Philip Arnold Park, and Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park. We’ll keep you updated on these projects in future newsletters, but for now—go out and enjoy your Renton parks!