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Parks
Grand Opening Celebration at Meridian Park Playground
Greta, age seven. She read an original haiku at the Meridian Park opening celebration. Laurel Holliday photo.
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Mar 28, 2002 --
“LET THE WILD RUMPUS BEGIN!”
--a quote from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild things Are
etched into a rock at the newly renovated playground
Parks are very nice
lots of space makes us cheerful
we helped make it grow
--An original haiku read at the Grand Opening Celebration by seven-year-old Greta, a student at John Stanford International School
On Sunday, March 17, over 300 people bounced, swung, slid, jumped, and ate their way through the Grand Opening celebration for the newly-renovated Meridian Park Playground at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.
Emma, age three. Laurel Holliday photo.
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While adults marveled at artistic elements like a strikingly lifelike sculpture of Good Dog Karl and quotes from popular children’s books etched into stones and bricks, the two to 10 year old? set explored creative play structures like “The Galaxy,” a just-scary-enough edifice of wiggly jiggly platforms and monkey bars. A host of spring-toys, three boulder-lined slides, swings sized for all ages, two huge sandboxes, and a visit from Mr. Bubbles provided plenty of entertainment for a perfectly blue-skied, almost spring-like afternoon.
Tovi, age two. Laurel Holliday photo.
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All the fun was three years in the making for the Friends of Meridian Playground, a steering committee of the Wallingford Community Council, headed by volunteer Lisa Kuh. Beginning with a Small and Simple Grant from the Seattle Parks Department, the group acquired a $125,000 matching grant from the Department of Neighborhoods, and financial support from the Department of Parks and Recreation, as well as corporate sponsors. Hundreds of volunteers donated thousands of hours to make this artistically designed and beautifully constructed playground a reality for children from the surrounding neighborhoods and students attending nearby schools, such as Meridian School and St. Benedict’s. Hundreds of volunteers donated thousands of hours to the project, but their efforts seemed worth it as this artistically designed, beautifully constructed park finally became a reality for the children of the surrounding neighborhoods and students of nearby schools such as Meridian School and St. Benedict’s.
A frequent contributor to Seattle Press, Laurel Holliday is a freelance writer and photographer in Fremont.
Reader Comments
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Garry Golightly
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Apr 01, 2002
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Seattle, WA
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BUBBLEMAN
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CORRECTION: I am referred to in this article as Mr Bubbles. That is NOT who I am. That is a copywrited name and a bath soap. If Ms Holliday took a closer look she would see that I am referred to as the Bubble Man! I am an Edutainer. Please refer to me as the Bubbleman (dotcalm).
See You Lighter
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