Location: White Center/West Seattle
Address: 11050 10th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 33.42
All it takes is some paint on a flat surface to create a fun new activity for kids on wheels. Opened in late 2016, this “bike playground” is modeled after popular ones in Europe that help teach kids how to ride their bikes in traffic. The partially fenced area (it took over a space that held old tennis courts) is painted to resemble mini streets with pedestrian crossings, roundabouts, turn lanes and realistic markings. Check out this cool overhead view.
Ideally, kids can practice their hand signals and get a taste for real road biking. Realistically, it’s a chance for kids to zip in fun circles and ticket each other for violations (or maybe that’s just my kids…)
A couple of picnic tables are set close by for parents, and there are plenty of bike racks if you want to park your bike and go explore. And, the rest of this White Center park is worth a visit, especially if you’re a fan of disc golf. The 20-hole course is popular and frequented by people who take their sport very seriously, but if you visit during the week or in winter you can play without feeling rushed.
There’s also a play area, restrooms and a picnic shelter that overlooks Hicklin Lake.
A lot of maps still call this park by its old name, Lakewood Park, but it was renamed in 2015 to honor the late White Center activist.
#476 (Visited 2/26/17)