MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Children could not wait for the ribbon to be cut Wednesday at the new Hazel Miller Universally Accessible Playground in Ballinger Park.
In the hour before the ceremony, more than a dozen kids were already rocking on the bench swing, bounding across the playground’s rubberized surface and giggling in the train-themed tunnel.
The playground is the first of its kind in Mountlake Terrace, the city’s Recreation and Parks Director Jeff Betz said.
Two other accessible playgrounds opened in the county this month: the Meadowdale inclusive playground in Lynnwood and Mika’s Playground in Edmonds.
The Hazel Miller Playground has ramps and transfer decks for wheelchairs, as well as a panel with braille numbers and letters.
These elements should make the playground “more available to all users,” Betz said.
“Grandparents can be out there with their grandkids,” he said.
A sign offers more information on the inclusive play space called the Hazel Miller Universally Accessible Playground at Ballinger Park in Mountlake Terrace, Washington on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The project cost about $600,000, Dayao said, with some funding from the Edmonds-based Hazel Miller Foundation.
Miller owned and operated Seattle Quilt Manufacturing Company with her husband. She retired in Edmonds and died in 2009. The foundation named for her offers grants to organizations in south Snohomish County.
Construction on the new Mountlake Terrace park started late last summer, Project Manager Donnelle Dayao said.
Kayla Starelli used to walk past the construction site with Michelle, 3.
“When the fence was up, we joined a community on Facebook,” Starelli said. Now that the playground is open to the public, “we’re happy to come and see it,” she said.
Michelle’s favorite part of the playground is the ticket booth under the train tunnel, Starelli said. Michelle enjoys handing out make-believe tickets and ice cream.
The new playground reflects a broader need for diversity in outdoor recreation, state Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline said.
Ryu served on committees concerning state parks and outdoor recreation, taking part in conversations about racial diversity in outdoor spaces. That naturally led to discussions about all kinds of diversity and inclusion.
Children play on a honeycomb shaped structure at the Hazel Miller Universally Accessible Playground at Ballinger Park in Mountlake Terrace, Washington on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
A wave of more inclusive parks is a long time coming, Ryu said.
The new playground is one piece of Mountlake Terrace’s multi-million dollar effort to revamp a nine-hole golf course into a regional lakeside park that includes a new boat launch and fishing pier. Mountlake Terrace has also added a paved 1,550-foot trail that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Visitors can find the new playground at 23000 Lakeview Drive by walking on a freshly paved trail at Ballinger Park. At the entrance, visitors can scan a QR code to share their experiences.
Surya Hendry: 425-339-3104; surya.hendry@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @suryahendryy.
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