Everett park, destroyed by fire, will need $500k for repairs

EVERETT — A north Everett park that saw much of its playground equipment destroyed in an October fire will require $500,000 to repair, according to a proposed funding ordinance.

The playground at Wiggums Hollow Park was destroyed in a fire on Oct. 27, one that the Everett Fire Marshal’s office later found was set intentionally. The central play structure in the park “was deemed a total loss” due to the fire, according to a city memo. Other areas of the park suffered minor damages and will also need to be replaced.

The Everett Police Department is handling the criminal investigation into the fire. On Thursday, a department spokesperson said there were no investigative updates to report.

The $500,000 of capital dollar spending, if approved by the City Council, would pay for the demolition and replacement of the existing playground structure and any damaged equipment, including the rubber playground surface, the memo read. Construction could begin in early 2026, with completion coming before the summer of 2026, according to the city.

Parks staff fenced off the playground structure after the fire. The new structure, if approved, would be a “like for like” replacement, said Bob Leonard, Everett’s parks and facilities director, at a council meeting Wednesday.

“It wasn’t that old, so we have just been looking to bring it back to the way it was,” Leonard said. “When it was open, it was doing really well.”

The city designated Wiggums Hollow Park as a park space in 2002, serving the Delta neighborhood on the city’s northeast side. It’s named after Arnold Wiggum, a former principal at Everett’s Hawthorne Elementary School.

In 2023, the city approved a $677,156 replacement of the equipment at the park, just over two years before it was destroyed last month.

The council is expected to vote on the proposed funding for the park replacement on Dec. 10.

Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.