City of Burien leadership and officials from around the region will celebrate the newly-renovated Dottie Harper Park Playground and a new roof on the Burien Community Center at an event on Wednesday, July 22nd at noon.  The two projects came about through a partnership between the City of Burien and King County Community Development Block Grant Program and was funded through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Burien.

Burien’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan adopted in February 2012 had identified this playground as being in need of replacement. Safety and accessibility standards for playgrounds have evolved over the years, and the PaRCS Department has sought to update the City’s various playgrounds as resources become available. In 2013, the Burien City Council authorized the upgrades to this playground and added it to the City’s Park & General Government Capital Improvement Program. At the same time, PaRCS staff began exploring the potential for grant funding, and focused on a traditional, competitive source for such projects: the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
 
Administered by King County, the CDBG grant program provides funding for areas that meet certain income characteristics. The project was selected and the City was awarded a $195,000 grant. The City also allocated $10,000 of City funds for the improvements. The new playground was designed by a local firm, LA Studio, LLC and constructed by Sundstrom, Inc.
 
The new playground provides several climbing rocks, spinner, slide and swings.
 
WHO: Burien Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department City & Regional Leaders Community Members
 
WHAT:  Grand Reopening Celebration
 
WHERE: Dottie Harper Park Playground, east side of Dottie Harper Park
 Parking is available at the Burien Community Center: SW 146th St & 6th Ave SW.
 
WHEN: July 22, 2015, Noon to 1:00pm