The new adventure-themed Golden Gardens playground will be located directly to the east of the Golden Gardens Bathhouse and include a sailing ship climbing toy followed by a pod of spring-toy whales, a tower with a slide, a large net climbing dome and more.

During the third and final public meeting on the design of the new playground, which is replacing the old playground to the south of the current site, Seattle Parks and Recreation and HBB Landscape Architects presented the design that will be heading on to the construction phase with minor refinements.

During the Oct. 13 meeting, members of the public reiterated their satisfaction with the new playground location and expressed their appreciated for the thought and effort that went into the design of the playground in order to make it workable, said Virginia Hassinger, project manager for Parks.

She said the selection of playground equipment reflects the input of the community during the meetings in April and May, and the design reflects public's preference for the Bubbles concept – partial circles of play designated for different age groups and separated by central picnic tables – during the May meeting.

The Seattle Design Commission provided input on pathway flow, pavement design and other landscaping features, including a low fence along the eastern edge to separate the play area from the parking lot.

Construction on the new playground is slated for spring 2011. The project has a $500,000 budget from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy.

Use the links at the beginning of this article to view detailed images of the playground design and the play equipment that will be included.