Seattle Public Schools plans to move all Lincoln High School athletics to Lower Woodland Park. They are proposing to do this by replacing the soccer field at 52nd and Lower Woodland Park with two new fields that can barely be wedged into the existing space:

• Every side of the new fields will be unsafe as stray balls and families with little kids and dogs are either on the astroturf sidelines, in the parking lot, in the way of mountain bike jumpers, in the skate park, or up against a fence.
• 10 trees alongside the parking lot will be replaced with astroturf, including 6 large trees (over 24” diameter) that provide shade and buffer the neighborhood from field noise and lights.
• The loop path, all grass open space, and all seating around the fields will be replaced with astroturf. The fields will wall the park off from the recently renovated bathroom and the popular crossing at 52nd street, forcing dog walkers (and poop) onto the astroturf.
• When all fields are in use congestion and parking will spike, overflowing parking into the neighborhood and causing conflicts near one of the worst intersections in the city.

For more details, you can review Seattle Public School plans here.

We have a simple ask: Let Lincoln High School upgrade existing soccer fields at Lower Woodland Park but add a new field elsewhere.

The recently rebuilt soccer field at 52nd and Lower Woodland Park can be very economically extended to a football / soccer hybrid field for Lincoln without replacing the field lights or tearing up astroturf. Seating can be upgraded and loop paths can be upgraded for track and field use.

The two existing sports fields in Lower Woodland Park have plenty of capacity for Lincoln, but for existing parks users a new field is needed. There are several alternative locations for a new field that are better than trying to squeeze one in at 52nd and Green Lake Way.

A field could replace the horseshoe pits and derelict facilities at the North side of Lower Woodland Park. The area is underutilized, has a lot of unused parking, has no near neighbors, and has two full sets of bathrooms. This area is currently difficult to manage as it attracts illegal activity and encampments:

Seattle Schools studied placing a field at Aurora and NE 50th, but they studied a football field with extensive parking and bleachers added. If only a soccer field is added there then the impacted area is half the size, greatly reducing tree impacts and costs as the existing driving loop is preserved. People can park in the Lower Woodland Park picnic loop:

A half field could be added at Wallingford Playfield now while planning for more capacity later. The half field is in the ideal location for school day activities and the impacts of a half field are minimal. Seattle Schools studied this plan and could move forward with implementation, relieving some pressure from Lower Woodland Park:

The design that is implemented is one that Lincoln High School students, park users and near neighbors will have to live with for decades. Sign now to urge Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Parks to adopt a safe, responsible design that works for all users.