Dahl Playfield

Dahl Playfield

Location: North Seattle
Address: 7700 25th Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 14.5

Originally a peat bog affectionately called “Ravenna Swamp,” the now-named Dahl Playfield is a big park with lots of great amenities. Waldo Dahl was a member of the Parks Board for 29 years, according to former Parks historian Don Sherwood’s fastidious notes.

The newest feature is a skate park that was just finished. Check out a cool drawing of this much-needed park amenity. When I visited today the landscaping around the skate park wasn’t completed, but the skating area was ready to go.

Dahl Playfield also has a play area for kids, nice soccer and baseball/softball fields, a basketball court and a summer wading pool.

I like entering the park from the southwest corner. Follow the little path into a nicely planted area of native plants and small stream. This is also where you’ll find a great art installation called “Boulder Wash” featuring large stones smoothed into different shapes. A couple of the boulders look like empty eggshells, and look inviting for small kids to curl up inside.

#133 (3/16/10)