Activated Parks and Healthy People

There are 6,414 acres of green space in Seattle, including small pocket parks, natural areas, and boulevards. Ensuring our communities have recreational opportunities in these parks and public spaces is critical to the long-term health of our residents. Time in nature and outdoor recreation supports children’s health, increases mental well-being, and can improve health outcomes for adults. A 2017 National Institutes of Health study in urban parks in low-income neighborhoods found that safety concerns arise when there is a lack of activation and positive recreational usage of parks.

Seattle Parks Foundation is committed to parks and public spaces that offer opportunities for all community members to connect, engage, and participate in recreational activities. Activating a park can be as simple as adding chess boards or cornhole to building new pickleball courts, playgrounds, and amphitheaters for arts and cultural activities. We work with communities to ensure their parks and public spaces are culturally relevant and address their neighborhood’s specific recreational needs.

Some current ways we support activated parks and healthy people include:

  • Advocating for funding of recreation facilities and staff in the Metropolitan Parks District.
  • Leading public/private funding efforts for the Urban Parks Partnership, which activates downtown parks with music, art, events, and activities.
  • Fiscally sponsoring many recreation community groups focused on bringing activities to our public spaces like summer night out events, pickleball courts, youth basketball programs and more!
  • Supporting the creation of new arts installations in public spaces such as the AIDS Memorial Pathway and the Volunteer Park Amphitheater.

Each of the projects below focuses on the work of activated parks and healthy people in different ways. Click to learn more about them.

Equity

Equity in Public Spaces

Climate

Neighborhood-Based Climate Solutions

Community

Increased Civic Engagement and Community Building

Send a check

To make a donation by mail, please send a check payable to Seattle Parks Foundation to:

PO Box 3541
Seattle, WA 98124-3541

If your gift is intended for one of our community partners, please add their name in the memo line or with an accompanying note.

A tax receipt will be mailed to you upon receipt of your contribution.

Thank you!

Donate Your Car

Have an old car taking up space in your driveway?

Donate it to Seattle Parks Foundation!

We accept most cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, heavy equipment, and other motorized vehicles. All or part of your donation may be tax deductible.

To get started, simply complete the online donation form or call 855.500.7433 or 855.500.RIDE to speak to a representative. You can also read more at careasy.org.

Have an old car taking up space in your driveway?