The existing playground equipment in both parks was tired and weather-beaten, and Rock Hill’s playground lacks ADA access. Both playgrounds were originally installed in 1999. This project is to replace both playgrounds that will meet current park safety standards and ADA access.
Status
Bloedel Donovan Park
- The playground re-opened to the public in October 2025.
- The new playground has separate equipment for tots and equipment intended for school-aged kids. The new playground features slides, climbers, steppers, swings, nooks, and access ramps.
Rock Hill Park
- The equipment is ordered and Park and playground construction is planned for Spring and Summer of 2026.
- The new playground will be situated in a grassy area accessible from Iron Street. This area was formerly part of the Iron Street right of way until it was vacated in 2026.
- The new playground is intended mostly for school age kids but will accommodate tot use.
- The new playground features a play tower, tall spiral tube slide, climbers, steppers, swings, nooks, and imagination play. The lower playground near the alley and pollinator garden will have an overhead ladder and climbing wall.
- Proposed playground equipment for Rock Hill Park
Design
The playground equipment for Bloedel Donovan Park Playground is age separated and accessible from the adjacent paved walkway. The equipment features a total of 43 play features, of which 11 elevated features are ramp accessible to wheelchairs, three are accessible from a transfer station, and 25 are ground-based. The features include climbing, sliding, swinging, traversing, and imagination play.
The playground equipment for Rock Hill Park Playground will be accessible via transfer station from the adjacent paved walkway. The equipment features a total of 15 play features, of which five are accessible elevated features and nine are ground-based. The features include climbing inside the tower, a spiral tube slide, rock climber, overhead arch for traversing, rock steps, swinging, traversing, and imagination play for tots.
We held meetings with the York and Silver Beach Neighborhood Associations in 2024 and 2025 to discuss the design. We also conducted public outreach using Engage Bellingham.
Proposed Playground Equipment
Funding
- Bloedel Donovan Park Playground: $515,000 Park Impact Fees
- Rock Hill Park Playground: $446,000 Park Impact Fees
Design Consultant Team
Pacific Landscape Architecture and Wilson Engineering
Contractor
Rock Hill Park
- Playground Installation: Great Western Recreation
- E&E Contracting
Contacts
- Parks & Recreation Department: (360) 778-7000
- Laine Potter, Design and Development Manager – lrpotter@cob.org
- Paul Knippel, Greenways Project Manager – ptknippel@cob.org
Participating Departments
- Parks and Recreation
- Planning and Community Development
Affected Neighborhoods
- Silver Beach
- York
