What and where is Big Howe Park?

West Queen Anne Playfield, otherwise known as Big Howe Park, is located in the top/center of Queen Anne hill, one block west of Queen Anne Avenue, between 1st Ave W. and 3rd Ave. W, and between Blaine and Howe Streets.

What part of Big Howe Park will this project be addressing?

We are going to look at improvements in the northwest corner of the park which is the area currently not in use by the playing fields. This area includes the current playground as well as surrounding green space.

How is the project set up? Who’s running it, what’s the structure?

The Big Howe Improvement Project (or B-HIP, for an amusing acronym) was brought together for the sole purpose of improving the playground. We are an entirely volunteer, neighborhood organization. Listed below are the current members of the B-HIP Steering Committee and the various project teams. If you are interested in volunteering please let us know (b-hipbighoweorg).

• B-HIP Co-Chairs:
  Eleni Ledesma, Maryam Mohit
• Fundraising:
  Eleni Ledesma (lead) and all the rest of us, especially Kristine Ingraham & Maryam Mohit
• Community Outreach:
  Kristine Ingraham (lead), Janee Kreinheder, Louisa Clayton
• Playground Design:
  Maryam Mohit (lead), Eleni Ledesma
• Fiscal Agent:
  Seattle Peace Theatre
• Construction Oversight:
  Don Harper (lead)
• Volunteer Coordinator:
  Merran Kubalak

How much will the project cost and how will it be funded?

The project budget is $418,000. Based on our research on other recently rebuilt playgrounds in the area and on information from the Parks Department, this is a very reasonable, even frugal, amount for a park of this size. One important thing to understand is that in accordance with the rules for Neighborhood Matching Grants the volunteer hours put into the project count towards the match, have a dollar value assigned to them and must be included as part of the budget. So, the basic budget is approximately $379,000 and almost $39k of the budget is for the time we anticipate community volunteers will spend on everything from constructing the playground to stuffing envelopes and handing out fliers. Of course, the running of the project is done on an entirely volunteer basis: Steering committee, graphic design, etc. etc., even this lovely website.

Our main funding sources will be grants, corporate sponsorships and community/individual donations.

Here are just some of they ways that you can help the effort to make this park a reality:

• Corporate:
  Do you work for a company that matches employee contributions?
  Do you know a business that would be willing to donate services?
  Contact eleniledesmagmailcom
• Grants:
  Do you know of grant opportunities?
  Do you know someone who is on a relevant grant review committee?
  Would you be willing to help write grants?
  Contact eleniledesmagmailcom
• Community:
  Have you already made your own tax-deductible donation? There’s a PayPal button right on our home page
  Would you be willing to donate your time to build the playground?
  Do you have ideas for fundraisers?
  Would you like to help with fundraisers?
  Contact krisimicrosoftcom

If I make a donation, is it tax deductible?

Yes! Our fiscal Agent is a 501c3 so all donations to the project are tax deducible. Checks can be made out to Big Howe Improvement Project and sent to our fiscal sponsor:
B-HIP
c/o Don Harper
2723 4th Ave W
Seattle, WA 98119

You can also donate via Paypal

When will the playground be built?

The project has completed the design phase, construction documents are complete and have been signed off by the Parks Department and the project is currently out to bid. Once we have received bids and selected a contractor, we will have some final fundraising to do. We plan to complete the project in 2007.

Is the project team aware of the problems the park had about a decade ago with drug dealing in the park? How does the project plan to make sure the park doesn’t revert to an unsafe place?

We are very aware of these previous problems, and appreciative of the work that was done to get rid of structures that allowed people to hide and deal drugs in the park. One of the criterion for the design will be to avoid any structures that could allow such activites to take place.

How can I help?

Right now the project is still in the early phase, so the best way to help is to send an e-mail to us at b-hipbighoweorg letting us know what kind help you can offer, be it financial, help building the playground, or other skills or services you possess.