Play, exercise equipment part of $625K project in this Tacoma neighborhood

Parks amenities like benches, fitness and play equipment are coming to a “wedge of land” in Eastside Tacoma this month, according to Parks Tacoma.

The project will consist of a roughly 300-foot extension of the Pipeline Trail in the Eastside to the climbing boulders outside the Eastside Community Center, a news release from Parks Tacoma states. The area will include some features like fitness equipment, pull-up bars, benches and play equipment like a bamboo jungle and mushroom-shaped features.

“Our goal is to expand access to existing public spaces and create an open, inviting area that promotes physical activity,” Park Board president Matt Mauer said in the release.

The project site is located at 1721 East 56th Street, according to Parks Tacoma spokesperson Stacia Glenn. Parks Tacoma leases the land from Tacoma Public Schools, Glenn said.

Construction on the project is set to start on March 23 and will wrap up by early summer, according to Parks Tacoma. Parks Tacoma will notify patrons of construction related closures or detours on the project’s website.

Isha Trivedi

The News Tribune

Isha Trivedi covers Tacoma city hall, Pierce County government and education for The News Tribune. She has previously worked at The Mercury News, the Palo Alto Weekly, the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She grew up in San Jose, California and graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism and anthropology from the George Washington University. She is a proud alumna of The GW Hatchet, her alma mater’s independent student newspaper, and has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for her work with the publication.