Lincoln High School is the only high school in the district without an athletic field or track, which limits opportunities for Lincoln’s students. For many students, after-school sports such as soccer, football, and track are a big part of their high school experience. The lack of facilities requires Lincoln students to travel to distant fields, disproportionately affecting students without access to reliable transportation.

The new athletic field would provide athletics “home field” for student athletics practice, giving them a state-of-the-art, full-size turf field for soccer, football and other field sports as well as restrooms, and storage for athletic equipment. A location closer to Lincoln reduces transportation and allows more flexibility for student schedules.

SPR is a close partner to SPS in identifying potential locations and logistics for building the track and the full-size athletic field. Collaboration will continue during design and construction.

Seattle Parks & Recreation will own any facilities built at Woodland Park. The athletic field will be added to the interlocal agreement between SPS and Seattle Parks & Recreation. This agreement provides SPS students with athletic facilities and allows those facilities to be used by the larger community outside of set school use.

The final decision will be made jointly between Seattle Parks & Recreation (SPR) and SPS, guided and informed by community input. It’s important for our communities to be heard — that’s why we’re looking for input and feedback.

Currently, JV and varsity football are practicing at Ingraham. In the spring, boys’ soccer will also practice at Ingraham. Because Ingraham’s teams have priority, they are scheduling practice around use by Ingraham teams. Other teams, such as baseball, girls’ soccer, softball, and flag football, use fields at Lower Woodland and sites around the area for both practice and games.

While Memorial Stadium is being replaced, Lincoln varsity home games are being played at the Northwest Athletic Center (located at Ingraham High School). Once Memorial Stadium re-opens, it will again be the home field for Lincoln varsity games.

Lincoln will continue to use Lower Woodland facilities for sports such as baseball, girls’ soccer, softball, and flag football Because Lower Woodland is booked to capacity, it cannot accommodate additional needs.

Other schools use their fields for practice and games, and many are booked to capacity. Any additional use by Lincoln students would displace other programs

Our updated test fit layout ensures that the field will no longer impact the BMX bicycle jump area. Thank you to the many community members who provided insight into the importance of maintaining these jumps. The skate park will also remain in place.

If a site is selected, temporary construction impacts are expected but will be carefully managed. Some trails may have short-term closures, but detours and signage will maintain access whenever possible. SPS and SPR will communicate clearly about timelines, closures, and alternative options for recreation during construction.

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) will partner with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) to evaluate any potential tree impacts using a holistic approach. Each tree will be assessed for its health, size, species, canopy coverage, and ecological role, with the shared goal of preserving as many trees as possible.

If tree removal is necessary, SPS and SPR will develop a mitigation and replanting plan that aligns with Seattle Parks’ environmental standards and the City’s Urban Forest Management Plan. Replacement requirements are determined by city regulations: three new trees must be planted for every tree removed on City-owned land. 

We will not know how many trees will need to be removed until a site is selected and the project designs are done. Below is an estimate based on the test fit.

Option A: Total tree removals OR impacted (not sure if removal will be required): 10 

• 9 will be removed 

• 6 of those are large trees ≥24 inches

• 1 will require further study on impacts and may be retained

Option B: Total tree removals OR impacted (not sure if removal will be required): 78

Removal

• 42 are large trees ≥24 inches
• 21 are smaller trees <24 inches 

Not sure if removal required

• 8 are smaller trees impacted  <24 inches (may be removed – more study required)
• 7 are large trees impacted  ≥24 inches (may be removed – more study required)

Yes. The full-size athletic field will provide space for both the school and the broader community. The new field will become part of the SPR inventory of fields that is part of the interlocal agreement between SPS and SPR.

Locating the track and athletic field at Woodland Park will keep both facilities within the same park but not adjacent.

While we are studying locations at Woodland Park to potentially site the athletic field, we do not anticipate that there will be space for both a track and field.

We are planning upgrades to the track at Lower Woodland #7, but that field is not large enough to also include the new athletic field. In addition, upgrading the existing field would displace any athletic activities that currently take place on the field.

Lincoln’s campus footprint and existing parking lot size cannot accommodate a regulation full-size athletic field. While the parking lot site has been reviewed, it does not provide enough space to safely fit a field that meets state athletic standards. You can see a test fit as part of the presentation made at the November 20, 2024, community meeting – slide #6.

During the 3-month fall season and the 3-month spring season, both fields are booked to 100% capacity for use by youth and adult teams and by Lincoln teams.

Option B is under consideration because it transforms an underused gravel parking lot into an active recreational space. While it is slightly farther from Lincoln than Option A, it remains within walking distance and could offer better access to restrooms, visibility, and traffic management opportunities. The siting study is designed to weigh these trade-offs alongside community feedback.

Seattle Parks & Recreation (SPR) currently manages Lower Woodland’s soccer fields as heavily scheduled, high-demand community assets. While the idea of a convertible soccer/football field has been raised, this option would displace existing youth and adult soccer leagues that rely on these fields. SPS and SPR determined that siting a new field elsewhere in Woodland Park is the best way to meet Lincoln’s needs without reducing overall community access to soccer.

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) has paused planning for changes at Wallingford Playfield to allow more time to explore options and gather broader input. While recognizing the project’s potential value for students and the community, SPS is taking this time to assess next steps thoughtfully. A future addition of a half-size field remains possible, provided funding is identified, to continue supporting play space for the community, the high school, and the middle school.

We have explored 15 locations in the past 2.5 years, including some suggested by community members. You can see the list as part of the presentation made at the November 20, 2024, community meeting – slide #5.

The turf will be made of synthetic materials, which are being carefully evaluated.

The current SPS and SPR standard is 2.25” dual fiber (a mix of monofilament and slit-film polyethylene) with a sand/granular cork infill over a 1” supplemental resilient pad. Disclosures about potential risks will be provided to families to ensure transparency and safety.

We are aware of the environmental concerns surrounding turf, especially regarding heat islands and microplastics. To mitigate these issues, the project will use cork infill to reduce heat gain, as well as other environmentally responsible design elements. Our environmental review process will be transparent, and we welcome community feedback as we strive to balance athletic needs with environmental responsibility.

The selected location will eventually include precise LED lighting and storage for equipment in addition to the synthetic turf field.

For Option A, the existing lighting would be redesigned to fit the new footprint. For Option B, lighting would be added. Seating will be provided at a level similar to that which is being installed at other high school athletic fields.

Parking will be part of the siting and design study. SPS and SPR recognize the concerns about both insufficient and excess parking near Woodland Park facilities. The goal is to balance student, spectator, and community access while encouraging safe walking, biking, and transit use. Input from neighbors and park users will inform decisions on parking layout, size, and access.

Traffic and safety are important considerations. SPS will coordinate with SPR and the City of Seattle to address existing congestion and event-related traffic in the Woodland Park Triangle. This includes evaluating parking management, transit access, and pedestrian/bike safety. Community input will help shape strategies to reduce negative impacts and improve access for all.