SEATTLE — Seattle Parks and Recreation announced it will turn on the field lighting at playfields and parks throughout the city to discourage the use of fireworks.
According to the city, the lighting will happen Wednesday and Thursday at approximately 9 p.m. and turned off at 10 or 11 p.m. at more than 20 athletic fields.
Fireworks are illegal within the city of Seattle and the move is meant to discourage residents from gather at the fields and lighting them. The city said fireworks also damage the artificial turf used at the fields with replacement costs of up to $1.2 million.
"We'd hate to have a beautiful park like this or any others throughout the entire city damaged from carelessness," said Scott Walker, the outgoing president of Rainier District Little League, which uses the Rainier Playfield.
In the past, Walker said he has seen the consequences of those who light fireworks on the fields.
"We have a few others here in the community and see sometimes melted AstroTurf or fields that can either cause damage or hopefully not any harm to the kids by twisting an ankle or something like that while playing on the field," he said.
On average, fireworks damage two to three fields every Independence Day, according to Seattle City Parks officials.
"You'd really hate to have a community impacted by fires," said Walker. "And we need to keep our personnel from the fire departments and police departments available to access other emergencies."
In addition to the lighting, the city said the fields will be monitored between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. on both nights.
Lights to turn off at 11 p.m.:
- Bobby Morris at Cal Anderson Park, 1635 11th Ave.
- Brighton Playfield, 6000 39th Ave. S
- Delridge Playfield, 4458 Delridge Way SW
- Garfield #1, E Cherry St & 23rd Ave.
- Genesee Upper and Lower Playfield, 4316 S Genesee St.
- Georgetown Playfield, 750 S Homer St.
- Hiawatha Playfield, 2700 California Ave. SW
- Interbay Soccer Stadium, 3027 17th Ave. W
- Jefferson Playfield, 4165 16th Ave. S
- Lower Woodland Playfield #2 and #7, 5201 Green Lake Way North
- Walt Hundley Playfield, 6920 34th Ave. SW
- Washington Park Playfield, 2500 Lake Washington Blvd. E
- West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35th Ave. SW
Lights to turn off at 10 p.m.:
- Loyal Heights Playfield, 2101 NW 77th St.
- Mickey Merriam Athletic field complex, Magnuson #5 (Rugby), #6, #7, #9, 7400 Sand Point Way NE
- Miller Playfield, 330 19th Ave. E
Lights at grass fields to turn off at 11 p.m.:
- Ballard Playfield, 2644 NW 60th St.
- Dahl Playfield, 7700 25th Ave NE
- Interbay Athletic Complex, 3027 17th Ave W
- Magnolia Playfield, 2518 34th Ave. W
- Rainier Playfield, 3700 S Alaska St.
- W Queen Anne Playfield, 150 W Blaine St., at 10:30 p.m.