Lowman Beach Park on Beach Drive SW has long been a treasured small beach front park in West Seattle but after storms destroyed the seawall there it was determined by Seattle Parks and Recreation that it must be removed. In the process, the cement tennis court located there was also to be demolished. Public outcry at a series of public meetings led to a compromise and and it was determined that the aging court would be replaced by a racket court instead.

Shelley Hadaway Steering Committee Member for the Lowman Beach project shared that the Steering committe has recently hired HBB, a landscape architecture firm, to work with the community and with Seattle Parks and Recreation to develop a new court design. The goal is to create a plan that will replace the current court that is being removed as part of the current SPR Shoreline Restoration and Seawall Replacement Project with another sport court opportunity.  

This work will be funded by the Department of Neighborhoods Matching Funds Grant. The budget is $22,400.  It will be matched with community labor, in-kind donations and cash donations.  The community engagement process will be as thorough and inclusive as possible considering COVID 19 requirements. The consultant is very skilled and experienced in this area and will brainstorm with the committee, SPR and DON to develop the best plan.

The grant was written by local tennis enthusiasts who didn't want to see the tennis court removed and not replaced.  Ultimately, the committee would like to see a full size tennis court replaced at the park, but if this is not feasible given the Seawall removal project and local community desires, other court sports will be considered.  This will be determined in partnership with community feedback and Seattle Parks and Recreation.