Ballard Commons Park

A few years ago I enjoyed bringing my toddler grandson here. Sadly, due to the increase in the large homeless population, the atmosphere has become very unsavory. My family and I have twice had to make calls to 911. It is no longer safe to bring children here. The police seem to be unwilling or unable make arrests for public drunkenness and drug selling.
Additionally, the landscaping was poorly planned. There is a ring of trees around the perimeter of the park with nothing but a large patch of dried up grass offering no protection from the sun in the middle.

This is a great little park. It has a skateboard bowl, water feature, and sometimes even free yoga on the grass. It is close to the library and the main drag too. Overall, a great place to get away in the midst of it all.

I can see how this can be a fun little splash Park for kids around the block, but I wouldn’t make it a destination if I lived outside of the neighborhood. Definitely skip this place on a hot summery day since there are exactly 3 dinky trees to sit underneath (all surrounded by pavement) while you watch your kids so everyone crams underneath them and it’s totally uncomfortable.
Another negative is a lot of riff raff tend to wanna bathe here, so that’s pretty awful if your 1 year old is playing and some drunk homeless man is standing there bathing.

ATTENTION FELLOW ALCHY’S AND DRUG ADDICTS! Have you been searching for a place where you can just crack open a cold one after a long day of cracking open cold ones? Want to hang out with 15 of your closest friends sharing your greatest love? Ever wanted a beautiful manicured lawn to spread your worldly possessions on and fist-​fight over a hat??? WELL MY FRIENDS YOU HAVE FOUND PARADISE! This place even has a convenient (albeit smelly) little green house where you can find your inner bliss with Mr. Happy Pokey! Afraid the parents will complain about you? Afraid the cops will hassle you? Don’t worry! It’s Seattle! You didn’t get shipped here from Texas for nothin’ amiright? Seattle folks are passive-​aggressive and wouldn’t dare complain because they wouldn’t look as worldly and «urban-​chic». SO THEY JUST ACT LIKE YOU’RE NOT PISSING IN THE PARK IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS. isn’t it great??? Why compete with all of those Capitol Hill LOONS when we’ve got a place like this? THANKS BALLARD! Best. Park. Ever.

This splash pad, skate park and green space is pretty nice. It’s also located close to the library and the main Ballard drag.
Our toddler loves the water; she literally squeals with delight when we go there.

I lived in Ballard before this little gem was built. Although I live further north now, I still find reasons to go there. This was a really nice addition to the neighborhood — grassy areas, benches, water feature, and skate bowl. Pretty sweet if you ask me.
The grassy areas are planned surprisingly well. The walkways are in very intuitive places and the grass allows for great book reading, tanning, or hanging out.
The entire space has a good amount of benches to sit and catch the afternoon sun.
Nothing says joy more than a water feature. It’s primarily used by young children but hey, we’re never too old to run in the water are we? Water spurts from stationary structures and flows in a river along the side of a wall. Kids love it and adults love it because it keeps the kids occupied.
The water feature is shut down sometimes for special events like the Ballard Seafoodfest. At that time, stages can be set up or vendors can have tables and such, depending on what’s going on.
The skate bowl is always a hub of activity and it’s fun to watch skaters enjoying all that the park has to offer.
Parking is pretty sweet if you can find a spot. This area of Ballard is a little busy and there are both business and residential properties around. TIP: Consider parking on the other side of 24^th Avenue. For some reason, I have no problem finding open spots.

What a lovely little park! With fun water features, spots to sit and relax, and closely located to the library and various shops and restaurants, this park is pretty great. I could imagine coming here for a stroll with some lunch food and enjoying a nice treat under the summer sun. Haven’t been here on a hot day but I imagine the water features are full of happy kids wanting to cool off. Really cute spot.

As I was walking by, on my way to a near by store, I came across this cute looking park. Has an area for skate boarding, lots of open space for kids to run around, and several nice places to sit. As I came closer I noticed how everyone appeared to be homeless or had the sterotypical appeareance of a drug dealer. There was only one person there who looked like they were trying to enjoy their lunch in the sun, but she was far off on the very edge of the park itself.
I try not to let such appearances sway my judgement because I don’t know these people or what their intentions are. But while I was shopping in the local store that I came to visit in the first place, I saw two police cruisers pull up with lights flashing. The store clerk told me that this was the second day in a row that the police had to come to the park, for reasons unknown.
After such a first impression, I doubt I will ever make any effort to come visit this park on it’s own behalf.

What happens when urban planning goes right.
People actually USE this park, unlike the messed up one at the central square a block or two away — you know, the one with the ugly sculptures-​on-​sticks, which look like they escaped from a bad grade school project, or fell from outer space.
The sculptures at this park fit right in, and the water fonts are great. In the summer, on the occasional hot day, it’s almost akin to walking on a beach, except for the scale of the shells. The kids like it in the summer, almost as much as everyone else. Great place to relax or cool off when it’s hot.
I signed the petition to have the skateboard park kept here because I didn’t want the little bastards rolling down my street at all hours.

Its small and theres no shade but its just so inviting, besides who wants shade in seattle when theres actually sun out for once?! Theres a fountain for kids to run through, a skate bowl, and lots of lush grass to lay on… it really feels like a friendly neighborhood park. Run accross the street to Bartells for some H20 and popsicles to cool off if needed.

The melting pot of the neighborhood.

cute park, nice water features, but there is dog poop everywhere. so not healthy for kids to be around all that poop, not to mention all the cigarette butts that are all over (a friend’s toddler ended up with a cigarette butt in his mouth.). i will not be returning with my young ones. it’s more an urban adult park i guess.

This is a cute little park.
Lots for everyone.
Swings, slides, grass, places to eat. large open stretches of grass for just sitting… a water fountian, a skate park. and mor e to watch.
Thanks Ballard

Ballard Commons Park has a little something for everyone!
Parents– bring your kiddies if you’re feeling adventurous and let ‘em splash around in the ‘Man, that does NOT look safe jagged edged artistic looking’ fountain.
Skaters– They’ve got a bowl. NO, not the kind you put grass in. It’s big and new (2 years old) and from what I can tell, is pretty dang decent.
People– bring your pets, your books, your loved ones, your OE! I’m not sayin’ you need booze to have a good time, nor should you drink in public. I am sayin’ I’ve seen some stumblers roaming through the park from time to time, brown baggin’ it up.
Nevertheless, it really is a nice place to walk, sit, skate, drink, and play.
Best open space in the heart of the ‘Llard, since the inception of the Farmer’s Market.

i come here every few days, weather permitting and enjoy it. i usually am on my way to the library to pick up something but i will stop and do homework or to read at the park if its nice.
i have never really noticed anyone that appears to be homeless hanging out, usually just skaters usuing the bowl or families playing in the sprinklers. the grass area is usually pretty deserted.
the whole block is like an obscenely nice wonderland. its always busy with people milling about and eeryone seems oddly happy. its very odd. its like stepping into a weird dimension where everyone was fed lithium (its a good thing!)

Just another reason to love love love Ballard. The only problem with this place is now we have to walk AROUND it because my daughter gets very angry when we don’t play in the water. She doesn’t care if its 50 degrees, so loves the water fountain.

Great water features! Lots of lawn and happy skaterkids to watch, only downside is the cities inablility to turn the water features on when they say they will. It’s great when they are on, but don’t trust the wading hotline to give accurate info. By all means never tell your kids where you are going untill you have checked in person to see if the darned things are on.

I like to come on the weekends, read in the sun, and watch the kids on skateboards wipe out and fall on their bums.

The press release from the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation describes it thus: «The new park features a permanent skate bowl, a beautiful water feature, engaging public art, relaxing seating areas and lawns, and ADA accessible walkways.»
Yeah! Could Ballard get any more awesome?