Wright Park is the site for many community events and is the location for the summer playground and free lunch program, serving about 4,000 kids each summer. With 1,800 new residential units being built in the surrounding area, we hope to serve an even larger number of kids in the future. We have also found that playgrounds with new spraygrounds attract twice as many children to our playground and lunch program as wading pools. The sprayground will also provide the only outdoor water based recreation for the surrounding urban neighborhood. In 2008 Metro Parks Tacoma completed a $4 million Phase 1 renovation of this 100 year old park which serves as the “Central Park” for Tacoma. Phase 1 work, and the proposed Phase 2 project, are consistent with the 2005 Wright Park Master Plan. The master planning process included a steering committee of residents and business owners, public presentations, newspaper articles, review by the Tacoma Landmark Commission and approval by the Park Board. Phase 1 included: · restoration of pathways, water features, restrooms, historic statues · upgrade of infrastructure, site furnishings · accessibility and safety improvements This Phase 2 project includes: · new sprayground (replaces 50-year-old wading pool) · playground · interpretive signage · landscape upgrades Funding for Phase 2 of work is being undertaken in cooperation with the Metro Parks Foundation and a grant from Starbucks Corporation.