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Parents ask Kenmore council to extend school-adjacent park closure by 15 minutes for safety
Summary
Parents and PTA leaders urged Kenmore council to support a 15-minute extension of Morelands Park closure before and after school to reduce interactions between the public and students during arrival and dismissal; staff said they had declined an earlier administrative request and will follow up.
Three residents used public comment to raise child-safety concerns tied to Morelands Elementary and to request city support for a 15-minute extension of park hours adjacent to the school.
Quinn Wyatt, a long-time Kenmore resident and Morelands parent, asked the council to ask Parks and Recreation to extend the park closure 15 minutes before school and 15 minutes after to reduce the rush of students and the potential for unwanted contact. Wyatt said the school and PTA already work with the city to restrict access during school hours but that the short window at arrival and dismissal remains a challenge for staff and volunteers.
Michelle Gross, vice president of advocacy for the PTA, said Morelands is one of the few Northshore schools whose playground is integrated with the school grounds and urged council support for the brief extension to improve student safety; she noted Northshore School District schedules closures from 07:30 to 4:00 for some playgrounds and wants consistent support.
Council members thanked the speakers and staff indicated they would follow up on the request. No formal action was taken at the meeting; staff said they would discuss the request with relevant departments and report back to council.
Ending: Council members acknowledged the concern and asked staff to return with options; the matter remains in follow-up rather than a formal agenda action.
