The Magnolia Village Gateway Project
The Magnolia Village Gateway Project will preserve and beautify the existing sculptures and garden that welcome residents and visitors alike to the popular Magnolia Playfield. The playfields span several city blocks and are adjacent to the Magnolia Community Center, Catherine Blaine Elementary School, “Pop” Mounger Pool, and Magnolia Village.
The sculptures, originally funded and installed nearly 26 years ago by local donors and the Magnolia Chamber, were repainted red about six years ago. The sculptures are designed to represent Magnolia blooms and buds, though that may be hard to recognize given their monochrome color. But you can make a beautiful, colorful difference with your generous support!
Enhance the unique legacy of the
Catherine Blaine complex
With donor support, the Magnolia Village Gateway Project will enhance and beautify the sculptures and their garden, welcoming the many children, families, and athletes who visit the ever-popular Magnolia Playfields, tennis courts, and community center.
The sculpture repainting and garden rejuvenation project will also enhance the playfield’s unique legacy and that of the Catherine Blaine complex, which was specially designed in 1951 as a comprehensive recreational program for Magnolia youth and represents a one-of-a-kind joint project of the Seattle School District and the Seattle Parks Department. Indeed, Catherine Blaine is the first school west of the Mississippi to have shared school and park facilities under one roof and deserves a beautiful, welcoming gateway with your generous support.
Now we turn to our incredible community of donors to help bring this vision to life.
The playfields have been a focal point in Magnolia for decades, hosting youth sports and serving as the home for Summerfest, Magnolia’s annual festival. Indeed, the fields have served Magnolia youth for generations, hosting a wide array of recreational activities that shaped neighborhood traditions, including Little League and Pop Warner programs. The Magnolia Village Gateway Project will honor this 60+-year legacy and create new memories of fun, play, and celebration by beautifying the entrance and integrating it into the Magnolia Village streetscape improvements already enjoyed by the neighborhood and visitors.
Over the past several months, we have conducted extensive due diligence and worked closely with the original artist who created the sculptures, the Seattle Parks Department, and several professional sculpture painters. Initially, we hoped to paint the nine sculptures in place, but we learned they must be removed, professionally repainted, and reinstalled. This time, they will be carefully prepared and finished with a long-lasting protective coating.
In preparation for this project, we have cleaned and refreshed the surrounding garden area, which required care and attention. We will continue to oversee its maintenance. Some may ask, “Why doesn’t Seattle Parks handle this project?” The answer is simple: the gateway sculptures and garden were not originally a Parks Department project. However, Seattle Parks has fully approved and supported our efforts to move forward and is working collaboratively to continue the transformation.
Contribute to the project
The total cost to remove, repaint, and reinstall the nine sculptures is $45,000. Donors contributing $1,000 or more will have their names recognized on a plaque displayed near the sculptures. All other donations — equally valued and appreciated — will be acknowledged on the Magnolia Beautification website and in future newsletters.
Project FAQ
- The sculptures are scheduled for removal in September by Accord Contractors, who have completed previous work for the Magnolia Village beautification project launched in 2018. They will then be painted by Long Painting Inc., the company known for painting the Space Needle!
- The total cost to remove, repaint, and reinstall the nine sculptures is $45,000. Donors contributing $1,000 or more will have their names recognized on a plaque displayed near the sculptures.
Join us at ‘The Magnolia Gateway’ for a ribbon-cutting celebration
More details will be shared once installation is complete.