The idea of a play street is a pretty simple one.
For a few hours, a neighborhood street is closed to traffic so both kids and adults alike can enjoy a little extra room to, well, play.
Magnolia sports three different play street locations, all of which are permitted for several months of intermittent use. Queen Anne, however, hasn’t had as many opportunities to take part. But for at least one afternoon, that will change.
On July 28, Queen Anne Greenways will host a play street from 3 to 6 p.m. on 1st Avenue West between West Crockett Street and West Howe Street. The three-hour event will include toys and games across the open expanse of street.
Juliette Delfs of Queen Anne Greenways — a neighborhood group focused on pedestrian and cycling safety on the Hill — said logistically, it made since to hold the play street concurrently with the weekly Queen Anne Farmer’s Market.
“They already locked down part of the street,” Delfs said, “and we’ll just be closing down a bit more.”
But beyond that, it’s also an opportunity to loop in others that wouldn’t necessarily know about the work of QAG.
“We like being connected to it because it already brings out so much of the community,” she said.
Delfs said the group had initially considered hosting a play street last year, but they didn’t think about it until it was too late in the process to make it work.
The play street is funded in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant from the Department of Neighborhoods.
“Come out and play,” she said. “Bring the kids.”
For more information on Queen Anne Greenways, visit www.qagreenways.wordpress.com. To learn more about Seattle’s Play Streets program, go to www.seattle.gov/transportation/playstreets.htm