The spray pool, located in Judkins Park in Seattle, consists of three concrete spray bollards and a sculpted sea kelp forest concrete water walls. The pool is designed to function as a wading pool as a complement to the spray features.
Photos courtesy of Paul Byron Crane

Paul Byron Crane, a Seattle-based landscape architect, designed the project of a community spray pool and led the construction management project team. This was a way of giving back to the community that was growing with families.

The design criteria called for a nearly maintenance free water feature. The Judkins Park Sea Grotto Spray Pool has been designated by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and one of the city's best loved and used water features of the city.

The Judkins Park neighborhood is populated by professionals of every walk in life. Journeymen plumbers, electricians, surveyors, cement finishers and carpenters donated their time to constructing this amenity of the neighborhood children. The usual earth movers and other construction equipment were used and these were donated by Edifice Construction of Seattle, who also provided on site construction management for the job. No manufacturers directly donated equipment or supplies. All were bought with matching funds dollars.

We had two years from the acceptance of the grant to design and build the project as per the grant agreement. The project was funded by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Large Projects Grants Program. This program requires a 50 percent match by the community for the funds allocated each project budget.

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The sea kelp forest walls consist of Ferro- cement sculpted in the shape of Pacific Ocean bull kelp and the spray zones are activated by push button crosswalk activators.

Professional design and project management fees, given to the community pro-bono, served as a match for the construction costs that comprised half of the budget. The community was able to construct the project without any need for out of pocket matched dollars.

The "Seattle process" is infamous to developers who build here. There is always somebody who comes out of the woodwork to oppose a project where ever and whatever it is. In the late stages of final design several individuals came out against the project and were relentless in their efforts to stop it. Their reasons were that it would provide a surface for kids to break bottles and it would increase noise in the park by attracting more children.

In reviewing the plat of the project a non-built street was platted through Judkins Park and the project just happened to be within the platted street right of way. Of course the street would never be built but it meant the project was exempt from SEPA review and only required a street use permit. The project continued and was completed bringing happy wet summer memories to many a child.