First Hill Park is one of several Mercer Island neighborhood parks we’re partnering with the City of Mercer Island to renew, as aging play equipment reaches the end of its useful life. At this forested site, the project centered on introducing new play experiences while preserving the mature trees that define the park.

Close collaboration with an arborist allowed our team to place new equipment around existing trees and minimize excavation within their root zones. Engineered wood fiber safety surfacing maintains drainage and porosity, supporting tree health while providing a cost-effective, accessible play surface. The new equipment also carries forward the treehouse-like character of the former playground with a tower and slides integrated into the wooded setting.

Early outreach surveys presented the community with specific play equipment and programming options, allowing feedback on play styles and preferences to translate directly into a focused design approach. The new equipment was selected to diversify the City’s parks system, prioritizing longevity and durability. Selected systems work with replaceable components, allowing the City to repair individual elements as they wear or fail rather than replacing entire structures, extending the playground’s useful life while making future maintenance more manageable.