KENT, Wash. — Arson investigators say someone intentionally set fire to the Morrill Meadows Park playground in Kent and between $40,000 and $50,000 in damage.
Kent police say an officer saw the flames in the slide area of the playground at Southeast 248th in the middle of the night.
It happened around 3:00 a.m. on March 8th.
The playground recently underwent a $1.6 million renovation to make it accessible for children with disabilities. The equipment was engineered to be welcoming for children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to climb stairs or use slides on their own.
Firefighters rushed to the playground and put out the flames, but what burned is now off-limits to children.
“I’m incredibly grateful for how quickly both the Kent Police and the RFA responded—they truly saved this space for our community,” said Julie Parascondola, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Kent. “When I first got the call, I feared we lost the whole structure.”
If you have any information about this incident, call Kent police.
The city says they have reached out to their playground vendor and designer to assess the components and are working quickly to get materials on order. If all goes well, their goal is to have the replacement finished by early summer.
“Parks are sacred spaces in a community—they’re where childhood happens,” said Parascondola. “To intentionally damage a place designed for joy, imagination, and belonging—it’s more than vandalism, it’s a betrayal of what we all work so hard to create for Kent families. Seeing one of those spaces damaged hurts on a level that goes beyond bolts and slides. We will never stop fighting for these spaces, and we’re committed to keeping them safe, welcoming, and full of life—for every child and every family in Kent.”
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