A Citizen’s Story Of Safer, More Vibrant School Design

Imagine a pitch-black parking lot and asphalt children’s playground surrounded by a chain link fence. The pavement is littered with trash and broken bottles. At night this playground is dark, dangerous, and uninviting. Now imagine that this is the only direct walkway to the nearby shopping district. Do you walk forward, take the long trek around, or retreat to your motorized vehicle?

This description fit the two and a half acre asphalt play area behind TT Minor Elementary School ten years ago. It took a major mobilization effort and creation of partnerships with City, County and State government, agencies, private foundations, and local grassroots community organizations to change it.

“The transformation was amazing,” says Barb Biondo, a community activist and local resident who spearheaded the community involvement in the playground renovation project. “The pedestrian pathway that was informally used is now a clearly open, lighted and welcoming route. The play area is vastly improved and the kids now have trees, a jogging path and a beautiful grass field to play on. It’s a much safer and more attractive place to be and is now used by many community residents, including senior citizens and kids and families from the neighborhood.”

Such design improvement projects are central to Biondo’s personal and professional life. Currently the coordinator of Weed and Seed, a federal program providing funding to fight crime and strengthen community, Biondo has worn many hats in her quest to improve Seattle neighborhoods over the years. A focus on design, genuine community involvement, and collaboration with many diverse partners are the three aspects common to Biondo’s work in the city.

Biondo finds her work as a design steward of safer communities invigorating because of rippling effect of the positive energy it creates. “I think once you start something, it gets a ball rolling that others can pick up. The fact that improvements at TT Minor continue to happen, without my contribution, inspires me to keep doing this work. I feel good about having helped get something started.”

Barb Biondo is co-chair of the Reclaiming Streets for the People Committee of the Squire Park Community Council, as well as the Weed and Seed Program Coordinator for the Southeast and Southwest areas of Seattle. Contact her at barb@sngi.org

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