Many thanks to Eagle Scout candidate Mike Inman and his team for constructing 8 beautiful new all-access picnic tables for the new playground area to open October 15. Mike’s onsite partner was Ranger Tor Bjorklund. Over two days on the weekend, Mike marshaled about 30 volunteers to help in the project that provides an additional amenity to the Sunset Beach area. Thank you!

Hello! My name is Matt Webster, and I am an AmeriCorps member serving with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Lake Sammamish State Park, in Issaquah, Washington. I hail from North Alabama, and am beyond excited to be working here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (for the first time, I might add).I hope to meet you at the park and encourage you to volunteer to work with me to restore natural habitat to increase wildlife.

Please reach out at matt.webster@parks.wa.gov or director@flssp.org

Say Hello at Salmon Days! FLSSP will have a booth at Salmon Days on the grounds of the fish hatchery at 125 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah. We can answer your questions about membership, plans for the park, volunteer opportunities and more. Stop by and say hello!

In case you missed it, The Issaquah Press sent its photographer during the Community Build of the playground. Check out his photos, and be sure your calendar is marked for 11 a.m. Oct. 15 for the grand opening of your new amazing playground! Photo by Greg Farrar, The Issaquah Press

Checkers anyone? The playground’s checker/chess board has arrived and is being installed, along with street benches and seats, along the sidewalk perimeter of the new playground. Just bring your own checkers and find a partner in the park for an afternoon of challenge play with Lake Sammamish as your backdrop!

The other playground pieces including the zip line, 17-foot geodesic climbing net, rotating net, giant chimes and more are expected to be completed this week, in time for the rubber surfacing to be installed next week, weather permitting.

All we need are kids for the Oct. 15 grand opening of the playground! The first 50 kids ages 4-10 who arrive between 10:30 and 11 a.m. will get souvenir scissors to help cut the ribbon!

Playground Update - Sept. 8, 2016 The blue ropes are waiting to complete the 17-foot climbing net. But first comes the base gravel to fill around the equipment. Then the rotating net (like a merry-go-round), zip line, talking tubes, giant chimes and other pieces can be installed in the next 10 days or so.

Watch for the rubber surfacing to be poured in place over the gravel fill, the last two weeks of September, dependent on weather.

Landscaping may not be ready for the dedication and grand opening of the playground on October 15, but that’s okay. Plan to bring the kids to be the first to play on this amazing long-awaited playground!

Mission Accomplished! Playground Build!Many thanks to all the volunteers, to all our media partners for helping to publicize, to Issaquah Highlands’ Zeek’s Pizza for lunch, to Talking Rain for liquid refreshments and to Krispy Kreme for morning donuts!

Yes – building a playground is like raising a barn – it takes the entire village working, sweating and laughing together!

The playground dedication will be Oct. 15 at 11 a.m., so save the date!

Join Mountains to Sound to Beautify the New Playground Oct. 8 Families are invited to put the finishing touches on the new playground. Mountains to Sound is seeking 100 volunteers on Oct. 8 to help install the landscaping.

Sign up for morning, afternoon or all day. Children under 13 need to be accompanied by a parent.

Sign up here:

http://mtsgreenway.org/volunteer/sites-and-opportunities/lake-sammamish-state-park-playground/planting-at-lake-sammamish-state-park-playground

FLSSP elects John Sherwin new Board President

Celebrations Committee Seeks New Members Plug into what’s happening at the park by joining the Celebrations Committee. We have had a great year creating unique and fun events including Walk ‘n Wag and Parkadilly this past year. In 2017 we hope to repeat those successful events and add a third, to be decided by the committee. We will begin meeting again in September. Reach out to director@flssp.org and express your interest. Your talents can be used in so many ways to make this a better community and provide more fun events in our beautiful Lake Sammamish State Park!

It’s Salmon SEEson Again! So many ways to SEE salmon – don’t miss out this celebratory fall activity!

Check out the resources here:

http://www.govlink.org/watersheds/8/action/salmon-seeson/

Come take a walk on the board along Issaquah Creek at Lake Sammamish State Park and review the interpretive signs about the salmon. Smell the salmon as they arrive. New brochures will be available throughout the park to give you more salmon insights!

Enjoy the return of the salmon!

Still time to sign up for Ride-a-Bike classes on Oct. 8. Preregistration required!

Below is a general link to classes.

https://www.rei.com/outdoorschool/search?distance=25&location=98027&activity=22&sort=date&page=1

Save the Date – Oct. 15 – Ribbon Cutting of New All-Access Playground! Come on out for a fun day at the park on Oct. 15 when we cut the ribbon and the kids inaugurate the new all-access playground.

Plan on bringing your families and friends for a fun morning and day at the park.

The playground made huge progress with volunteer help last week, but it is a long way from completion. Next will be the gravel fill around the base before the final playground pieces are installed. The last two weeks of September will be reserved for the poured-in-place rubber surfacing to finish things off. But not quite! There will be an irrigation system, rail fencing and landscaping added in early October, readying for the grand opening at 11 a.m. on October 15. Have you added the big event to your calendar yet?

Summer Nature Programs at Lake Sammamish State Park Wanda Peters, Lake Sammamish State Park Naturalist, has created an exciting line-up of special nature programs at Lake Sammamish State Park for people of all ages and abilities this summer.

All programs are free! Remember your Discover Pass!

Pre-School programs on Thursdays at 10 a.m. continue through Sept. 1.

Weekend programs for children and families continue through Labor Day weekend.

Check the website for the schedule.

http://lakesammamishfriends.org/

Twenty-four volunteers showed up this morning to help build the tower, the swings, the zip line and more. It took digging in the dirt, learning to work together with strangers and a lot of sweat, but the volunteers came away pleased with what they had accomplished. Many say they will return Thursday and/or Friday! A few more volunteers are needed to get the job done, ages 18+. At this point, forget signing up, just show up! Proceed to the playground (you can’t miss it!) at Sunset Beach. A pair of gloves, your water bottle and some sunscreen is all you need. Lunch from Zeek’s Pizza will be provided.

Mark your calendar for the October 15 ribbon cutting of the new playground!

OMG! What an exciting morning Monday was! The sun was already warming the perfectly calm lake, osprey were seen flying overhead, and early walkers with children or dogs in tow were out stretching their legs along the lakeshore paths. But the excitement was all at the new playground site as a giant crane lifted pre-formed concrete components of the playground from the truck trailers that had delivered them from Texas. The next big install dates will be next week, August 24,25, 26, when volunteers arrive to add the slides, the climbing net, the zip line, the twin towers and more!

More volunteers are still needed for ½ day or full-day shifts! Volunteers must be 18 or older. Lunch will be provided by Zeek’s pizza. Please sign up at this link:

www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4faeaf2ca6f94-playground

Get ready, here comes the playground equipment! This week, Cadman’s donation of concrete has been poured for the foundations of the large concrete structures coming to the playground — next Monday, Aug. 15, beginning about 8 a.m.!! Come watch the Issaquah Mining Co. coal mine and mountain as it is lifted into place. And the Mushroom House. And the twin towers. It will be an exciting morning as the playground begins its journey to an October finish date!

But there will still be lots more for volunteers to help with during Community Build Days, Aug. 24, 25, 26. It will take 15 volunteers each day. Zeek’s Pizza will provide lunch!

Volunteers must be 18 years old. Sign up for half day or all day shifts, www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4faeaf2ca6f94-playground

This installation is part of a project honoring Snoqualmie elder Xa-cha-blu, usually known as Marie Louie, born about 1800 in the village of Toltx, now the town of Carnation. She lived most of her life on the east shore of Lake Sammamish, and traveled by canoe and on foot between Seattle and the Cascade mountains.

Looking for a fun team building activity? Come to the park and help construct the equipment for the new all-access playground, due to open by October 1!

About 15 volunteers per day are needed for half-day or all-day shifts for Community Build Days, Aug. 24, 25, 26. Especially needed are volunteers comfortable working with power tools. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Lunch will be provided!

To volunteer, sign up at www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4faeaf2ca6f94-playground