City of Kent Parks Director Julie Parascondola was uncertain what she would find as she drove to Morrill Meadows Park after receiving notice about an early-morning fire at the playground.

“On my drive there, my first thought was that we may have lost the entire play structure,” Parascondola said in a March 17 email about the 3 a.m. March 8 fire.

The Parks Department had just completed a $1.59 million renovation at the park in May 2024. The 21-acre park is at 10600 SE 248th St., next to the Kent YMCA on the East Hill.

A Kent Police officer driving along SE 248th Street spotted the fire in the middle of the night. Puget Sound Fire extinguished the fire in about 10 minutes, limiting the damage.

The fire was contained to a specific area—one of the main slide elements, part of the surrounding playground surface and some of the adjacent structural components were damaged, Parascondola said.

“We built this playground to be accessible and welcoming to every child in our community,” Parascondola said. “To see something built for inclusivity and joy targeted like this is especially disheartening.”

The renovation included an expanded playground with improved ADA access with the installation of a barrier-free, inclusive play area designed specifically for children of all physical abilities. Other upgrades were new swings, a brand-new nature play area, updated park furnishings, improved lawn space and a permanent stage.

“Parks are sacred spaces in a community—they’re where childhood happens,” Parascondola said. “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.”

Parascondola estimated the cost to repair or replace the damaged playground components at between $40,000 and $50,000.

“We’ve reached out to our playground vendor and designer to assess the components and are working quickly to get materials on order,” she said. “If all goes well, our goal is to have the replacement complete by early summer.”

The investigation continues about how the fire started, which might have included the use of an accelerant.

“We’ve heard the same initial reports that an accelerant may have been involved, but that’s still under review by fire investigators,” Parascondola said. “The Kent Police Department continues to look into the matter, but no leads have been confirmed at this time.”

Parks crews secured the area later that morning of the fire with additional fencing and safety measures. The rest of the park remains open.

“We were all heartened to see families still enjoying the unaffected portions of the playground later that same day, it’s a highly used community space,” Parascondola said.

Fire damaged a new playground at Morrill Meadows Park in Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, City of Kent Parks