We are fortunate to have two public city parks in our neighborhood -- Collingwood Mini Park in Colllingwood and Lattawood Park in Whispering Heights (see Neighborhood Map). Both parks are open to the public from dawn to dusk. Except for special events, no bathroom facilities are available.
Lattawood Park
Completed in 2002 on land homesteaded by the Latta family, Lattawood Park is officially located at 4530 154th Place SE. The park occupies is a 5.3 acre parcel adjacent to the Whispering Heights, Collingwood and Horizon Heights neighborhoods. Though surrounded by homes, it is generally bordered by and accessible from 45th Avenue SE to the north and 46th Way to the south. The easiest way to find it for first time visitors is to take 46th way through Whispering Heights to the 155th Avenue SE cul de sac, which ends in the small parking lot at the South side of the park.
To the West are views of downtown Bellevue and Lake Washington, with Seattle and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. The park's rolling grassy fields are bordered to the East by woods and a trail that meanders through the trees and twice crosses the seasonal creek (warning: rock hopping or wet feet are the order of the day in the winter and spring). The old home site is now occupied by fun and colorful climbing toys for young children, and a basketball half-court is nearby. A covered picnic area and several uncovered tables are dispersed around the park.
More information is available at the City of Bellevue website. You can see an aerial photograph of the park during its construction at the interactive satellite map.. Can you find it? Look about halfway from the center to the lower right corner of the starting image.
Collingwood Mini Park
Located at 16030 SE 46th Way in the Collingwood neighborhood, this mini park was created many years ago after extensive lobbying by neighbors to create the first park of any kind in the area. It offers a shaded quiet play area for children and parents.
Canine park visitors
Dogs are welcome in the parks, but Bellevue city ordinance requires that they be on a leash for their own safety as well as for the safety and comfort of furry park denizens and other human visitors. Also please remember to pick up after your pet (see below).
Doggie waste bags available at each park
The WHCCA board arranged with the City of Bellevue to install dispensers for dog waste disposal bags at our parks. Replacement bags will be purchased with your neighborhood dues and volunteers will maintain stocks of bags in the dispensers. If you notice a problem, please call the phone number of the neighborhood volunteer which is posted on the dispenser, or contact the WHCCA board's President. The plastic bags used for local newspaper delivery are double- walled and also make great doggie waste bags.
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