Tacoma Parks Foundation

In This Issue:



• Wright Park Playground Reopens
• New Shinto Shrine Coming to Point Defiance
• Spring Fling - Free at Star Center

Wright Park Playground Reopens - A Celebration of Community, Hope, and Legacy

What a joyful day at Wright Park! Families, partners, and community members gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Wright Park Playground, a vibrant space once again filled with laughter, music, and children at play.

This renovation was fully funded through the Zina Linnik Endowment, established by the Tacoma Parks Foundation (formerly Greater Metro Parks Foundation). The endowment was created as part of the broader Zina Linnik Project, a powerful community-led effort to transform tragedy into lasting good by investing in safe, welcoming parks in the Hilltop and Central Tacoma neighborhoods.

The original vision for improvements at Wright and McCarver Parks was shaped by neighbors, community leaders, University of Washington design students, and McCarver Elementary fifth graders who bravely advocated for safe spaces where children could gather, play, and thrive. Their testimony in Olympia helped secure critical state funding and launch a $3.5 million campaign to reimagine these parks as places of healing and connection.

Thanks to the foresight of the Foundation’s board and campaign champions, a maintenance endowment was created to ensure these spaces would be cared for long into the future. That commitment made this $125,000 playground renovation possible - replacing deteriorating wooden posts and upgrading key features to keep the playground safe, welcoming, and ready for decades of use.

Wright Park stands today as a living example of what happens when a community chooses hope over fear and action over despair. TPF is proud to steward this legacy and grateful to everyone who continues to invest in parks as essential spaces for safety, belonging, and joy.



If you’d like to support the ongoing care of Wright and McCarver Parks, consider contributing to the Zina Linnik Endowment and help ensure these spaces thrive for future generations.

Honoring a Legacy: New Shrine Coming to Point Defiance Park’s Japanese Garden

For more than 65 years, Tacoma’s Sister City partnership with Kitakyushu, Japan, has reflected the power of cultural exchange and international friendship. A cherished symbol of that connection is the Japanese Garden at Point Defiance Park, home to the original shrine and torii gate gifted by Kitakyushu.

Now, in honor of the 35th anniversary of that original gift, a newly carved shrine from Japan will join this historic setting, celebrating and strengthening the bond between our cities. The new shrine will replace the original shrine that weathered 35 years of Pacific Northwest seasons. The shrine is being carved by Noritake Kondo, a master craftsman from Kitakyushu whose family has created traditional shrines for generations. Work began in spring 2025, and installation is planned for spring 2026, just in time for the Flower & Garden Festival in early June.

This project represents more than the addition of a beautiful cultural structure. It is a renewed commitment to honoring our shared heritage, strengthening international friendship, and ensuring the Japanese Garden remains a place of reflection, education, and connection for generations to come.

Projects like this are made possible through community partnership and philanthropic support. If you believe in preserving cultural heritage and sustaining meaningful public spaces, we invite you to join us in stewarding this important legacy.

Spring Fling

Date: Saturday, March 7th

Time: 11:00 am-2:00 pm

Locations: Star Center | 3873 66th St, Tacoma, WA 98409

FREE! No registration required

Let’s celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and National Reading Month with crafts, activities and games inspired by your favorite Dr. Seuss books and characters! All are welcome to this FREE family-fun event.

The mission of the Tacoma Parks Foundation is to cultivate a community invested in providing parks and recreation access for all.

www.tacomaparksfoundation.org