Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

Went here for a 2 year-old’s bday party. The entire time our friends (the baby’s parents) stressed that we had to be out on time and couldn’t be late. Found it odd they seemed so concerned but left it alone.
We ended up being 20 minutes late leaving and the man at the front desk was being incredibly rude and condescending to my friends as they advised that they were leaving. My friend politely asked the man to write his manager’s name on a piece of paper so that he could work out any extra charges with him, and as he walked away, the man at the front desk called him an a**hole under his breath. I looked right at him and told him he was mistaken. I made sure to let my friend know what had happened (in front of the guy so he knew he’d been caught), and then I told the man at the front desk that his conduct was not good for public relations. My friends — unlike me — are very sweet, kind, patient people and they did absolutely nothing to elicit this type of aggressive behavior.
Why would anyone as maladjusted and quick to anger as this man be allowed to work in such close contact with children?! He had been rude from the time my friends arrived to set up and he continued being rude to the moment we walked out the front door. What a horrible man. I will NEVER book any event here. I’d rather hold a bday party at McDonald’s than step foot in that center again.

Ravenna Eckstein Community Center is were I played and ran out my energy on the tennis courts as a kid, went to bad teenage dances as a pre and full blown teenager, watched my youngest siblings go to preschool, and cast my first presidential election ballot (and last, since we’ve moved to mail in ballots). This is a community center in the truest sense of the title. Staff ranges from volunteer surly teenagers to kind looking aunties watching over the front desk.
If you see Larry, ask him what the weathers going to be like int he next couple days.

The park is nice and center has good features but the service is absolutely terrible! Tim Ewings, the rec coordinator is the rudest man. We’ve done a number of classes and camps here. They all have different cancellation policies on each class so if you ever have to cancel, even over a month in advance, make sure know the fine print (which isn’t stated in the catalog by the class info or shared on the phone) beforehand or risk being berated by this man who is just mean and takes pleasure in opportunities to be so. Honestly, awful! How does a creep like this get, let alone keep, a job at a community facility?! Very disappointing given what a sweet place this could be in more apt hands.

Excellent neighborhood playground, with climbing toys for toddlers and bigger kids, a grass playfield for throwing a frisbee, and a community center with an indoor play area, basketball court, and much more. Highly recommended for those in the area, especially after a coffee or brunch at Third Place Books!

I know I’ve reached full-​on Mother Bear Mode because I almost picked a fight with a three year old while my son and I were at the playground. And I would have taken that three year old DOWN. He nearly ran over my toddler with his bike because he was… and I quote, «a bonking guy.»
Despite being a haven for the near misses of childhood, this playground is spectacular. They have separate areas for school-​aged kids, preschoolers, and toddlers. I mean, they’re not LABELED or anything, but it is understood (for the most part, Mr. Bonking Guy) that the little kids have their own space here.
Personally, I appreciate that, as someone who would like to stay out of jail.
Also, it’s on the grounds of the Ravenna-​Eckstein community center, which, I do believe, is the only community center left in Seattle to still have hours open to the public. The rest of them have been converted to Starbucks in order to keep revenue flow going due to city budget cuts.

Seattle has some great community centers. Ravenna Eckstein is one of my favorites for the children play areas.
Outside, there are two different playground areas which are geared for specific age groups and in the summer and fall, there is a fun community vegetable garden for kids to explore.
Inside, there is a great toddler playroom which is open until 8pm a few days during the week. This is a god-​send to get the wiggles out on a rainy day. During the mid-​day, they open up the gym for toddler gym time where the tots can run around, ride on tot-​sized cars and trikes. You just need to pay a small fee to use the facility, but I think it’s well-​worth it.