Published May 1 2026

WRPA Awards recognize Bellevue's commitment to accessibility

Bellevue Parks & Community Services has received Spotlight awards from the Washington Recreation and Parks Association for two projects at South Bellevue Community Center that help to remove barriers to participation. In addition to providing more access, the new adventure park at SBCC was updated to have twice as many features, including cargo nets, barrels and swaying bridges at varying heights and levels of difficulty.

At a ceremony April 23 in Tacoma, the Eastgate Pedestrian Pathway won this year's WRPA award for trails, while the Bellevue Adventure Park won in the category of parks outdoor space. Bellevue was considered with other cities of more than 100,000 population.

The pathway provides the only direct pedestrian connection between Southeast Newport Way and South Bellevue Community Center. Tucked into a forested hillside, the ADA-accessible gravel trail and optional stairway create a safe, welcoming route through towering fir trees. The project transformed a formerly vehicle-dependent approach into one that all visitors can use.

Before the pathway was installed, pedestrians accessing SBCC had to walk through parking lots or up a steep, two-lane driveway. This created safety concerns and limited access for people using mobility devices. In 2022, a bus stop was added along Newport Way, increasing the need for a safe pedestrian connection.

Bellevue's new Adventure Park, opened in April 2025, replaced a much-loved but outdated challenge course with a new facility that expands access to many more community members. The new course has seen a dramatic increase in use, showing that the facility is serving an important regional need, given the very small number of recreational challenge courses available in the metro Puget Sound region.

Using state-of-the-art technology and universal design principles, the new Adventure Park course also expands access for people of different ages and abilities to experience the thrills and challenges of working together to overcome obstacles. The technologically advanced features that make this possible include a continuous belay system and a signature hydraulic zip line to allow visitors with limited mobility the same opportunity to move through the course.

The challenge course is a partnership between Bellevue Parks & Community Services and Northwest Teambuilding.

WRPA awards honor people, parks and programs for outstanding contributions to the field of parks and recreation in Washington.