Houghton Park and Ride/Play

The Park and Play is temporary and will remain in place only until a permanent use for the site is decided and construction begins. When that time comes, the City is committed to relocating these features so the community can continue to enjoy them.

The City of Kirkland is actively exploring an opportunity with the Seattle Kraken National Hockey League (NHL) team to develop an Iceplex and Community Center at the former Houghton Park and Ride site. The proposed Iceplex would include two NHL regulation ice rinks, a full-service public restaurant, and community center. Learn more on the Seattle Kraken Iceplex Proposal web page.

What will happen to the Houghton Park and Play if the Iceplex and Community Center proposal moves forward?

Here are some of the plans under consideration and already in place:

• Community Gardens: In 2026, garden plots will move to a new section of Rose Hill Meadows Park, made possible by a generous land donation.

• Pickleball Courts: The City partnered with the Lake Washington School District to add pickleball lines to eight existing tennis courts at Kirkland Middle School and Finn Hill Middle School. Plans are also underway to convert one tennis court at Peter Kirk Park into up to three pickleball courts.

• Bike and Skate Features:

  • The north end of Terrace Park, next to the Cross Kirkland Corridor, is being considered for the bike pump track and bike park features.

  • The skate park at Peter Kirk Park (next to the newly renovated Kirkland Teen Union Building) may be upgraded with additional features.

There is a temporary community garden at this park. Individual raised plots (pea patches) are available for rent.

Learn more about community gardens and how to reserve a plot

There are four temporary pickleball courts at this location.

• The two eastern courts (closest to parking) are challenge courts. If both challenge courts are full and there are players waiting, limit play to one game to 11 points and rotate.
• The two western courts (closest to 116th Ave and the gardens) are timed courts. If both timed courts are full and there are players waiting, limit play to 30 minutes and rotate.

The courts are available on a first-come, first served basis from 8AM to dusk.

Learn more about pickleball in Kirkland

A bicycle play garden or traffic garden is a mini streetscape for youth or new cyclists to practice biking and traffic safety skills.

A temporary bike play garden was installed the summer of 2024.

In this drawing, the play garden is at the loop that appears at the top of and curves to the right side of the image.

A temporary pump track was installed in July 2024.

A pump track is a special circular loop with rollers and berms for cycling. It is designed to be ridden by riders "pumping" or generating momentum by up and down body movements. 

A temporary skate park was installed in July 2024. All features are modular and could be moved and installed in another location.