RENTALS
Baseball, softball and soccer/football fields are available for rent.
This entire park will be closed starting early July 2013. The playground, baseball diamonds, and soccer field will reopen in the fall of 2013. The rest of the park will reopen in the spring of 2014, once the grass is established.

HISTORY
The north end playfield project had its beginning nearly 20 years ago. The first financial support came from the estate of the late Benjamin L. Harvey. The field bears the name of Mr. Harvey's mother. The land at North 39th & Orchard was purchased by the park district from Pierce county at a tax sale in 1935. Some work was done at the site by WPA crews during depression days, but the present operations retrieved the 8.5 acre field from under a thicket of alders which had grown up during the war years. (from "Long-Planned North End Playfield is Growing" in the May 28, 1948 Tacoma Labor Advocate)

PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Current/2013 - Dept. of Ecology Soil Remediation Program
This is part of Ecology's ongoing work to clean arsenic and lead which were carried by the wind from the former Asarco copper smelter and contaminated soils over a large area of Puget Sound. Contamination levels here do not pose an immediate health threat. Surface soils average 20-50 parts per million (ppm) arsenic. Ecology plans to remove 12 inches of soil from 2.2 acres of mostly lawn area. They will bring in clean topsoil and reseed the lawn. The playground, baseball diamonds, and soccer field will reopen in the fall of 2013. The rest of the park will reopen in the spring of 2014 once the grass is established.
Project Status 12/14/12: Ecology staff visited this site with MPT staff and are begining to develop design documents. Work in the park should begin right after the July 4 holiday. The majority of the park will be fenced off and closed while the work is being done. 
Project Manager: John Zinza, Department of Ecology (John.Zinza@ecy.wa.gov; (360) 407-6249) 
Ecology is also paying for all of the work - approx. $600,000
2011 - Reforestation work completed to replace 13 declining Lombardy poplars with a healthier, sturdier species. Poplar trees expend so much of their energy on growth that they have little left for defenses. As a result, poplars commonly rot and break and drop branches. In recent years, storms have severely damaged and even knocked down these trees. Since these are located next to arterial streets, we proactively removed them to prevent vehicular damage or injuries to park visitors. Large rocks were installed to prevent cars from driving throught he west side of the park. Work was funded by the Parks Improvement Bond Measure, approved by the citizens of Tacoma in November of 2005.
Project Manager/Urban Forester: Kathy Sutalo, (253) 305-1014
2010 - Barrier free access, benches and picnic tables and new play equipment. Work was funded by the Parks Improvement Bond Measure, approved by the citizens of Tacoma in November of 2005.
Project Manager: Kristi Evans, (253) 305-1054
2010 - Testing of soil for arsenic and lead associated with the Asarco Plume was completed. Glen Rollins (Tacoma Pierce County Health Dept.) was responsible for testing and Amy Hargrove (Dept. of Ecology) is in charge of the clean up program. The work was funded by the state budget.
Project Manager: Doug Fraser, (253) 305-1019
2009 - Wading pool drain work completed to reduce water velocity and eliminate any potential suction hazards.