Parked out at new view

Sketched March 22, 2:14 p.m.

Since the construction fence came down last fall, Matt Buhl has come to Beacon Hill's Jefferson Park more than 40 times. His dog, Bauser, runs alongside as he bikes to the top of the hill, where a new, neatly landscaped vista point offers one of the best views of Seattle I've found so far. The best part? "The trees obscure the ugly Sodo area," said Buhl.

Jefferson Park has undergone a major transformation since 2009 and more changes are coming. The space occupied by 100-year-old concrete water reservoirs was filled with soil and landscaped, opening up more than 26 acres of new green space.

Park project manager Andy Sheffer said construction of a "spray" park with climbable slopes, slides and sprinklers for summer cooling will start by late June. And the grass on the sports meadow will be ready for soccer, frisbee and Samoan cricket games in July.