sportsfields and skateboard parks and spots

Last Friday I attended a dedication of the new Salmon Bay School sports field in Ballard right across the street from where I live with my wife and two daughters.  The new sports facility has a small synthetic turf soccer field with a ¼- kilometer synthetic track around it.  The field also has a basketball court, two half-courts, bleachers, and a drinking fountain.  Salmon Bay School is a kindergarten through eighth grade public alternative school at NW 67^th St. and 18^th Ave. NW. 

The school will use the field from 8 am to 5 pm on school days.  Outside of school hours, the field is open to the public.  The field is a great place for kids’ soccer, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, and track.  Come check it out!  Contact Sam Star, samstar500@yahoo.com, for more information about the field.

The sports field is an example of how King County works with the community to improve youth recreation.  The County provided a $45,000 matching grant from its Youth Sports Facility Grant program.  This grant program is funded by a tax on car rentals.  For more information on this program, see http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/ysports/ysports.htm or call 206-263-6267.

I think more youth recreational facilities are needed in Seattle and King County, especially for older youth, teens, and young adults.  We have many parks with playgrounds for toddlers and young kids.  However, I really would like to see more facilities for the older set such as outdoor skateboard parks that are open and safe for everyone.  I would also like to see more skateable features and small skateboard spots installed at parks and other public places (for example, Park-and-Ride lots, which are operated by King County).  As a City neighborhood coordinator, I have worked with groups such as Parents for Skateparks and the City’s Skateboard Park Advisory Committee.  If elected County Council member, I would continue this work to create stronger City-County-community partnerships to provide more recreational places for our older kids.

For more information about Parents for Skateparks, see www.parents4sk8parks.org .  The contact for the City of Seattle’s Skateboard Park Advisory Committee is Susan Golub, susan.golub@seattle.gov .