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Metropolitan King County Council
516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-296-1000
Toll Free: 800-325-6165
TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024
Fax: 206-296-0198

council@kingcounty.gov
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Sept. 29, 2008

East King County playfield gets financial boost for expansion project

Council approves adjusted use plan with Eastside Football Club

Preston Fields and Community Park, a growing hub of athletic activity in East King County, today received a boost for its expansion plans when the Metropolitan King County Council agreed to an amendment on the use agreement between the County and the Eastside Football Club.

“This is a win for all -- the County, the Eastside Football Club, and most importantly, the youth that this valuable recreational organization serves,” said Councilmember Jane Hague, the primary sponsor of the legislation.

In 2002, the County redefined its role regarding regional parks, adopting a business plan for parks that cultivates strong relationships with non-profit, corporate and community partners in order to enhance park amenities while reducing costs. A program that grew out of the entrepreneurial blueprint is the Community Partnership Grant (CPG), which leverages county resources without requiring additional public funds for operations and maintenance costs. The Preston Fields and Community Park was one off the CPG program’s first projects.

The Eastside Football Club and Issaquah Little League worked with the County and community leaders to create two synthetic soccer fields, a baseball diamond and playground equipment at Preston Fields. The Club and County signed a 40-year agreement regarding the payment of user fees back to the County.

The Council approved an amendment to the agreement, extending the period in which the Eastside Football Club will pay the County from 10 to 15 years and reducing those yearly payments from $150,000 per year to $100,000. Extending the payments will assist the Football Club as they complete their private fundraising and financing of Phase I and prepare for Phase II of the project.