King County announces partnerships to improve youth recreation facilities

2004 Archived News

King County Executive Ron Sims today announced 25 matching grants that will give youth sports and recreation facilities a much-needed boost in the region.

King County will award $829,094 in Youth Sports Facility Grants to organizations throughout the county that promote youth sports, including school districts, suburban cities and community groups. The grants, as large as $50,000, will be used to build new or renovate ball fields, playgrounds, a climbing wall, a rowing facility, a running track, tennis courts, ball courts, mountain biking track, and a skateboard park.

“These activities are vitally important to keeping kids off the streets, building self esteem, teaching teamwork and promoting good health," said Sims. “By leveraging these grant funds that come from car rentals in King County, with additional funds this year from the sale of surplus property, we are able to continue improving recreation opportunities for our kids. By partnering with these worthy organizations we are able to do more than any of us could do alone.”

Administered by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, the Youth Sports Facility Grant (YSFG) program is funded and sustained through a quarter of 1 percent of car rental taxes. Organizations must match the grant money. By ordinance, the program is funded from a dedicated revenue source (car rental taxes) that cannot be used for parks maintenance and operations.

And while the funds have traditionally come solely from car rental taxes, King County this year approved the sale of one of its last remaining parcels on the former Kingdome site, with proceeds of roughly $400,000 going to support a YSFG endowment. The county is also looking to sell another building west of Qwest Field in 2005, with proceeds also going to the YSFG fund.

More than $7 million in grants have been awarded since the program's 1993 inception, resulting in nearly 200 new or renovated youth sports facilities. Suburban cities and school districts are encouraged to partner with youth sports leagues and community organizations to apply for grants. Grant funds can be used for a variety of projects, including construction or rehabilitation of ball fields, playgrounds and sport courts, among others.

Winners of Youth Sports Facility Grants for the year 2005 are:

Auburn School District, Lake View Elementary PTA Lake View Elementary Playground, 24,000

Auburn School District, Evergreen Heights Elementary PTA Evergreen Heights Elementary School Playground, 10,000

Burien Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services, Friends of Burien Parks Mathison Park Playground, 50,000

Burien Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services, Friends of Burien Parks North Ambaum Playground, 45,000

Des Moines Parks and Recreation, South Highline Little League Steven J. Underwood Memorial Park, 45,000

Duvall Public Works, Sno-Valley North Little League Big Rock Ball Park, 50,000

Duvall Public Works, Duvall Skatepark Committee Duvall Skate Park, 40,000

Enumclaw Parks, Recreation, and Cultural ServicesEnumclaw Youth and Family Services Boise Creek Park Playground, 25,000

Federal Way School District, Federal Way Track Club Thomas Jefferson High School Track, 50,000

Kent Parks and Recreation, Kiwanis Club of Kent East Hill Skatepark Climbing Wall, 17,000

King County Parks, Maple Valley Rotary Ravensdale Park Ballfield, 25,000

Lake Washington School District, Redmond Elementary PTSA Redmond Elementary Playground, 14,000

Saint Philomena School, Saint Philomena School Playground, 25,300

SeaTac Parks and Recreation, South Highline American Little League Bow Lake Elementary Ballfield, 13,810

Seattle Parks and Recreation, Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club I-5 Open Space Park Mountain Bike Course, 48,000

Seattle Parks and Recreation, West Seattle Pony Baseball Highland Park Ballfield #1, 5,396

Seattle Parks and Recreation, West Seattle Pony Baseball High Point Ballfield #1, 8,588

Seattle Parks and Recreation, Magnolia Little League Lawton Playfield, 50,000

Seattle Parks and Recreation, Mount Baker Boating Advisory Council Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center, 45,000

Seattle Parks and Recreation, Madrona Community Council Madrona Park Tennis Courts, 35,000

Seattle Public Schools, Friends of Salmon Bay School Salmon Bay School Sports Field, 45,000

Seattle Public Schools, Lafayette Elementary PTA Lafayette Playground, 45,000

Seattle Public Schools, North Beach Elementary PTA North Beach Elementary Playground, 45,000

Snoqualmie Valley School District, Opstad Elementary PTA Opstad Elementary Playground, 45,000

Tahoma School District, Maple Valley PONY Baseball Tahoma High School Baseball Field, 23,000

For more information on the Youth Sports Facility Grant Program, please contact Butch Lovelace at 206-263-6267.