Sims calls for 101 new or improved ballfields over next six years

Seven years ago then-King County Councilmember Ron Sims conceived, funded and promoted the "Dream of Fields" Initiative to create new youth sports playfields. Today King County Executive Ron Sims unveiled the "100 Fields" Initiative in his 1998 Executive Proposed Budget to add or improve 101 ballfields throughout unincorporated King County over the six years, including major new ballfield complexes on the East Sammamish Plateau and in Southeast King County.

"We're going to do in six years what had been planned for twelve. We're going to double our number of fields, and do it twice as fast," said Sims at today's news briefing. "When I was coaching we didn't lack players, coaches or equipment. We lacked fields. There is nothing worse than having kids turn out and know that you're going to have to cut one-third of those kids, deny them the right to play, because there isn't a field. There's been enough heartbreak. We're going to do it right, and kids in all parts of the county are going to get a chance to enjoy the camaraderie of sports."

The "100 Fields" Initiative uses a comprehensive approach to build or rehabilitate 101 new athletic fields by the year 2004. This approach includes building new ballfields on land owned by the county, partnering with other agencies to build new fields on their property, and rehabilitating other fields to enhance their quality or increase the amount of time they can be used.

The centerpieces of the initiative are new ballfield complexes at Section 36 Park on the East Sammamish Plateau, and at the soon-to-be acquired Lake Sawyer Park. At Section 36 Park, plans are to add ballfield construction to the first phase of development. The county is currently negotiating the purchase of about 150 acres of property on the south end of Lake Sawyer. Once this park is established, plans call for the construction of up to five sports fields. These ballfield complexes are aimed at increasing field opportunities in areas that are currently underserved.

The ballfield initiative will be funded through several sources. Under the Executive's budget plan, the county would leverage funding collected through the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) by selling $10 million in bonds. This proposed bond will increase the amount of work that can be done in the near future. Funding for ballfield construction will also come from the King County Department of Parks and Recreation Department's capital improvement budget. The ballfield rehabilitations will be accomplished through the Parks Department's Dream of Fields and the Youth Sports Facilities Grants programs. These programs maximize the use of county funding by forming partnerships with other agencies such as school districts and youth sports organizations.

Sims was joined at today's briefing by two youth sports representatives. Michael Lloyd of the Snoqualmie Valley Junior Soccer Association spoke movingly of the lack of local fields by describing how he helped renovate a field with a previous county grant. "We poured concrete into the ground into which to set the soccer goals, and it was the first time that soccer field looked like a soccer field. We got the goal up, went down to the other end to set the second goal, concrete's still wet…. two kids came out and started shooting goals into the first one. If there was ever truth to the maxim, 'If you build it, they will come'… boy, I saw it right then. And that meant a lot to me. I'm really proud that these monies are coming forward and I'm really happy that this is happening for our kids."

"I am very pleased with what I've heard," said Bob McWhirter with the Issaquah North Little League. "We have a lot of youngsters over 12 years old that we are unable to accommodate because of lack of ballfields. We live in the fastest growing area in the county. Our parents have been dipping into their own pockets to build 2 or 3 new Little League fields a year, just to keep up. So I'm very, very pleased with what Executive Sims has done here today."

Design and construction of the new and renovated fields will be done by the county's Department of Construction and Facilities Management. A public process will be created to get good input from user groups. King County Parks currently has about 120 sports fields in its system.

The "100 Fields" Initiative will be transmitted to the King County Council next Monday as part of the 1998 Executive Proposed Budget. The Council traditionally approves a new county budget just before the Thanksgiving recess.

The Executive's 1998 Budget Message will be presented next Monday, October 13th, at 1:30 p.m. in the King Council Chambers.