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	Oct. 6, 2003 Sims announces matching grants for youth sports King County Executive Ron Sims today announced $497,820 in matching grants to promote youth sports throughout King County. The 13 awards, ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, will support the construction and renovation of sports fields, playgrounds, a rowing facility and two gymnasiums. "Partnerships are a cornerstone of our new way of doing business in parks," said Sims. "The Youth Sports Facility Grant program allows us to leverage funds collected through car rental taxes for sports facilities that are the backbone of meaningful experiences for kids. By supporting organizations that invest in our kids, we are able to accomplish more than either of us could do alone." The grants are part of the Youth Sports Facility Grants Program, which is funded and sustained through a quarter of one percent of car rental taxes, a dedicated source earmarked specifically for the development of youth sports in King County. Organizations must match the grant money. More than $6 million in grants have been awarded since the program's 1993 inception, resulting in over 170 new or renovated youth sports facilities. Grant funds can be used for a variety of projects, including construction or rehabilitation of ballfields, playgrounds and sport courts. Recipients of Youth Sports Facility Grants for the year 2004 are: Applicants Project Name Award Boys & Girls Club of King County & Federal Way School District Federal Way Youth Development Center Gymnasium $50,000 Des Moines Parks and Recreation & Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now Midway Park $50,000 Des Moines Parks and Recreation & Des Moines Legacy Foundation Steven J. Underwood Memorial Park $50,000 Enumclaw Parks and Recreation & Chinook Little League Boise Creek Park Ballfield $2,500 Issaquah Little League & King County Parks Preston Ballfields $50,000 Kent Parks and Recreation & Kiwanis Club Uplands Playfield $36,000 Kent School District & Panther Lake Elementary PTA Panther Lake Elementary Playground $48,000 Sammamish Rowing Association & King County Parks SRA Boathouse $50,000 Seattle Parks and Recreation & Friends of Annie's Playground Meadowbrook Playground $16,320 Seattle Parks and Recreation & Friends of Benefit Park Benefit Park Playground $28,000 Seattle Parks and Recreation & Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority ID Village Square Gymnasium $50,000 Tahoma School District & Tahoma Sports Council Cedar River Middle School Athletic Field $50,000 Tahoma School District & Tahoma Sports Council Old Tahoma Junior High $17,000 For more information on the Youth Sports Facility Grant Program, please contact Butch Lovelace, at 206-263-6267. The Youth Sports Facility Grant program is consistent with King County's Parks Business Transition Plan, which proposes partnerships as a way to retain services and programs while minimizing parks' dependence on general revenue taxes. The Business Plan was created as a way to stabilize parks operationally and financially in the face of severe budget constraints. It calls for entrepreneurial initiatives to generate new revenue, cutting costs, establishing partnerships and focusing on regional parks, pools and trails. Since implementation of the Business Plan began last year, parks has created successful entrepreneurial ventures like the Marymoor Concert Series, has focused on partnerships as a way to enhance recreation while limiting costs and has transfer or operating agreements for 17 parks and 10 pools. Updated: Oct. 6, 2003 Executive's home Executive's news Executive's site map | E-mail the Executive King County | Executive | News | Services | Comments | Search Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. By visiting this and other King County web pages, you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site. The details.