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Seattle Parks Stewardship

Magnolia Little League Seattle Parks Stewardship

Our league has a strong legacy of stewardship with Seattle Parks & Recreation funding many improvements for the benefit all Seattle citizens including the bathrooms by field 3 and field 6N and the dugout covers at West Magnolia Fields. Magnolia Little League worked with SafeInMagnolia on endorsement of the new 4-way stop at the intersection 32nd Ave W and W Raye St by Mounger Pool and Catherine Blaine K-8 School.

Magnolia Little League has been active in working with Seattle Parks providing matching funds for grant application to support the redevelopment of Smith Cove Park. Magnolia Little League is a large contributor and user of Seattle Parks. Over $30,000 in Parks fees for 2016. This will increase to above $40,000, due to the increase in field fees, in 2017 and each year following. The current Seattle Parks Capital Plan goes through 2022 and there are no plans to add turf or otherrwise improve our playfields in Magnolia.

Visit Seattle Parks site for the latest information

http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/smith-cove-park-development 

Background

MLL has been active in supporting the re-development of Smith Cove Park to include playfields that would enable baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse to be played by our youth. The Navy actually had 2 baseball diamonds on the site during and after the Second World War. You may recall the ballot for a parks levy and creation of a new Park District in 2014. Two local projects that many in Magnolia and Queen Anne believed would be done with the levy and park district creation was turf field conversions at Big Howe in Queen Anne and at Magnolia South here in our neighborhood. It now appears that these top priorities in 2014 have been pulled due to “public input” without further explanation. As players, coaches and parents, we will continue to squish and soak in the fall soccer season and in the spring baseball season for sometime longer.

The current Seattle Parks Capital Plan goes through 2022 and there are no plans to add turf in Magnolia or Queen Anne during this period. By 2023 the City will have been doing turf conversions for 20 years. Together with Seattle Public Schools, almost 40 fields have been added, but only one, the Queen Anne Bowl, was done in our part of the City. This means that for many families receiving this email your child will likely not play on a turf field in Magnolia.

For Smith Cove, the plan was for turf field and lights, in a configuration similar across the Seattle Parks system, supporting baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse. This has been scrapped for a grass field without lights. The grass field that currently exists has severe drainage issues and the plan is to spend $2M in total as part of the redevelopment.

Magnolia Little League, Magnolia Soccer and Magnolia United Lacrosse have continued to work with the Parks department by committing matching funds for 2 grants Seattle Parks has been pursuing for Smith Cove. Seattle Parks was not award these grants; however, Magnolia Little League will continue to work with Parks to provide matching funds where appropriate. Our role of park stewardship is important to be able to provide every child who lives or goes to school in Magnolia a "place to play."

Magnolia Little League is one of the largest customers of Magnolia playfields by time and dollars followed closely by Magnolia Soccer Club. In 2016, MLL's playfield costs exceeded $30,000. With the Parks fees increase in the 2017-18 budget, MLL's playfield costs will increase more than $10,000 to above $40,000, more thn a 30% increase. 

While there are several challenges, or opportunities, our league is strong and growing. MLL is addressing not enough playfields and better utilization of our current fields to accommodate our 50 teams and 540 ballplayers.

Attending this February 8 meeting is important. There are vocal opponents who do not want any playfields at Smith Cove and these folks continue to attend these meetings. These opponents do not want to see a baseball diamond and soccer, lacrosse playfields at Smith Cove. Our voice needs to be known. If you can help with your time and talent, please let us at MLL know.

Magnolia Little League stewardship letters: 

SafeInMagnolia Endoresement
magnolia little league endorsement for safe in magnolia.pdf

Smith Cove Playfields
letter of support for smith cove playfield grant application.pdf
letter of support for smith cove playfield october 2016.pdf

In addition to Smith Cove Park, Magnolia Little League is currently exploring field improvements to Raye Field, Lawton and the Field 5 batting cage.

Magnolia Little League Funded Stewardship

2012: Batting Cages at Field 5 and Raye Field, Dugout Covers at Raye Field, Lawton, Field 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

2013: Bathroom between Field 3 and Field 6N

2016: Pledge matching funds for Smith Cove Park redevelopment grants

2017: Lawton Field Batting Cage rebuild

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