Friends of Athletic Fields (FAF) is busy keeping up with the many activities and meetings associated with active recreational facilities around the Puget Sound region and state-wide. Here are some of the issues that have been our recent focus:

• The citizens of Seattle overwhelmingly approved the SEATTLE PARKS & GREEN SPACES LEVY by a 59 to 41% margin on November 4th; thank you Seattle! This new 6-year levy will continue funding for worthy parks projects throughout Seattle that had previously been provided through the 2000 ProParks Levy. Among other great projects, the new levy provides for converting four existing sand sportsfields to synthetic turf and new lights at one field. Check out Seattle Parks & Green Spaces Levy for more info.

• Jefferson Park Lid project - submit comments by May 8th

  Seattle Parks conducted a lively public meeting on April 21st at Beacon Hill Library with an update on the Phase 1 reservoir lid project (2000 ProParks funded) and asking for community input on priorities for Phase 2 (2008 Parks & Green Spaces Levy funded). DPR withdrew support for synthetic turf on the lid last year given that no lights will be installed on these athletic fields - and that apparently will not be changing. Phase 2 offers potential improvements to the Jefferson Playfield site ($1.2-1.4 million) down by Mercer Middle School. If upgrading Jefferson Playfield is an important priority for you or your sports group, please let Seattle Parks know by submitting online comments here: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/projects/jefferson/park.htm.

  See Current Issues for more info.

• Magnuson Park SpringFest, Saturday, April 25th, 10am-4pm. The Mayor and Parks officials will be on hand to dedicate the three new rectangular athletic fields at 12:15. More info here: Magnuson Park SpringFest. Come out to the playfields around noon to help us celebrate the fruits of our hard work and check out some soccer, ultimate, and rugby play on the new fields.

• Seattle Parks & Green Spaces Levy Open Houses coming in early May - see below

• Two of the earliest Parks Levy projects to be implemented include the upgrading of Lower Woodland Fields #2 and #7 to synthetic turf with new lights slated for LW #7. A public meeting was held on March 12th and Parks' designers will be advancing plans based on feedback from the recreation and neighbor communities. Construction is planned for summer 2009 with completion by fall.

• Another levy project that is in early stages of conceptual design is the Maple Leaf Reservoir Lid project. The Maple Leaf Community Council has done a great job of soliciting public input including at several charettes last fall with the support of UW architecture students. Concepts have included new playfield spaces on the lid and/or upgrades to the existing playfields on the south side of the reservoir. MLCC is asking the public to submit comments on current design concepts by April 1, 2009. More info here: Maple Leaf CC Reservoir Lid Design Concepts

• The SEATTLE CITY BUDGET was approved by City Council in November 2008 with significant cuts in capital spending due to the foreseen downturn in the economy. Planned projects for 2009/2010 include new lights at Rainier Playfield (Columbia City), synthetic turf at Miller PF (Capitol Hill), and start of design (by end 2010) for synthetic and new lights at Delridge PF (West Seattle).

• As part of the budget, adult athletic field fees were increased to $50/hour for both natural grass and synthetic turf. Friends of Athletic Fields with the support of the field users community was able to convince the budget-makers to limit the increases that the Parks Dept had originally proposed at $50 for grass and $60 for synthetic turf (both up from $40). Our efforts made a difference.

• SEATTLE SCHOOLS EXORBITANT FIELDS FEES >> We're stuck with the highest public field rates for adults in the region! FAF spoke up at the August 6, 2008 Seattle School Board meeting and had hoped that some fairness might come into play. While some Seattle School boardmembers were understanding of our plight, the challenge of convincing Schools to reduce a revenue stream without broad support of field users led to this issue dying on the vine - FAF tried.

We are active in many community and municipal organizations including Seattle Parks' Sportsfield Review Committee (SRC), Seattle Sports Advisory Council (SSAC), and the ProParks Oversight Committee. We do all this while endeavoring to keep up with our own sports activities both as players and coaches. Please take whatever time you can to join us in helping the active recreation community improve the quality and quantity of the athletic fields available to both youth and adults. Feel free to contact us via email if you have any questions or want to become more involved.

Seattle Parks and Green Spaces Levy - Seattle Approves by 59-41%

The ProParks Levy expired in 2008 and with it a major source of funding for athletic field and open space acquisition and development across the city. This new 6-year levy continues with the great work that has already been accomplished: Synthetic Turf installed at Genesee #2, Loyal Heights, Georgetown, and Magnuson Park! New lights at Genesee #1 & #2, Magnuson Park, and Loyal Heights. Newly created fields at Magnuson Park, Jefferson Park (reservoir lid), and Smith Cove (acquisition). The Seattle Parks & Green Spaces Levy includes sand to synthetic conversions at Lower Woodland #2 & #7, Genesee #1, and Delridge with new lights at LW #7. Thank you citizens of Seattle, Councilmembers Rasmussen, Conlin, and Burgess, and all those that contributed to the Parks for All Levy campaign.

Seattle Parks & Green Spaces Levy Open Houses

$146 million funding parks projects for the next 6 years. $15 million in the Opportunity Fund for community-based projects; start thinking about what improvements you'd like to see in your neighborhood.

2009 Fields Projects:

Miller Playfield Synthetic Turf Public Meeting, November 5, 2008, Miller Community Center, 330 - 19th Ave E.

This is a sand to synthetic turf conversion at this Capitol Hill sportsfield. Lights were already upgraded to modern shielded, energy efficient fixtures on galvanized light poles in 2006. Ted Holden is the project manager. The new synthetic turf is certified lead-free as is all new synthetic turf installed by the Seattle Parks Department. More info here: Miller Playfield

The construction project is going out to bid in April 2009 with construction slated for this summer and completion by fall.

Rainier Playfield Lighting Replacement Public Meeting, November 12, 2008, Rainier Community Center, 4600 - 38th Ave S.

This is an existing lit natural grass field in the Columbia City neighborhood. Lights will be upgraded to modern shielded, energy efficient fixtures on galvanized light poles. Kelly Davidson is the project manager. More info on similar projects here: Ballfield Lighting Program

Hiawatha Playfield Synthetic Turf, Hiawatha Community Center, 2700 California Ave SW.

This project includes upgrading the sand surface with synthetic turf and replacing lighting with modern fixtures at this West Seattle sportsfield. Ted Holden is the project manager. The new synthetic turf will be certified lead-free as is all new synthetic turf installed by the Seattle Parks Department. More info here: Hiawatha Playfield

The construction project is going out to bid in April 2009 with construction slated for this summer and completion by fall

Magnuson Park Construction Update

The Magnuson Park Athletic Fields & Wetlands Project has reached a major milestone after the past year's construction work with the three synthetic rectangular fields nearly ready for scheduled play. These fields include certified lead-free synthetic turf and lights with modern, energy efficient fixtures to minimize glare and spill light. The rugby pitch is the first athletic field in the Northwest built to rugby association standards including durable turf fibers, removable rugby goalposts, and meeting requirements for impact testing. Both the rugby pitch and the two soccer fields include multiple lines for ultimate (Frisbee) fields, which is also a "first" for the Northwest. Thanks go out to the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department for getting us to this day including big kudos to Parks' project manager, Andy Sheffer, who did a great job addressing the many requests at this important major Seattle park.

Check out the Current Issues page for the latest news.

(last updated April 25, 2009)