The 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy –thanks to our generous and inspired voters –provided $146 million for parks and green space acquisitions, park improvements, trails, p-patch improvements, shoreline street-end access improvements and urban forestry work.
Last week in committee, our Acting Superintendent Christopher Williams gave us an update on how that work has been progressing. I am very impressed and pleased by what Parks has accomplished as good stewards of the public trust.
Parks has made smart use of the inflationary fund to tackle some critical infrastructure maintenance projects.
Highlights:
- Acquisitions for new park sites in Capitol Hill, Lake City and Fremont; other acquisitions in progress in Greenwood, North Rainier, University District, and Morgan Junction. Open space aquisitions in the MeKwa Mooks, Thornton Creek, and other natural areas.
- 45 of the named levy projects will be done or brought to substantial completion by the end of this year.
- 10 out of 12 of 2011′s opportunity fund projects are now in planning or design.
- In 2012 Parks will start on 17 new critical asset management projects, including replacing roofs on 7 major parks buildings, replacing the water distribution system at Seward Park; and re-building the tennis courts at Rainier Beach Playfield.
You can see the briefing for yourself by watching the committee meeting on the Seattle Channel, or reading the briefing from Seattle Parks and Recreation.