Letter to the Editor: Can a city have too many parks?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
To the Editor:
Dare anyone in Shoreline ask if a city can have too many parks? Shoreline has 31 according to the latest city Recreation Guide. Some of them are very large, such as Shoreview, Boeing Creek Park, Richmond Beach Park, and Hamlin, but there are also many fair-sized parks such as Twin Ponds, Ronald Bog, and Paramount. Kayu Kayu was opened in 2009. More are being envisioned, such as Sunset Park and Aldercrest Park, and possibly the Cedarbook school site. Many parks were acquired when Shoreline was incorporated but several were purchased subsequently (e.g., South Woods and the north extension of Hamlin Park.)
Parks cost a lot of money, not just in purchase but in routine maintenance, upkeep and repair, to say nothing of the enhancements that decorate our parks, whether these are the bronze ponies at Ronald Bog or the large gazebo and sculpture at newly renovated Cromwell Park. As well, Shoreline abounds in recreation facilities, with its two public pools, a gym, tennis courts, baseball and soccer playing fields (including a Stadium), and off-leash dog areas. I doubt any other comparable sized city in King County has as many parks, trails and recreation facilities as does Shoreline.
Can Shoreliners really afford all this? Between 1995 and 2005 Shoreline was an affordable city. But folks are fleeing now, with 330 homes for sale and 171 in foreclosure according to the latest RE report. With the current continuing bad economic news, we really must make some difficult choices. So, while parks and trails are a distinct community advantage we may be living well beyond our means.
Gini Paulsen
Shoreline
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11 comments:
Well, let's start off with just a small correction - there is only 1 pool in Shoreline. The other is in Fircrest, owned by the state, and is closed.
Now for the meat of the matter - who wants to live in a City without green? Homes barely have any yard any more. And I don't know about you, but I can't really afford to go to too many places that charge an entry fee or go to a movie ($12 a ticket?) anymore. Thank GOD for parks!
We use them on a regular basis for family entertainment. General relaxation. Picnic dinners (who can afford to go out?).
Without these wonderful parks, my life would be much more depressing. Can you imagine every square inch built out?
What are you thinking, Gini?
I voted for the Parks bond in 2006 because I believe a city needs green space and recreation opportunities. I was (and still am) happy to help pay for the purchase of open space and to upgrade our parks from the sad state they were in when we inherited them from King County. The majority of voters in that election agreed with me.
I feel a sense of ownership for these parks because of that vote. I think they're an invaluable resource and I'm so happy to live in a city that values them as much as I do.
Have you seen how poor the work is in Hamlin Park? The city spent over $1 million for the new field, but there are bare patches all over the field, no topsoil and no grass will grow. There is a low spot where it is boggy. The city removed a sign board with no public notice that an Eagle Scout had installed.
Additionally, the off-leash dog park program plan was supposed to include one for the Eastside of Shoreline, but both of them wound up on Westside. That was after the Parks Department botched the initial startup of the off-leash dog park siting process by conducting it in secret without any public process.
If you want to find out what the Parks Department is doing, you have to file a public records request because the parks board packets are not online. Dick Deal promised to put the minutes, agendas, and meeting packets online THREE YEARS ago. He then stated to the council he would put them online beginning January One of this year - but only has the agendas and minutes - no packets. The board minutes are no longer current, parks department generated minutes stopped as of April.
When the Parks Department is spending millions of dollars of public money, there needs to be accountability and an open, transparent public process instead of the hide the ball mentality.
I think Hamlin Park is a great improvement. I understand that they are still working on it. I don't know about you, but very few of my major projects are absolutely perfect when complete.
Cromwell is fantastic. What a jewel. The parks in Shoreline are fabulous.
I just looked on the City website and found the board minutes there. Huh?
The answer is NO, we can't have too many parks. Shoreline still needs more per capita, more per family. Parks are one the main reasons to live in one city vs. another. We NEED Aldercrest, we NEED Cedarbrook, we also need our cultural assets like our Museum.
Shoreline's Parks Bond, was for a total of $19 million. The City has now leveraged that into much more value, by also using grant dollars and adding surface water funds (such as a Cromwell) to get double bang for the buck.
Cromwell is just the latest example of promise fullfilled. Fiscal responsibilty YES, but less parks NO!
I think that at the very least, Shoreline and LFP should have as much square feet of park space per person as Seattle does, and as most other cities, for that matter. I understand that we are way under the amount that the other area cities have. Having natural spaces and other Green spaces close enough for everyone to walk to is worth way more than the cost of buying them and upkeep combined. With efforts going into keeping many of these parks as low maintenance as possible, plus with lots of volunteer work parties by those that love the parks, costs are kept fairly low. So, no, I don't think we have too many parks, and don't think we ever will. I would love think of our town, one day, as one big park with some added pervious (more than impervious)pavement and buildings added to it. Why not?
It is a very fair and responsible question to ask - especially during these times. Sounds like there is work to be done in increasing the effectiveness and visability of the parks dept. for starters.
And one to get the parks more visible is to pull ourselves and our kids away from the virtual play-land of screens, walk to a park, get lots of fresher air, and play and move about for real.
Warning: your kids may rebel at first, if they have a screen habit, but anyone can develop better habits. (-:
To the anoymous poster who was concerned about the lack of an off-leash dog area on the east side, I'd like to invite you to get involved with ShoreDog. We're hoping to establish a committe of volunteers working towards the establishment of an east side area. Send a request to info@shoredog.org.
Maggie Dean, ShoreDog Volunteer Coordinator
The cost of maintaining the parks we currently have in Shoreline is apparently too much. Drive by our local parks and take note of how they're being maintained. When Shoreview Park was dedicated and photographed, it looked pristine. Fast forward to today and re-visit that site. It's becoming overgrown with tall grasses and weeds. I wonder what Cromwell Park will look like a year from now.
FYI, "tall grasses and weeds" can be a good thing, especially in Cromwell Park. Pristine can mean "natural" instead of highly manicured. In fact that would be preferrable to the "sterile" look of many manicured parks.
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