Letter to the Editor: Let’s continue to strengthen the legacy of our parks

To the Editor:

 

When I first visited Shoreline years ago, I was struck by how green the city was. The year was nineteen-ninety-something, and I was cycling from Ballard to Edmonds.

As I crossed 145th, I was surprised to see so many trees, and I knew I would live in Shoreline someday. Fast-forward to 2022, and I’ve been a Shoreline resident for 15 years.

During that time, I have not only enjoyed the trees, but also our school system, our sense of community, and our Parks.

 

Shoreline enjoys a network of public Parks across the city. While some of our Parks are well-appointed and beautifully-maintained, others are in desperate need of attention, improvement, and deferred maintenance. 

Our big Parks receive a great deal of use and attention, but if you are like many of my friends and neighbors, odds are you live near a City Park that you didn’t even know was there, or perhaps you knew it was an Open Space, but you didn’t realize it was actually a public Park.

Some of our Parks are inaccessible and could benefit from safe pathways, while other Parks have playground equipment sitting in a bog for much of the year. Some of the Parks in desperate need of such improvements will benefit from the passage of Proposition 1.

 

Shoreline enjoys a rich history of support for Parks over the years, and the previous voter-approved Parks Bond is now due to expire. With the rapid growth of our city, providing quality Parks for everyone will remain an important investment and will help to bolster equity across our city.

Please remember to vote on February 8th, and give us an opportunity to continue our Legacy of great Parks in Shoreline for years to come.

 

Bill Franklin

Shoreline