Good evening. I'm Joshua Morris, I'm the Conservation Director of Birds Connect Seattle. I wanted to share with you a little bit about the Neighborhood Bird Project at Cheesy Green Space.
And for those who don't know cheesy Greenspace is the largest forested area in the Beacon Hill Columbia City neighborhoods. It's an important environmental and cultural asset for the residents nearby.
Providing opportunities for education, recreation, and also providing habitat for dozens of native wildlife species.
The Parks Department recently developed mountain bike and pedestrian trails through the green space.
The department committed to monitoring and mitigating the negative impacts of the trails.
Signs of wildlife was set as one indicator for monitoring, but this indicator was not attached to any specific objectives or goals related to wildlife.
And further, the wildlife data that has been collected and presented in monitoring reports are unstructured, incomplete, and of limited use for understanding wildlife occurrence within the green space.
The Neighborhood Bird Project at Cheesy can support monitoring efforts. This is a long-running initiative of Brids Connect Seattle that follows a standardized protocol better suited for bird monitoring. We have trained community scientists who conduct monthly bird counts fixed service stations throughout the green space.
Uh, the project began in March 2021, and as of the end of last year, our community scientists have recorded nearly 10,000 bird observations from 72 different species, most of which are common to forested areas throughout Seattle, but there have been some surprises.
like the Western screech owl they spotted in the north of the green space, a species that has become locally scarce in recent decades.
analysis of long-term data from other parks has found a cumulative decline.
of 20% in the average total number of birds counted on surveys since 2005, consistent with the possibility of overall declining bird abundance in our local green spaces.
We will continue monitoring at Cheese, and as our dataset matures, we'll look for trends, share our findings, and hopefully work together to inform management decisions about people and birds can thrive together.
I'll follow up with an email to share more info and some data visualizations of the Chinese bird count data. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Next up, Maggie Chen.
Hey, Maggie, I will give you permission to talk.
Maggie will see it, so there you go.
Oh, hi, thanks so much. Um, hi, my name is Maggie, and I'm a UW student and member of the Coalition for Nature and Recreation at Magnuson Park.
Um, we are a diverse group of park users from Birds Connect Seattle, Heron Habitat Helpers, Tree Action Seattle, Seattle Nature Alliance, the Laurel Hurst Community Council, the Magnusson Environmental Stewardship Alliance, the Thornton Creek Alliance.
The Seattle Merlin Project, the Magnuson Park Advisory Committee, and the Society for Ecological Restoration at the University of Washington.
We are concerned about the plans to develop outdoor pickleball courts at the E5 site at Madison Park, largely due to its proximity to wetlands and homes and further fiscal and echoing impacts. These wetlands cause Seattle taxpayers more than $3 million to build, and are now home to more than 100 native wildlife species.
And the ADA compliant trails make this one of the most accessible retreats in the city.
Therefore, we oppose developing pickleball courts at E5, and support developing said courts at instead the N2 lot.
I will send a follow-up email with further details around concerns and recommendations. We appreciate all the hard work that you all do for the community and believe reconsidering the location of the pickleball courts.
will benefit not only the current community, but also future generations to come. Thank you.
Okay, thank you so much.
Um, next up is… prop.com.
There's no problem.
Uh, well. I'm Rob Dalton, and first I want to disclose that.
I do own a home across the street from Lower Woodland, uh, field number 2.
So, that may bias some of my opinions on it slightly.
But, uh, that… Being said, um… I probably spend more time.
Both on and looking on that field than anyone else, uh, and… I just… I can tell you now, there is not enough space to put two fields there comfortably.
Um, I'm a city employee as well, these things around about cities, like, I understand the.
appeal of, like, lower cost option. I understand that we're going through some budget and revenue issues, and that has to factor into our choices, because it's important, but… like, too often in government, we make.
You create the cheapest option, the best one. And we have to deal as a result of that, uh, with worse outcomes.
And putting two fields in this space. Which is to result in a worse card.
the worst experience for all users of it. Like, there's just… putting two fields in there will just reduce all the space.
Uh, we'll just make all the pathways between everything narrow, uh, and increase, as mentioned, in option C, and, uh, propose.
Uh, plan here, um, reduce all the stasis between the facilities that exist, uh, which will increase some safety risks. Like, I myself have been hit by baseballs multiple times, I've been hit by crossfalls multiple times.
Um, there's just not enough space in there, even already, to put the things in, and putting additional fields in there will only.
increase the risks to all users there, be it skaters, bikers.
Uh, pedestrians, pet owners, what have you. Um… yeah. Again, like, I understand that option C.
Uh, may not be the most cost-effective option, but… Yeah, I think it will lead to significantly better outcomes and a better park, a more enjoyable park for everybody.
Uh, so please consider that. Uh, as an option moving forward. Thank you.
Yeah.
Next up, Laura… Hey, Lauren, I will give you permission to unmute yourself.
Thank you. Uh, I'm Laura Hamilton, and I'm speaking in response to the new fields at Woodland Park.
I respectfully request you consider the following three points.
One, SPS has refused to constructively engage with the community.
The Wallingford Park community felt this way for the nearly 9 months SPS was planning the field in their neighborhood.
And we feel no differently. SPS is rushing in their Q&A process is not engagement.
2. Sps's process lacks transparency. We have been told, quote.
The voter-approved 2022 capital levy funds the develop of a new full-size athletic field.
The levy dollars are limited to delivering a single new field.
We've also been told, quote. Option A involves converting the existing field 2 into 2 fields.
But requires the infrastructure work similar to building one field, since they are co-located.
So it is an acceptable option. But the solution we've proposed includes two fields and is not acceptable.
We've tried to obtain the actual levy language to develop a compliance solution.
but have failed to find the actual language. And three, Friends of Woodland Park have proposed a lower-impact.
higher usability solution that deserves discussion. We want to participate in developing a solution that retains our pedestrian crossing.
does not remove the scarce resources of mature shade trees along Green Lake Way.
and provides adequate space. to safely enjoy the new fields.
Lastly, and it's not my main point. It's hard to believe we're going to give Lincoln High School a football field.
But they won't be able to host a home game!
That just seems, like, mismanagement of our tax dollars and precious.
Time is up there, Laura. If you have any additional comments, please feel free to submit them to pKs underscore BPRC at seattle.gov.
Thank you so much. Uh, Bill Farm, you're up next.
Oh, um, APDS, thank you for your service, Michelle, welcome to the limelight.
And AP's, uh, sign-off, he brought up Red Bar franchise. I want to take a quick one here.
Really great idea. You suck a million bucks into it already.
It's gonna be a big money suck, is my fortune. I think the plan is to rebuild the whole camp.
Just closer to Enum Claw than it is to Seattle.
You have an environmental education program already within SPR that leverages hundreds of volunteers.
free volunteers. That take adults and youth out into our local parks.
A short bus ride away. I would suggest in this time of a money crunch, people.
Our city leaders make hard decisions. Spend that money on the Environmental Ed Program. You could get a lot more for it.
So, Lincoln Playfield? Lincoln needs a playfield, it's only high school doesn't have a playfield.
Uh, whether they can play home games there or not.
Anyway, they need a play field. Uh, this has been a very… rigorous process, um… Always debate how open that is, but… There's lots of options that may consider.
Um… The lower woodland, that's where all the active rack is, and there's lighting there now, parking.
For a lot of the activity is. I was enamored with the parking lot, which I wouldn't care if that went away, but it is used for youth.
cross-country, that's a valuable asset up there. The state highway, lots of structural support will be needed, um, lots of great work up there.
I'm inclined to say, keep the parky stuff up in the park, where it's more natural up there.
Keep the active stuff down where it already is.
And pages come up, and her colleagues have come up with a viable alternative.
It does smash them in there, but… It seemed like it'll work, and uh… Nothing is ever perfect.
Uh, next up, here are any questions.
Uh, Denny Blaine Park. From the Office of the Mayor, Katie Wilson, at seattle.gov.
Quote, Seattle's next chapter begins with a commitment to a shared vision of community safety.
But everyone in Seattle of every background and every income deserves to be safe in their homes.
Streets, perks. in places of business in every neighborhood.
across our city, unquote. The following list is by no means all inclusive.
It's not about being androsexual, allosexual, heterosexual. a little troposexual, homosexual.
bisexual, pansexual, asexual. demisexual, polysexual.
omnisexual, multi-sexual, monosexual, binosexual. Very sexual, fluid.
demisexual, my curious. Fluid, gay, queer, sapiosexual.
Spoliosexual, spectraxexual. It's about people being naked at any Blaine Park.
Which brings out bad actors. It's about lewd and illegal acts being committed at said park.
It's about perc users not calling out bad. actors. It's about the sitting.
choosing, the city is choosing not to enforce. current laws and codes of conduct.
Most of us. Thank you. Um, do you ask me.
Um, Jenny?
I'm a Jamie, but I don't know if it's a meeting. Yes. Go ahead.
Um… I'm a Jenny. I'm Jenny Ring-Perez. I live across the street from Lower Woodland Park.
I don't have a real scripted statement, other than to say that, um.
As one of the members of the Friends of Lower Women Park, and having lived there for 15 years or more.
I've really seen the use of the park, um… I am in full support of Lincoln having a playfield. I'd love it to be a really smart design. We've worked with the city in the past on other issues, like bike lanes and trying to make it work for the neighborhood.
And really making it a win-win. I think that, um… My friend and neighbor, Eric, has come up with a really.
great proposal, and I think it should be considered.
Um, as much as possible to not cram 2 fields in where that is, and lose all the trees that are along that.
roadway that are, um, magnificent trees, um, and they also provide a significant amount of shade as you're walking down, too.
Greenland, uh, Green Lake, so it's just a… It's not a smart design to try to cram these two fields in next to each other. Nobody's going to be able to walk around them. If you see the kids that are playing alongside the field, because their parents.
Or siblings are playing on the field in a game, there will not be any of that space left.
So, it's literally going to take away any free green space that's there other than.
you know, what those playfields are. Playfield there was also redone.
Not more than 3 or 4 years ago, the lighting, the turf, all of that is brand new to… I don't know what the budget was for that.
And then I'll get redesigned and… You know, we have an upper woodland is wild, it is pretty, um, it's beautiful.
It's also underutilized. And so by activating that space with something positive, like a playfield up in that space, that would really help revitalize.
There's lots of parking up in that area, there's.
Um, restrooms in that area, and it would just expand the fit frame.
So, that's my recommendation. I really ask that you guys really consider the designer.
Uh, next up. Palms. How do you pronounce your last name?
You're wrong. And so, hi everyone, thanks for your service to the board. Uh, I live right across the street from Lower Woodland Park.
And can report in a non-abstract way. That park is an overstock suitcase of recreation. We have stuffed it to the gills. We have stuffed it to every inch.
I packed a few suitcases in my day, and it's always tempting to get one more thing into that suitcase.
Then it breaks, something breaks, the latch breaks. And now you've got the potential messing around.
Um, I think option C here looks like a really great solution. I think Lower Woodland Park.
has an overstuffed suitcase right now, is actually working really well.
It feels like it's working, but it's working just barely.
Uh, one of the reasons from my history being next to the park is because when the neighborhood has had concerns about.
coexistence of the neighborhood and the park. The neighborhood has been listened to.
Right, compromises have been struck. I think option C is a really great option to.
strike a new compromise to accommodate the athletic field needs of Lincoln High School.
And that can be a pretty proactive and constructive for everyone.
In terms of its status as an overstuffed suitcase, you know, what's there, right? It's soccer.
baseball, BMX. It's tennis, right? It's a… there's a dog park.
Uh, right nearby, there's walkers, there's cross-country meets, right?
there's kind of not a lot of space, not a lot of buffer left.
That to expand, necessarily. I think if we try to frame.
a football field in that, you know, try to find two fields where there's one field now, it's just gonna be, you know, overstuffed at the end of the day.
And it feels like that, because Wallingford Playfield and that community really didn't want.
That there, for all the reasons they described. We're like, well, let's… let's pass the bug to the most overstuffed plot of land from a recreational standpoint.
in the city, and when we all, you know, many of us are, I can't speak for all of us.
We're like, wait, no, really? Is that really being considered? And so… What I'm really happy to hear is that there's been a lot of effort put into a constructive.
option, or we might be able to balance the concerns of the neighborhood, the current park users.
the Active Park users and the passive park users.
handling students who use the film. So, thank you for your consideration.
Thank you. I have a comment.
I have not registered before. That could be an email. We, yeah, we may not have gotten an email. Did anyone else here registered to speak?
We probably stopped getting external emails about 1.30 today, so I apologize for that, yeah.
Right. Um… So, I'm Eric.
Um, I was going to school in the park as well.
I lived in the neighborhood for 27 years, both of my kids went to Lincoln High School.
Um, and I use the… I use local comparison every day.
Um, I want to speak to how Option A is really not aligned with Seattle Parksport is supposed to be advocated for.
So, option A contradicts the healthy people pillar by forcing high school athletes, BMX bike riders, skateboarders, and pedestrians into a single overlapping footprint.
It's gonna create high-density user conflict zones. And it's also going to move to a central east-west walking paths that the neighborhood uses to connect into the park.
Um, severing our connection and blocking daily casual exercise that sustains our seniors and families.
Option C has none of those negative impacts. Option A also contradicts the healthy environment color.
I'm required to move to 10 historic era trees.
that are designed as part of a continuous chain along the Green Lakeway walking path.
Those trees are in photos from 1936 and date back to the original design of the park.
They are healthy historic reminders of the Olmstead legacy.
And they mitigate the urban heat island effect, the fields on the fields and paths.
And buffer the park from the street, as well, without those there, just, you wouldn't learn it from the street to the field.
Um… It also destroys recently built soccer field number 2 infrastructure.
receiving both the money and the body carbon that went to that bill.
Option A contradicts the goal to build strong and inclusive communities by eliminating.
All existing seating and prohibiting Lincoln High School from hosting games or events.
Option A only allows for minimal 12-foot sideline fall zones. It offers no space for visitors or other parked users to stand or sit in direct entities, or even to walk around the fields. You'll be blocked, you'll have to walk through the middle of the field.
Um, if somebody walks dogs, I'm gonna be forced to walk across the fields, and Paige actually said that was my design.
If you come into park from anywhere. in Wallingford, into the park, you're supposed to walk across the field, and that, as we know, that's technically illegal.
So, there'll be poop on the fields. That's what I'm saying. Um… Option C, while it has a grandstand for visitors to the existing field, and it's simply a field upgrade that's very affordable.
The new field goes in a location that doesn't have any built infrastructure.
I could go on for the 25 minutes if they just didn't talk. I'll stop now.
Thank you, and again, feel free to send in any additional original comments.
Next on our agenda is the Superintendent's report.
Good evening. Thank you all for coming out and giving.
Public comments, um… Obviously, thanks for the comment with that topic later, so we'll be doing more discussion on… I appreciate, um… Josh and Maggie.
We're studying our advocates of birds and wildlife, and… Look forward to hearing lossy, both of you.
Um, I… I will start with some just good news, and then we'll talk a little bit about the transition.
Okay. Um, so just a few good news stories from.
SPR, we had, uh… Martin Luther King Day.
Activities last week, including… Um, with the site of an event yet, Marty was yours?
In part, which our staff took great pride in getting the park ready for that event.
Um, participants that walked or merged from MLK Park to Garfield.
Yeah, including, uh, in…
Attended by Mayor Wilson. Um, and this photo is actually from Lincoln Park, where tourist stewards, um.
Hosted a day of service for the West Seattle Schools Club.
So, have a great day. there and across the city.
Next slide, um… January 10th, and… Board Member Mays, can you share a little bit more?
Beautiful floor, beautiful place, beautiful. Thank you for having a reopen Mangalore Community Center.
Great pride and sunshine and a good day out there. Um, so hopefully… Yeah, that's not there yet, um… Everybody else did you get to see?
Uh, renovation was one of our, um, Cycle 1.
computer cycle one, uh, investment that we're really excited to see.
I'm like… In community service, when they talk to the.
Coordinator out there this week. And he was very excited and ready to brag all on that site, so… Um, another one to brag on is our South Park Athletic.
Beyond that is… Open, and we are piloting a way to reserve that field with no fees for people, uh, serving the community.
Um… I'm not following my notes, so this is me trying to pretend I don't need my classes. Um, so, let's see, the… the program focused inside groups with strong ties to the Sound Park.
area we're still accepting applications for more, um… user groups that want to serve that neighborhood.
And in addition, my play area will save time slot is also complete the community center.
and the surrounding area is still under construction, and we're hoping maybe up for a cousin.
Some of the Magnolia events, um… later this spring?
Sorry. Also had our facilities staff out and about this.
January, we had, um, our district staff. Really, they spend a lot of time in the winter actually getting ready for summer peak season. We really consider it more custodial maintenance, and a lot of prepping and having the parks.
Feeling good and care for really happens over the… over the winter, so we had.
Uh, lots of leaf removal, um, erosion control, pruning, uh, mulching, all the… all the good stuff to get parts.
Ready for the spring. If there's some slides there, um, Meridian Park.
Um, tractor where it just shows that… I don't know if you've ever been here on leaf removal day, but, you know, I have… A little tree in my yard, and I see what people do here with these gray oaks, and it's just, um, it's quite a sight to be.
seeing what professional parks and Recreation staff can do, so… Here's a little picture of everybody, and we also had some path work at Cal Anderson, making sure that potholes weren't… Well, that he has, and printing was done there.
Removal of stash room. And then Queen Anne Bull… They had a staff clean.
Also, I can hope you just got through, and we're on the track.
So, lots of great work happening out in the field.
Um, some more field work, we have… Annalika, Donald Graham Visitor Center's roof, and our team got up there and got that resolved, really.
Quickly. Um, Jefferson Arc Lighting, um. Our security lighting back.
restored up at Jefferson Park. And then we have a… And the rescue effort with, uh, one of our owls that got tangled in the.
type string in a string, and… Friend of ours is now family recovery.
Story by 13. Bye.
Now, Andy, I got bad notes on Josella. Would you guys have anything to say where we are at our project in terms of… Are we under construction, or are we about to be under construction? Sorry. Yeah, no problem. Conservation course completed, um, a lot of trail work.
The, uh, north-south resurface and north-south rail. Uh, refurbishing the, uh, broad steps that go down there.
So, uh, the restroom project is under construction. The shelter, uh, shown in that.
Uh, photo has been demolished to make way for the nuclear area that will be constructed in late spring or summer.
Thank you. And Alan. Um, the next slide, another project that Andy knows more about than me, but I'm gonna pretend I know enough. We are also.
Continuing the work at Westlake Park with the Parks Foundation, and they had a good meeting, and just… Yesterday to, um… Talk to the community about some updated scope in terms of expanding the… construction area, removing the seven hills.
Um, Art, and we'll be working with the… artist there will reinstall them in another location down the road. That project is also.
going well in that meeting, that's probably ready. And those are basic updates, um, outside of… Um, you may have, you know, knew that, uh… You know, in a leadership transition here at Seattle Parks and Recreation, it's not our first. We have done this before, and uh…
Um… I will be filling in. I've been informed that there'll be a broad search for our next.
Superintendent, and so… In the next few days about what that'll be, but, um… We will be working with, uh, Rachel Shulkin, some of you remember, and she was at.
Um, director, and she is now working in the mayor's office.
That's, um, what they call the operations manager. And she actually… she's… We're under her portfolio, so it is… it is great for me, and somebody up there understand their business, and we can kind of do a little shorthanded.
I'm learning this new role, and she's learning her.
We're doing a good job. So, um, and we obviously have our team with Andy and… HR assembly.
The rest of our team is strong and still here, and we are ready to continue to focus on.
keeping our parks open and safe and welcome, and our facilities clean and well-programmed, and… It will keep you informed of these meetings about next steps in that process, and if you have any questions.
Reach out, or email. I'm glad to be back, I haven't been here in a while, so it's been…
Um, I have… I have two questions. Um, first of all, welcome, and, you know, before even your first official day being here, so… Um, I guess the first question is, I was curious whether, um.
Mayor Wilson has shared any early priorities about parks.
So, I haven't met with her directly yet, um… You tend to have the first cabinet meeting this morning, which I got to go to, and one of… Actually, it wasn't her that spoke at this moment, but one of the other, um.
leadership members did reference, or she was talking about women's section that.
The mayor has said that she's seen that our parks and living rooms for our residents.
Um, and I have seen some other quotes about making sure we had safe.
And open public spaces, like, okay. I believe we'll be very involved in her subcabinets in terms of an agenda before.
for 2014. Um, and then the second question is about nestled Park, and um… My early understanding was that, um, we were hopeful on hitting the World Cup.
timeline, and is it still looking good for that timeline?
Hello, Matty. Great, that's great news.
Nice. It's been a good partnership. So, first foundation.
Yeah, I think I heard my name, that was me, Whitney.
Dan, you want to go?
Yeah, yeah, sorry.
Okay, um, thank you so much, and Michelle also, welcome, and… Thanks for taking on the responsibility.
Um, I wanted to just highlight 3 topics that came up from the correspondence submitted before the meeting.
Just to encourage you to go back and take a look.
Um, one was about Alki Beach and some planning opportunities there to really reimagine how to.
Um, make that… park more safer, more engaging, and more multi-use. We've had Alchi come up before, mostly for safety reasons.
This, I think, is the first time we've had somebody propose.
sort of reimagining the purpose of the park and some of the spaces in the park.
I thought it was really nicely put together, so I just encourage that.
Um, the, uh, there are a couple notes from, uh, regarding the… well, regarding a new rowing center.
On Lake Washington, I don't believe Parks is actually involved in that yet.
But they did point out some maintenance issues at Mt. Baker Rowing Center, the existing one.
Um, I just thought that was worth a look as well.
Um, and then we had commentary from Linkin Park.
And Laura, I'm sorry, Lincoln at Lower Woodland Park, both here in the room and in the correspondence significantly.
Um, one thing I think would be helpful, and we… you may not be prepared tonight for sure, is, you know, when we know something like this is a top-of-mind issue.
To just be prepared to help the community understand next steps, like either.
you know, it's hard to hear, but thanks for your feedback, but our public.
Comment period is closed, or… These are all good ideas, and we're having a public meeting this date.
I do think sometimes the feedback we get during the community section, the comment section.
Um, just kind of evaporates a little bit from our perspective. I'm sure you… your staff.
takes it, but I think it would be great to circle back with us, and then.
you know, the community as well as what, uh, what happens next?
So thank you, and look forward to working with you.
Thanks, John, it's great feedback. Definitely take back.
I just had, um… for service, and what I do.
have you available to step up, in terms of intended?
Um, while the administration connects their search. Um, and then I was really excited about the product we're in the top part.
Playfield. Um, I know we've talked a lot about trying to get.
Um, uh… So it feels our… so reserved, it's difficult for new clubs activities and sports.
To find, um, time, so… Um, uh, I… Chris, I might have a follow-up question. We can do something around.
Um, but this represents any additional thinking on how we do user regulations and our policies there.
Um, sounds like this is a pilot, um… And I wasn't quite clear what the intent was to sort of get community groups in there, so then they are covered by historical leaders.
Or there's some other possible… Implications of Pilot beyond just… sort of getting up and started, and we'll use.
Yes, actually, pause a second, but… Oh, yeah, but yeah, the goal here is to actually.
pilot in a way where it doesn't, right now, have any impact on historic use. We're just letting.
To your point, somebody might not be ready to get up and running.
P in that queue on day one, so we're just letting… We're scheduling it so that… But, um, but we're not actually using this moment to say this is going to lead to a historic use commitment.
It's an opportunity, too, and there's a lot of… introduce the sports that they have never seen before. So, we just want to, you know.
build up the anticipation, and give them opportunities to figure out what they're interested in.
With the hope that, you know, it's a field that we can just say, oh, the community can reserve it, instead of.
loads of people coming in from every neighborhood. Oh, there's a big feeling, it's got all this space, so… Um, so we're holding it in that space right now.
Nice.
Alright, any other questions before we move on? Okay, thank you.
Um, next up, we have our action planning update. If you've been…
We were so excited to see how many people here thrilled for the action plan, but it sounds like you may be here for something else, but, um… We're still excited to see him, Tina.
Um, I'm Justin Hillier, I'm a policy advisor with Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Tommy, also a policy advisor.
Assertation, and we get to tell you about a project we spent the… just about a year on, and we'll jump right in. Awesome.
Um, so we're here to talk to you about.
Um, we're here to talk to you about our recently published in late December, uh, updated strategic plan.
An action plan. So… We're gonna start by orienting you to our strategic products. Many of you.
may remember, or maybe we handed you a copy of our strategic plan, uh, published in 2020, with the result of a huge amount of work, uh, public outreach, public engagement, staff engagement.
It built on a variety of other plans that we have, the Parks and Open Space plan, asset management.
all sorts of… all sorts of inputs. Uh, to create a really comprehensive set of 40… more than 40 strategies to really guide our work.
Into the future. Um, it landed and was published on something like March 1st of 2020, a uniquely bad time to set your long-term course of action. But it's still, uh, obviously, we have a whole lot of other things happen to us since.
But it still provided the basic foundation that we've been looking to for, you know, what our core outcomes are, what we really hope to provide community.
Following up on that, Shawneeka and other folks worked… did an additional round of public engagement and planning.
to say, for this 2022-2024 period. Uh, what, at a more specific level of detail, what are we working on, what are we trying to accomplish here?
To further our strategies. Um, one of the things that that did for us was really point out some opportunities for, uh, expansion and investment.
as a part of Cycle 2 of the Park District. So once Cycle 2 of the Park District was adopted.
Uh, this group pulled together, uh. a plan that really said, by chunk of the organization, really by work unit, by detailed line of business in our.
wonky language. Uh, what are… what are they doing? What resources are they using, and what do we hope to see them produced by?
So these kind of collectively were the universe of our strategic.
Uh, framework before we undertook this project, and I'm happy to say that in December.
Uh, we released our updated strategic plan and an action plan. So, as it.
sounds, um… Well, yeah, so these were our project goals, and I want to say a tremendous amount of people were.
involved in making this happen. Shannonika and I were kind of the.
core, but, you know, we really worked with Amy and our budget folks.
we really worked with folks from throughout the divisions, uh, and some of their program staff.
And we worked with our BPRC subcommittee, um, on… on getting… So, the goals for doing this were first to refresh our strategic plan, right? To take.
Those basically solid foundations, but that needed some updating, that needed some consolidating.
And that, to make sure it stayed relevant for the next 6 years of its lifespan.
Um, we really focused on building from and updating our existing strategies, right? This isn't a whole new thing, it's kind of a… a refreshing update consolidation.
The bigger part of the work, and more of what we're going to talk to you about today, uh, was we created an action plan for 2025 through 2028.
And that takes our big picture strategies and just looks at them, how we're advancing them during this period of time at a much more granular level.
So, what it does for us is it really documents our budgeted service levels.
and our project commitment. So, you know, what I mean by that is it really lists out whether through budget processes.
through, uh, through… contractual agreements, or through commitments we've made to community.
The many things that we feel we're responsible for producing, right? How many.
Uh, community center operating hours, how many grants to community partners, uh.
How many, uh… It's a nice topic, right? How many athletic fields will we develop or redevelop over this period of time?
So, this was really our effort to really document those commitments and service levels.
to really talk about our priorities, and really the main goal of this whole effort is to align expectations, both within SPR, right, so that.
Uh, divisions know what they're supposed to be producing, what the superintendent's going to be looking for.
and outside of us, right? So that mayor, council, and the public know what we're working on, what resources we're using to do it, and what you should expect to see from it.
So that's the goals of the project. Um… If you look at the document online, it's one document, but there's really two products inside of it. The first half is this updated strategic plan.
The second half is this, um, much more granular and detailed action trend.
So we'll preview a little bit of the action plan with you tonight.
And I get to tell you what's in it. I mean, Nika gets to tell you the exciting work we're doing to actually.
Make it meaningful. Um, and then I… I would encourage y'all to, if you haven't yet, spend some time taking a look.
So, our big themes for this period of time, right, for a long time, uh, access and equity have been some of our values, and so we really.
are maintaining those, but we also care, you know, we know that keeping the doors open is… is good, but not good enough, right? We want to make sure folks are coming into those doors.
that when they're in programs, those programs are impacting their lives in beneficial ways.
So that's kind of our first, you know, we've got to hold all those things that we're both making things more accessible at the same time, we're making sure they're really having a powerful impact on people.
I think we're gonna continue our strategy of working closely with major partners and with friends of groups and all sorts of organizations that really.
amplify what we do. Um, you know, financial sustainability's always been important, but, um, I think.
We've got to keep a close eye on that now, both.
making judicious use of our budget, but also the emphasis.
We need to put on revenue generation, given broader citywide financial challenges.
Um, and then finally, right, being responsive to emerging needs. Like, we're not… Uh, we're not growing a whole lot of new parkland.
Over this period of time. We're adding some new parts.
But there's not a whole lot of, uh, new buildings or new parks to be made, and so we've got to.
figure out creative ways to meet community need in the spaces we have. Some of the conversations you all are having tonight are about.
Exactly that. So, these are kind of our approach for this period of time.
An architecture, in the mid-time we have, I'll just get to give you a tiny.
glance at what's in the action plan, right? So we've got a strategy, so a big, you know, 2020 through 2032 strategy.
of striving to make our parks, facilities, and programs inclusive, accessible, and.
So what the Action Plan does is take that strategy and then say, for this four-year period.
What are we doing to advance that strategy? So we are, um, you know, in Andy's shop, we're removing 1,400 accessibility barriers. So, you know, really working to, uh.
Make sure we're wheelchair accessible, all sorts of different ADA.
kind of compliance and barrier removal work. We're going to, in Daisy's world, we're gonna, um… continue to allocate our scholarship fund and really make sure we're using all of our scholarship dollars wisely to connect low-income folks to programs.
We're going to, uh, give out grants. to community organizations to provide free, culturally relevant programming, right?
Um, and then some other work we're doing as well around access to field time.
Uh, and coordinating with the city's Department of Education and Early Learning on getting additional child care scholarship dollars.
So, you know, that's what this action plan is.
is trying to do is, um, kind of take our really big picture, what are we doing, what do we think we're doing to community, and giving that to us.
Putting that out there in a really specific, kind of.
This is what you should see us deliver. This is what you should judge us by.
Just another example, right, where our goal is to sustain the tree canopy in natural areas and develop parks, and so.
What does that really mean? What does that mean that the Green Seattle Partnership is going to do during this period?
What does that mean we're doing in developed parks?
you know, one of the things you see on here is 4,000 trees inspected and maintained annually.
Many of these numbers in here are. sort of aspirational goals, but they're more generally, kind of think of them as budgeted service levels, right? With this amount of investment from the city.
And this amount of personnel, this is generally what we can produce and do in a gear.
Um, and so this is… so please hold this accountable to that, right? And these are the… Yeah.
So what do we do with this? Um, first, right, it's useful for unit and employee work planning. Like, we really hope that.
Uh, folks in divisions doing the work in serving community.
can find, kind of, what's the target by which.
We and the public are judging their program and their, um, their division, right?
Second, we align all of our performance reporting systems to this, so our online dashboards, our annual reports, all of that work we do to communicate to the public or elected officials what we're up to.
Uh, it really is going to stem from this framework and these performance indicators.
And lastly, um… This is also the framework we'll use to think about budget proposal limits.
Right, so this really lays out, here's all the work we do, and here's what it produces, and so as we talk about.
As we go through budget processes and think about resource reductions or creative ways to add resources.
We want to do that, kind of, against this framework, right? You can, you know, if you add 3 more foresters, you might get 6,000 trees maintained annually. If you take away 3 foresters, you might get down to 2,000 trees, right?
So this is the framework that helps us have those conversations with shared language and shared.
understanding of income. With that said, how are we actually.
getting this thing to be from paper to the real world.
Yes, I'm really excited about our approach to ensuring that staff can hold this plan as a guiding light.
For their daily tasks. Um, so we, um, identified that we actually have two business needs.
Um, the need to ensure that we are providing a guided and supported process by which folks are implementing the plan, but also, um, we have a need for providing professional development to staff who are already really busy and have full plates.
Um, and these two things actually happen to work together, so we decided to, um… take an approach to action plan implementation, uh, that allows some space for us to provide some sessions where we would focus on leadership development, also really live into our values around continuous improvement. We have this plan that has good, um, accountability tools.
Um, and helps everybody really know what they're supposed to be working on, so why not lean into the opportunity to make sure we're doing that well, and we have the correct processes and systems to support that?
Um, so I decided to look at those two components within the context of a project-based learning opportunity for mid-level executives that allows them to use those leadership skills that they are getting.
use the insights that they are building, looking at continuing.
There's improvement, and apply it in verbal application to implementing our plan.
The way we are doing that is through 16 sessions, many of which are going to happen during meetings that already exist for staff, so they don't have to spend extra time.
Um, and again, going through and allowing them through peer leadership pods, which is a work group where they will look at some of the systems and tools, again, that help us to implement this plan, and, um, identify process improvements and work together to make those happen.
Um, and also share how they do the work, and their approach to the work, and how they support the staff that do the work.
Um, and document that really, really well through some process documentation. Um, and we're also offering, uh, 8.
learning labs, where folks can just come and get some opportunities to.
uh, get comfortable 101 level brush-up on some of our administrative program that support this work. So we're really excited to be able to offer both.
really well-guided implementation process, and some opportunities for folks to learn and grow.
Awesome, and other than that… Reminder to go look at the document if you haven't seen it outlined already, that's what we've got for you.
I'm gonna remind you about Justin. We should give an example. So, one of the things that we did with our group this week was to have them do some.
process and relationship mapping, so we have them look at a few of the actions from the plan, and actually map out within their divisions how they get the work done.
how the work flows, how information flows, whether there are silos, where there are bottlenecks.
Um, and how it interacts with some of our administrative programs. They can make sure they're really ready in order to dig into those things and that they're communicating well with the staff that actually do the work daily, and then.
We actually have a handy document in our office that shows how that note flows so that we can be supporting along the way.
Zoom little help component in there? I mean, I do take calls.
I mean, the most direct thing I would think is, um, we've recently partnered with the Department of Education and Early Learning to make.
Uh, mental health, um… Like, connections to mental health available in community centers and team life centers.
I don't know the exact status of that work now, but they piloted it in the fall, and I think they're continuing it now.
I mean, more broadly, I think we do see our, um… you know, one of the things that's in there is, kind of.
purpose statement. You know, we have our three big outcomes of healthy people, uh, thriving environment, strong communities, and.
The… the healthy people… antibiot communities that kind of recognizes, uh.
broader aspects of health, right, um, including mental health and our vibrant communities work.
you know, we really see some of our job is kind of combating social isolation, and so… I think we have it at the Big Picture values level, and then… I think that informs programs with the… I think the most directly responsive program is this new partnership.
Yeah. Um, you really ask this, this is my area of professional expertise, but, um.
This seems to be dictating how you're going to educate your mid-level leaders to execute on work day-to-day across the organization, so are we able to see.
More detail about what this 16 session program looks like. I'd like to see under the.
This is gonna tell them how to do their work for the next 3 years if you continue.
Language structure, right, that education. Yeah. Figure out how to do that.
We're only two sessions again. I know we're at time, so maybe Kevin hopefully can be lost.
Okay, I'll just put my questions I can take answers later, but… One is, um… You're halfway through the current strategic plan 2020 to 2020.
You mentioned you did an update. You didn't really talk about how… How well am I going? Like, you know, there's been half-minute periods in the past now, so it'd be… I'd be curious to hear.
what I stand as the strategic plan actually matter to make a difference?
Um, and then my second question is, um… This is not, like, a standard repairs, so I'm curious to what extent.
The strategic plan reflects any input from the administration, and how actually went there to the next.
Yeah. I think the real answer on how it's going, or what the opportunity we have to say how it's going, is this… the first part of 2027, we'll put out a… we're actually putting out a…
mid-cycle evaluation, so really a look back over. Where we've been in Cycle 2 so far, um, kind of comprehensively.
And, you know, where we're meeting our performance targets, where we're not, what lessons we've learned along the way, what that might mean for the future.
So we are, uh, gonna be in the process of an evaluation like.
process, um, over this next year. I think Kevin is volunteering to join our… Yeah, you're interested in that. So we have a subcommittee.
of a number of members of the board have been meeting more regularly.
Um, and if you're interested, I'd be happy to. I made the mistake of asking some of these questions, but it's actually the wonderful partnerships. We're actually going to be… Um, regularly with Justin, and she go ahead and bring some more.
Uh, detail, so remember if you're interested in that, I'm super excited it's being serviced to the full board.
Um, but we also have plenty of room for those who are interested. It's been a really good partnership.
Meanwhile, we are getting some new additional members. We're missing a few, and we will be… I assume so.
We will tell them. Sure. And then just your other question about… I think… You know, we felt like there were… many elements of it still absolutely guide what we do. They informed how we funded the Park District Cycle 2, right? So, tremendously still useful, and enough of it felt creaky or kind of…
outdated that we felt the need to update it, um… Yeah. And then, I don't know if you have any thoughts on, more broadly, like.
Administration. The original strategic plan was.
Um, very broad, so it didn't… you couldn't really say, did you meet that goal?
You'll see almost everything in there, and so that's really where we went with the action plan.
Where are we putting our resources right now, and what is it… what can the community… expect from us, so I… I think from our… First is action plan. We have results that are showing up more in the annual reports, and then this next.
what we call mid-cycle report, which is a requirement of the Park District will pull those years together, so I think you'll be able to see a little bit more longitudinally in the work that's.
Um… through the end of 2026, so internally, we're going to be starting to do a lot of the.
prep work and moving with the metrics that come at the end of this year that we can actually publish that.
That's good stuff, actually.
Thank you. Thank you, man. Thank you. Okay, next on our agenda is for approving a proposal athletic field addition at no more pipeline.
Hi, I'm Amy Shepard, um… Over seeing the, uh, capital planning and… Development orientation.
And, um, I'd like to introduce… Yeah, of the schools… Seattle Public Schools is here and proposing, uh, the.
addition of a synthetic field, because we have a joint mission.
Um, to serve our youth. And provide opportunity and pathways to.
How's he living in athletics, and um it's been a great.
Join partnership, mission. Um, Seattle Public Schools Capital Development has, uh.
Those really shared their learnings and helped our capital development, frankly, and we've had.
Fluid communication back and forth. We understand that this topic is.
controversial… Anytime you're trying to add an acid.
And tight constraints within the city. Um, there are gonna be… There's gonna be a bit of controversy, um… Frankly, I've attended all the public meetings and appreciated the public meetings.
And appreciated the conversation. Um, that's the best part of the job.
You know, and I want to, you know, I want to say thank you for those conversations, and that's how we provide a better product.
Um, items have come up. The SPS has incorporated and responded to in their plans.
Um… And… I think that, uh, covers it from Seattle Parks side.
We do… we have reached capacity with our fields.
Um, an additional asset in the way of… The rectangular field fulfills our mission as well.
A number of organizations that would utilize the field.
Other… other than South Public Schools. And paid… is from SOJ.
is managing with projects short of exposed. And, uh, thank you, Paige. I'd like to thank them from here.
Andy, can I just really quick, just to John's point earlier, the goal tonight is just a briefing. There isn't a request of the board right now, it's simply to hear where the.
Project is more than collaboration has brought us to to this point.
I was going down for a sec. Because it's, uh… Um… Wow.
All right. Hi, everybody. Uh, I'm Paige McGee. As Andy said, I'm managing this project for Seattle Public Schools.
Um… Richard Best, Director of Capital Projects, is here, working directly with him.
Um, Andy mentioned… the joint use agreement, and starting off with that, uh, Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Parks have been.
using… their resources together since the 1920s, um, and continue to.
to reciprocate. And, uh, there is… there is a joint use agreement.
It's up for a renegotiation, I think, right now, but uh… But in that joint use agreement, Seattle Public Schools has priority use of fields from.
between 45 to 545, and then time on Saturdays.
The rest of the time, it's there for SPR.
scheduling. So, this… what we're proposing here is an added resource for the school.
But also an added resource for the partners. Ah.
So, how we got here? Uh, 2019's Lincoln High School opened without a field.
Uh, naturally, they started using. or Woodland Park, and in 2020, SPR.
requested, um, Seattle Public Schools that they come up with a solution to mitigate.
that use. Um… Got it onto the Lundy.
2022 voters approved. And about 3 years ago.
I was asked to start looking for a site to put this field for Lincoln High School.
So the last 3 years. I've done a lot of work.
And we've looked at a lot of studies. Uh, we did finally need to come to.
gripped with realization. We didn't really help Lincoln High School unless this field was within walking distance.
Gotta be within walking distance. Um… I'm sure you're all aware, longer play field.
came out as… the most natural option.
We went out to community, as has been referenced.
Uh, and we got significant pushback. Um, and the reality is… it was a significant impact on that part.
And… and we had to step back. We had a good, uh, community-informed.
Uh, solution. To look at Woodland Park again, and… and we spent the last… between 24 and 2025.
really digging into that, and, and… And looking at, could we move things around if we have the money for that?
And is it the right thing to do? Uh, you know, we put things where the tennis courts are, now those tennis courts gotta go somewhere. Same with the boce balls.
Um, and it… we did an extensive. outreach, and we really landed on… Uh… we really landed on… we did significant research, and we really landed on these.
the area on 50th and, uh, Green Lake Way as where we could.
Could fight this thing. So, November this year, or last year, we went out, um.
But two options, one at. 50th in Aurora.
And the other at… Field 2, which you're gonna see.
Um… and really, with Field 2 being our preferred option.
Because the constraints at 50th and Aurora are really… quite significant. Um… And… the next one.
So, what we're proposing here today… lives within walking distance. Uh, it does benefit.
Uh, both the school and the broader community. Informed by community feedback. Um, we're proposing track and field events go… addition goes at field number 7.
And a new field on the footprint of what is the existing field number 2.
We're also, uh, need to provide storage and restrooms with this, so that we're not impacting.
surrounding area. The other thing we want to make sure we know, um… Other than trees, because we will spend time on trees.
Um, is parking, and we understand… we're not going to impact parking with our.
project, but we will probably increase the need for parking. So we do have the intent to look at this area here. We think there's opportunity for restriping and adding.
bases there, and we also think there's an opportunity to improve the flow and.
way layout is of that parking lot. Um… Uh, so we have a couple options for storage. We are working through, um, the one.
folks like the most is to incorporate something into this existing building that was just recently renovated, um, and is.
needs, uh, needs somebody to live in it. So, if we could live in it and become.
a tenant, rather than build another structure on the park.
We feel like that's a pretty optimal solution. We have this other area of storage that could be converted into, uh.
dual storage facility for both SPS and parks. This is tucked away.
Back here, um, and really kind of out of the way of park users.
Um, we would… In any scenario, and I'll show it on the track.
We would need a small storage facility here. That would accommodate the track needs on a day-to-day use.
Excellent. So… This is the proposal for a new field at.
Field number 2. Um… First, I want to acknowledge.
Obviously, it's not perfect. Um, and… and we know that.
Also, there's work to be done. This is an initial concept.
And we've got a lot of work to do, and that's part of… Our next step is getting approval to do that work.
Um, so what you see here… the soccer field, uh, next to the football field.
This green line around is actually an ADA-accessible walking path.
Um, it does fit and allows for the runoff.
Um, we are working on ways to incorporate bleacher seeding. This probably isn't it, but we do have, if you look real close, bleachers seeding in here.
Which is one of the minimum requirements for this project is that, uh, the field.
accommodate JV gameplay. So, we want to get enough bleachers in.
That they can play a JV game, and it makes sense.
Um… the other thing you'll see here… is the trees.
We impact 7 to 9 trees. Um, we're not, you know, we think we have room to hopefully save those two.
Um… yeah. And again, we've got work to do on that, but you'll notice several plantings shown.
And I have another… a tree map to show that.
We think we've got a lot of opportunity for replanting, and mainly in this line.
Uh, a long green light way. And to create that buffer, we understand how important that buffer is.
Um, and… The other thing is… Getting those trees in at a mature enough.
stage of life that they don't… die, and they don't… And they recreate that canopy rather quickly.
The other thing we want to make sure. we're cognizant of is it's.
not just recreated Canopy, but. square footage of trunk, and really.
really replacing the whole tree story. Um… so… Again, we know we've got some challenges on this, we've got work to do.
Um, but we do think it's got a lot of strengths.
Uh, it's closed… multi-use, we think there's a lot of opportunity for.
Uh…
So… What am I trying to say? Between the athletic fields… There you go.
This is co-curricular sports. Being able to utilize two fields at one time, software on both.
creating some synergies there. He knew what I was trying to say.
We do know the north-south orientation is better for gameplay.
Um, we want to retain the walking loop. We think that's really important. We actually think we have opportunities, and they're not shown because we don't know we can do it yet.
But to actually maintain these walk paths between the fields.
Um, again, there's work to do. Um…
opportunity for increased parking and minimal environmental impact. Because we're putting this on a spot.
There's already a turf field. We're not creating a new turf field somewhere else.
Um… The other thing… let's go to that.
There you go. This is my tree replanting map, so again, the red is what's coming out.
This light green is what we think we can put back.
We also think we can put. Trees to the north.
Trees to the south? Southwest, and there's opportunities south of Field 1.
What's really nice about. This is… It creates… we have opportunities to create some more shade than currently exists.
Um, and, you know. working with Tree Solutions.
Uh, run this past TreeAction Seattle, they liked it the first time they looked at it.
Um, and we've, we really feel like. Like, we've got an opportunity here to… actually make a better tree story in the long run.
Uh, while we… accommodate these two fields.
Uh, it was just a little bit more about… The trees that are currently there, and how… how we've come here.
Um… 2019… There were no trees here.
And they've since been planted, so there is more of a buffer between the park and the.
And the road than there had been. The other thing you notice in this.
is this tree is not terribly healthy, and there's another one in here that's not terribly healthy.
So we are still working with my arborist and identifying.
the… Right thing to do where these trees are concerned.
understanding it's not optimal to lose. 5-7 healthy treats, we know that. Um, and we want… To acknowledge it, but we also… acknowledge that we are trying to put a.
both sides filled in a dense urban environment without impacting anyone.
That's tough. So… You can go to the next one?
Uh, is track and field. We haven't gotten a lot of pushback on this, um… One thing to consider is… is… this area here, and we understand that that is kind of a…
a gathering space, um… So it would be upgrading the track that exists.
to a four-lane. practice track. Uh, we put dump, uh… Long jump, triple jump here.
This is the small storage facility I mentioned. Uh, and then this, we have our track and field.
events here. We really needed to make these track and field events work.
Because we can't split up the track team. Those who jump, run, those who run, jump.
And… and we really needed them together. It's also a big group, whichever one you're talking about, and currently they're.
Bussing up to Ingram High School on a daily basis, which is not a small impact on the students or the budget for the school.
Um, what's… what… So this is an aerial view, this is what it'll look like during.
Uh, during the season, I'm gonna go to the next one.
This is what it looks like now. This is what it'll look like with, um… During the season.
And then what we've done is we've taken… we've made all these, uh, vertical elements removable.
So, for the rest of the year, the 9 months out of the year that tracks stop being run.
this will all be flat. Um, and we think that makes it more usable for folks.
When one track season's not… in session.
Yes. So, we've heard a lot from the community.
Um, we've heard a lot of support. Um, you don't hear a lot of that here tonight, but we've heard a lot of support for this project.
Uh, and we heard a lot of people who aren't terribly happy.
We think we have a lot of path forward to.
address some of those problems that we're hearing, and some of the issues. We know they're there.
We know it's not perfect. Um, but we do think that we've done our homework, and… We've come up with the least impact.
solution that gets Lincoln a field. You know, we talk about the… the 3 years I've been doing this.
Two years before that. Well, that time they haven't had a field.
And… and these kids need one.
Okay.
An opportunity for questions about the current meeting. Um, so… Unfortunately, I don't think we, um, can engage in kind of a back-forward discussion. Um, that's… not how, um, we operate our meetings. Um, we do have some time for discussion, um.
as a board, and obviously, um, question marks as well.
Um, if those help… Can I ask one such question? Can these slides be made available?
Is that possible? Uh… Yes. Okay.
No, I can make those available, I can have to do that with individuals.
Thank you.
Um, another sort of one broad question, just with, uh, relatively common.
I was just hoping you could summarize. Um, just briefly, some of the challenges that you saw with, uh, citing Field.
How long are we seeing 50th. Um, this was about the presentation.
Um, we've heard from community advocates their interpretation of, uh, that was raised in.
meetings, we'd love to hear, sort of, your project manager as well, sort of.
What were the considerations are? Yeah. Um, you know.
Kosh, obviously, was a big one. that site, uh, would… would require a lot of grading.
It would impact, uh, several trees. Um, and it would impact working, because it's parking lot.
Um, and the neighborhood there has historically been loud and clear that losing that parking lot is not something that they're.
Okay, with. Um, the… the grading… Would also require several, uh.
retaining walls, so that impedes the mobility of that area of the park.
Um… adding lighting to that corner.
is a big… issue, um, that parking lot is also overflow parking for the zoo.
And… We need to maintain that space, not just for the zoo, but it's also used for other community events.
And it's been made very clear. That losing that parking is not something.
Without replacing it somewhere is not something I can do.
I just wanted to confirm something I think I heard you say that both of the rectangular fields could be used for removal and or soccer rug.
Yes, they'll both be lined for multiple ports. The soccer one can't be used for football, because it has to be longer.
To do football, but football can be used for something.
And lacrosse, and all of that.
Um, I heard a lot of comments today about, um.
How busy the park is currently, and… I don't know how many people… That's my question, is like, I haven't heard anything about that, like, I'm curious if your analysis or any other. Has there been…
I would have to measure… Quantified usage… But we visualize it being… I think that's a difficult… path. It's certainly something we could do for a next iteration.
Um, you know, work. Um, we have been working with the scheduling department.
And… and… making sure that things work for them.
And I, uh… that's… a key element is making sure it works for the scheduling department.
Um… Yeah.
But no, not a… not a… not… not a to and from.
capacity, use, analysis, but that, again, that would come with a later.
iteration of design. It is interesting you bring that up, because I just jumped into Placer AI to check the.
Use per square foot. We can actually put a geofence around that area and obtain the historical data.
We just did put a geofence around the tennis courts.
Find out the test score you said. And it was really enlightening to take up that data, so if we can do that without a lot of times we do.
Uh, the city's got a subscription in place for NBA, so… I mean, it's like, you gotta really… interpreted a bit, you know, but it's good to… Okay.
Yeah, good. I guess, um, I was trying to understand from some of the public comments, um.
About the option C, and wondering if that is, um… At the 50th and Aurora side materially different than the option, the way that you had looked at the configuration before, or not… Not enough that it changes the…
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
No more quick? Alright, yeah.
Are there any other questions? I want to clarify that option C occupies about half.
The area, square footage, optional. So, to say there's, you know, same impact here. I'm at the area.
It's just absurd.
And the question is, so what comes next?
After this presentation. Andy. Um, so Seattle Public Schools is waiting for a letter of commitment from Seattle Fox.
To proceed in this direction. That's something this board needs to endorse at some point in the future.
business come back to us? That's what we're talking about for accessibility. There's no backboard action right now, this is the briefing everybody in the… The work that has been happening at public meetings to bring it to this board, just so you can gain awareness, and then we'll be talking.
internally in the chat committee. Okay, yeah.
And a further clarification, there's only been one public meeting. There was no opportunity for comment, questions. There was public comment like today.
There's no opportunity for questions. And there was no follow-up from SPS or Parks.
Gathering community input. We have 313 people endorsing and opposing action today.
You have heard Noah.
Thank you. Good to see you.
Um…
Okay, um, thanks everyone. Next on our agenda is, uh, all the new business.
So, um… As a reminder, the 2026 schedule was shared.
Um, and discuss briefly. Um, last meeting, uh, is what we did just want to, to, um… Yeah, formally acknowledge that, and give folks a chance to review and, um… Ideally, it's about that.
Um, can folks have any questions about the schedule?
Very kind of coverage of sub-community piece, but that's… My question is last concern is that half our meetings are gone for subcommittee meetings, and I've been on subcommittees for 15 months, it's never met.
And so, I think we need to… you know, we envisioned host of database function. I know, I think I'm on the… One that will meet this year, um, but it feels like.
different way of having the page. more members of the board?
Oversight Committee meets a lot. But if you're not on the oversight committee, you really don't know what's going to do.
So, I think if we're gonna do this… There should be some opportunity first.
clinician members to meet at the moment. Yeah, we are working on something part of that, because I've been getting new members, which we… Bringing new ends to the table, and we have some more coming. And once we get those done.
Well, divide it up into subcommittees, so… Are those appointments on the calendar?
The subcommittee, well done. I don't know, or the pending member part.
appointments on the City Council calendar. No, we're just finishing up interviews. We've been interviewing folks, um, and we've got some good candidates, but positive, right? Because they have to fill certain positions, so… We hope to have it.
It just takes several months, so… Right, from the time that you put it forward. Put it forward to the mayor's offense, through Council.
Right, so, I just echo Steve's comment that… Yeah, I know.
But we haven't had this many since we've had this one for a while, like, it's just… Yeah, I would just encourage you to consider.
like, I think the… the set of subcommittees we'd like to form, getting that before the board, I don't think requires full.
Membership, right? And then if we need to try on it, I understand there's a, sort of, one of your equitable allocation of numbers to certain committees.
I'm guessing that's the concern, right? But it's still… I think that's a good question to make progress on what are the committees, what are the forming?
Um, and trying… that will take time as well.
Um, regardless of how exactly we filled them. Yeah, and I don't think… Um, just from experience in the first iteration of this.
We maybe don't need as many people for certain studies as there's thank you for others, and so I think.
We can think about that a little, too. Yeah, well, yeah, exactly. With that being taken.
And I think we're gonna… Let me stabilize a little bit. We're gonna get out a little doodles on a couple of retreats.
Like, options, and I think we're looking at one of the… So we can keep recording meetings happening, so, um… I guess we don't get something from the call on board.
Then we figure out. Availability if you started a little earlier, you know, whatever, so… Um, and we would bring the subcommittee conversation, for sure, to that.
Retreat, so… I know my policy team and those people that talk about park hours that Ryan loves to talk about as much as he does, have an interest in having some partners on policy.
More to come on there. I just, uh, as Chair, I want.
to see the component of all our members, right? We've been great on the disappointing, actually, that we haven't had some better.
engagement overall, so I'd like to do that. Um, on a running machine.
Steve's going to take the Park Community Fund. Yes, very, very busy. They regret that. Right now, next year.
Alright, any other questions or concerns about the schedule?
We spoke to people. I'm moving on top toast PROBC.
So… I'll second that.
6 o'clock. Oh, that is not on a… That's a good question.
Everyone's here. Yeah, yeah, we don't need it at 6:30.
That's pretty good, right? Yeah, yeah. If you're the one missing member email decision is not feeling well, so…
That's 100%. That is the best evidence to say, yeah.
Wow, friends online, too. Yeah, definitely. Alright, great. Motion and a second? I think we need to formally… Sure. If you have objections, you can. Okay.
Can I ask a new personal question about if you said.
6 o'clock in the year earlier. Yeah, we haven't changed our job to adjust. It was to set the dates.
Um, we've been going back and forth between 6 and 6.30, on time. It was 6.30, that didn't work over Super Bowl, 6 o'clock doesn't work well.
Some people, I think, staffers. So, consistency is probably the best value at this point. They're yawning at 8. And sorry, I know we have a question, too.
Hold on.
Hey guys, I just had some feedback that I'd received from.
community members, and I feared that now would be the time.
to share, especially with you being here new, Michelle, welcome.
Thank you.
Um, I had some thoughts from a couple of, um… of our community centers. One was… about team programming being extended to young adults as well, so for, like, college-age kids, too.
To have access to some of the. Teen programming, do… That came from, I think, um, from Rainier Community Center, like, their late night program, trying to find a way to be able to incorporate.
My kids after high school age, you know, 19, 20, 21.
That was one thought, and then another… um, thought as well is that.
There needs to be more scholarship money for some of our, like, after-school programs.
And one example I would… want to put forth, because at Bitter Lake Community Center, they have this terrific after-school math tutoring program.
But there's just not enough scholarships. for the kids that qualify for scholarships.
So that, like a lot of families, and this is… this is in my neighborhood that I live in, so I interact closely with Bitter Lake Community Center and see.
kind of the need for that, and. you know, rarely you'll see, um… kids clamoring to be an after-school math tutoring program, but there's, like, this great need here.
in our area for that, and the scholarships just don't… meet the needs, so I just wanted to put that forward, but… Thank you for being here, and welcome.
And thank you guys for, uh, listening.
I know you've been talking, so Dan, um… Great. I said, I bet you've been talking to Cynthia Edelman, right?
What's that? Oh, yeah, yeah. Cynthia, that's… That's my buddy, like, Cynthia was the director when I was a kid, so I'm… I've known Cynthia, like, my whole life. She's amazing. Your programs are all amazing. I do some volunteering there, so yeah.
One of my great advisors, so on the mic.
Yeah, definitely.
Alright. One thing, just, um… Uh, I do want to be respectful of the comment, even though it wasn't updated, so I can say it.
Uh, around community engagement. Um, on, uh, Lower Woodland, and, um, just briefly, if we describe the process.
Um, so, uh, from here. If a vote is required by the city, that there is an open.
Oh my comment, correct? If a vote is required, uh.
our process would require a hearing. And, uh, comment.
Yes. Okay. I just wanted to be clear, and that would be separate from the public comment. Right, just separate from the public comment in a separate roles, yes.
I'm required to announce that. That's what I wanted to get, yeah, I'm trying to remember all the details, like, I can't remember all… I think 10 days in advance.
Yeah, okay. We have some decisions to make and review on how to approach this, but… Can I ask a clarification question of that? You said that the vote is required.
At what point would you determine if a vote is required?
I'm confused as to what others went through. I'm gonna take that back to my first, like, this interim market talked internally, and then we'll talk to the… Just trying to follow how people could be involved in the comment process, and if there's not going to be a board business out, there's going to be an opportunity for…
And have a look here now. I wouldn't go that far at this moment, but we will definitely communicate, thanks.
Next up, okay, yeah.
Alright, thanks everyone. I am going to officially adjourn this.
Thanks, everybody