Community dedicates Steve Cox Memorial Park

Celebration of slain deputy's life includes game at renovated Mel Olson Stadium

The White Center community came together today to honor one of their fallen heroes by dedicating Steve Cox Memorial Park, named for the King County Sheriff's deputy who was killed in the line of duty a little more than a year ago. The celebration included a grand opening of the park's newly renovated Mel Olson Stadium.

"Deputy Cox used athletics as a means of reaching out to local youth and connecting with them in a personal way," King County Executive Ron Sims said to the hundreds of community members who gathered under overcast skies to witness the renaming ceremony.

"Deputy Cox's commitment to this community – his community – will not be forgotten, and renaming this park in his honor is a fitting tribute to an extraordinary man," Sims said.

Sims called Cox, who was killed in the line of duty in December 2006, a true community leader, a man whose dedication and hard work were testaments to his ties with White Center.

"We still grieve for the loss of Deputy Cox – a loss that is felt not only by his family and friends, but by the White Center community and by King County as a whole," he said.

Saturday's ceremony included the grand reopening of the park's baseball field, Mel Olson Stadium, which has undergone an extensive renovation.

Bronson Cox, Deputy Cox's 2 ½-year-old son, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the inaugural baseball game between Seattle Prep and Eastside Catholic High School, while honor guards from the King County Sheriff's Office and the North Highline Fire District were on hand to raise the American flag.

White Center Community Development Association, the Seattle Prep baseball program, Puget Sound Senior Baseball League, and King County Parks partnered with local businesses, baseball leagues and community members to renovate and improve the stadium's field and stands.

Improvements include a new synthetic turf infield, new bullpens, batting cages, bases and pitching mound, a re-graded outfield and an enhanced grandstand.

"These improvements will make the stadium more enjoyable for players and spectators alike, and allow the field to be used more often throughout the year," Sims said.

King County provided a $430,000 investment, which the community leveraged by securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in in-kind donations of materials and services and volunteer labor. Had the county carried out this project on its own, it would have cost well over $1 million to complete.

Steve Cox Memorial Park is located at 1321 S.W. 102nd Street in White Center.

Renaming the park was the result of a community effort. A task force, created by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council to discuss ways to honor Deputy Cox, proposed renaming King County's White Center Park after the fallen deputy.

The proposal was strongly supported by Sims, and gained unanimous approval by the King County Council in 2007.

"The renaming of this park, where a young Steve Cox played baseball and basketball, is an appropriate memorial to a man who lived to serve his community," said King County Councilmember Dow Constantine. "This honor was chosen by the community and it was a privilege for me to sponsor legislation implementing the community's wishes."

Art will also be installed in the park as part of the memorial to Deputy Cox. The artist selection process is scheduled to take place later this summer, with the artwork installation expected in 2009.

The field renovation is part of King County's Community Partnerships and Grants Program (CPG). Through the CPG Program, community partners' commitment, passion and resources make it possible to enhance park amenities, without increasing publicly funded operations and maintenance costs.

Since 2005, King County has invested $15 million in White Center to improve this community, the most diverse in the State of Washington, and has leveraged millions more in private investment.

Sims noted that the extensive renovations in White Center is a perfect example of the King County's recently launched "Equity and Social Justice Initiative," which seeks to ensure that the county is doing all it can to help all residents get the services and amenities they need for their own health, and for the health of their community.

"Investing in the White Center community makes this a better place to work, live and play," Sims said. "Our goal is for all King County residents, regardless of their ZIP code or their tax bracket, to have access to these types of facilities."

In addition to the upgrades at Steve Cox Memorial Park, King County has developed the Greenbridge mixed-income community, which was built in an environmentally sound manner and proves that green-building standards can be applied to all types of housing.

Another park, White Center Heights Park, was completely renovated recently through a unique partnership between King County and the Starbucks Coffee Company.

For downloadable photos of the stadium renovation visit: www.flickr.com/photos/kingcountyparks (external link).

Related Information:

Steve Cox Memorial Park

Community Partnerships and Grants Program

Parks and Recreation