New recreation facilities in Bellevue, Duvall built with King County youth sports grants

Applications accepted for next round of grants; $9 million-plus awarded to date

Thanks in part to grants from King County, youth in two east King County communities have new sports facilities that are open and ready for use – just in time for the upcoming summer break.

Duvall’s Big Rock Park has a new baseball field, while Bellevue’s Skate Park features a new outdoor skate plaza. The projects were funded in part through the King County Youth Sports Facility Grant Program.

Administered by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, the YSFG Program is funded and sustained through a one-quarter of 1 percent car rental taxes. The program also receives $100,000 annually from the YSFG endowment, which was established with the sale of a county building.

“These new facilities are tremendous amenities for our area youth,” said King County Parks Division Director Kevin Brown. “It’s important for us to provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities to communities throughout King County.”

The Highland Skate Plaza is a 12,000-square-foot, lighted plaza featuring "street skating" elements including curbs, rails, stairs and "Jersey barriers" and more.

In addition to the YSFG grant, the skate plaza project received funding from the Washington Resource Conservation Office and the Bellevue Neighborhood Enhancement and Bellevue Youth Link programs. The new outdoor area, at 14224 Bel-Red Rd., complements the adjacent indoor Highland Skate Park facility.

Amenities at Big Rock Park include another baseball field, a soccer field and a skate park. The park is located at the corner of Carnation-Duvall Road Northeast and Northeast Big Rock Road.

The dedication ceremonies come at the same time that King County is accepting applications for the next round of YSFG grants from qualified groups that partner with a public agency, such as a school district or city parks department, to develop or renovate sports facilities.

To qualify for a grant, applicants must meet a one-to-two matching requirement. Funds can only be used for developing and constructing facilities and not for maintenance or operations costs.

Applications will be accepted until June 20 and can be found online at http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/ysports/ysports.htm. More information is available by contacting Butch Lovelace, program manager, at 206-263-6267, or at butch.lovelace@kingcounty.gov.

More than $9 million in grants have been awarded since the program's inception in 1993, resulting in 240 new or renovated youth sports facilities. Suburban cities and school districts are encouraged to partner with youth sports leagues and community organizations to apply for grants. Grant funds can be used for a variety of projects, including construction or rehabilitation of ball fields, playgrounds and sport courts, among others.

King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 25,000 acres of parks and natural lands, including such regional treasures as Marymoor Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, 175 miles of regional trails, plus pools and a world-class aquatic center. By cultivating strong relationships with non-profit, corporate and community partners, King County Parks enhances park amenities while reducing costs. Learn more at http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/.

Related Information

King County Parks and Recreation

Youth Sports Facility Grant