I got an e-mail today from the county with an update on South
Kitsap Regional Park. A
park master plan was developed last year with input from the
community and
approved by the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners in
November. The county has been screening vendors of playground
equipment (high on the list of improvements to be made) and will
soon begin a survey (the kind on the ground not on paper or online)
of the park. But the e-mail gives a cautionary heads up that
$500,000 in state recreation grants could be in jeopardy due to the
state’s nearly $6 billion budget deficit.
Martha Droge, parks projects coordinator, said she and other parks
staff are confident SK Park will eventually come into the money.
Their grant application is rated fourth among more than 70
applications for the funds. But when and how much funding is
appropriated is yet to be decided. I’ve got a few calls and e-mails
out to people who may be able to give more information on the
prognosis for the SK Park grant and for parks funding in general.
Stay tuned.
Here’s what the county wrote:
Speaking of funding, we are anxiously waiting to hear about park
grants funded by the legislature, including the $500K grant for
this park from the state Recreation and Conservation Organization
(RCO). Due to the state’s economic situation, the grant funding
cycle is contingent upon legislative budget decisions that have yet
to be made. Because the park scored very high — #4 out of 70+ — we
are confident that it will be funded at some point even if
delayed.
