Community Facilities, Parks and Open Spaces

I led efforts over the past 18 months to find construction funding to complete the Community Center to its originally planned ≈30,000 sf and add a pool, together with two other Councilmembers and the Mayor. This has been a dream for the majority of Snoqualmie residents for well over a decade. Residents voted for it in 2006 (52%) and again in 2008 (55%). But construction funding was difficult to find a decade ago, and ultimately only the smaller ≈13,000 sf Center was built. 

Since 2006 the City has almost doubled in size, and in 2019 polling over70% of residents favor expansion. During that time the City set aside non-recurring revenues, such as construction sales taxes, and established dedicated funding for facilities capital projects. Using those sources allows the expansion construction without increasing taxes.

At my urging, the six-year capital improvement plan now includes identified funding for all categories of capital needs, including the routine replacement of equipment at existing parks and significant improvements for several of them. In 2019 the City built a skate park ($460k) using only $8.5k of city funding with the rest coming from state and county grants and private funding. The capital plan seeks to similarly leverage city funds to build an all-inclusive park (promotes engagement by those with different abilities) , a new park stretching the length of the riverfront, and other projects.

I will continue working to ensure long-term stable, sustainable financing of our parks, open spaces and community facilities and events. And I will continue collaborating with other legislators to find funding for improvements that leverage our limited City tax resources.