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Home My WebLink About10/07/2014 10A Washington Recreaton & Park Association Letter of SupportBUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 10.A. For Meeting of: October 07, 2014 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ITEM TITLE: Request to sign letter of support from Washington Recreation & Park Association SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communications & Public Affairs Director SUMMARY EXPLANATION: The Washington Recreation & Park Association ("WRPA"), an organization of city, county, and parks district directors and senior managers, has requested that the City of Yakima join other local governments from across the state in signing a letter of support regarding the WRPA's efforts to reestablish competitive grant funding for the "Youth Athletic Facilities" program administered by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office ("RCO"). Due to the time sensitive nature of the WRPA's request, the process established under the City Council's Letter of Request Policy, which proscribes that such requests initially be evaluated by the Council Partnerships Committee, is being abbreviated and the WRPA's request is being directly presented to the full Council during its October 7th business meeting. Resolution: Other (Specify): Contract: Contract Term: Start Date: End Date: Amount: Ordinance: Item Budgeted: NA Funding Source/Fiscal Impact: Strategic Priority: Insurance Required? No Mail to: Phone: Partnership Development APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: RECOMMENDATION: City Manager Staff recommends City Council approval of signing the WRPA's letter of support. ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Memorandum - WRPA Letter of Support Request 10/2/2014 WRPA Letter of Support 10/2/2014 Youth Athletic Facilities Program Flyer 10/2/2014 Type Cover Memo Cover Memo Cover Memo NE ED HELM To: Yakima City Council Members From: Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler Subject: Request to Sign Letter from Washington Recreation and Parks Association Date: Wednesday, October 1St, 2014 Council Members, The Washington Recreation & Park Association ("WRPA"), an organization of city, county, and parks district directors and senior managers, has requested that the City of Yakima join other local governments from across the state in signing a letter of support (see attached) regarding the WRPA's efforts to reestablish competitive grant funding for the "Youth Athletic Facilities" program administered by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office ("RCO"). The Youth Athletic Facilities program was created in 1997 as part of Referendum 48, which state voters approved in order to fund construction of a new stadium for the Seattle Seahawks. Seahawk's owner Paul Allen kick started the Youth Athletic Facilities program with a $10 million donation. The legislature has since provided additional funding, but not enough to meet the needs of multiple communities seeking to build new or to improve existing youth athletic facilities. The WRPA has made convincing Governor Jay Inslee to include an allocation of $12 million for the Youth Athletic Facilities program in the governor's capital budget one of its top priorities for the next legislative session. The WRPA is asking local governments, including Yakima, to support its efforts by signing the letter of support not later than October 20th Due to the time sensitive nature of the WRPA's request, the process established under the City Council's Letter of Request Policy, which proscribes that such requests initially be evaluated by the Council Partnerships Committee, is being abbreviated and the WRPA's request is being directly presented to the full Council during its October 7th business meeting. The Council may agree to the WRPA's request, deny the WRPA's request, or take no action on the WRPA's request. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this issue or need additional information prior to the Council's October 7th business meeting. The Honorable Governor Jay Inslee Office of the Governor PO Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504 RE: Youth and Community Athletic Facilities Grant Program Funding for the 2015-17 Capital Budget Dear Governor Inslee, We are joining together to convey our strong support for a recommendation that you include $12 million in your 2015-17 Capital Budget for the Youth and Community Athletic Facilities (YAF) competitive grant program. It is our understanding that funding for YAF also received a strong endorsement from the Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Outdoor Recreation, which made this one of their key near-term recommendations. We think this $12 million allocation would be an outstanding way to support healthy citizens and communities, contribute to economic development, give our youth access to the outdoors, and help local parks and recreation agencies develop and maintain all- weather athletic fields and facilities in a state that has its share of unpredictable weather. Clearly, there is a tremendous need for this competitive grant program. YAF has not received competitive grant funding since 2006, meaning local parks and recreation agencies get very little support for all-weather fields that can cost several million dollars to build and maintain. We do have the very successful Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), but its "local parks" category is badly over -subscribed, is limited in how much development funding it can grant, and is designed to cover a broad mix of projects beyond just athletic fields. Governor, at the same time we have seen a sharp downturn in state funding for community athletic fields, we are challenged by a sharp uptick in demand for these fields. That is due to increasing populations, more interest than ever in traditional sports, and the growing popularity of non-traditional sports such as ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse. The need for this competitive grant was demonstrated when the Recreation and Conservation Office asked for letters of interest and received hundreds of letters totaling tens of millions of dollars in projects. When we invest in community athletic fields, we invest in several things that serve the state's interest. These fields provide an outlet to outdoor recreation for youth, especially kids from diverse and lower-income communities. Community athletic fields help people of all ages stay active and healthy, combating obesity, preventing disease, and helping us conserve our health care dollars. All-weather fields also make good business sense for the state, better enabling our local communities draw major tournaments and visitors who spend money in our stores, eat at our restaurants, stay at our hotels, and get a sampling of the unparalleled beauty of this great state. Governor, we see the $12 million proposal for the Youth and Community Athletic Fields program as a very good investment, healthy communities, economic development, and outdoor recreation decision for the State of Washington. Please include it in your 2015-17 Capital Budget. Sincerely, Cc: David Schumacher, Budget Director Nona Snell, Capital Budget Coordinator Matt Steuerwalt, OFM Policy Director JT Austin, OFM Policy Advisor Jim Cahill, OFM Miguel Perez -Gibson, Legislative Director Grants for Sports Fields fril...),_WASHINGTON STATE Recreation and Conservation Office ISSUE: STRONG NEED TO IMPROVE ATHLETIC FIELDS In 2014, communities across Washington asked for nearly $40 million in state grants to fix local athletic fields and other outdoor sporting facilities. Unfortunately, the state has no grant program that can meet these needs. The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board is requesting a capital appropriation of $12 million to fund the Youth Athletic Facilities grant program with general obligation bond funds. This grant program will be used to renovate ball fields and other outdoor athletic facilities for local, competitive sports. WHY NOW? Washington Residents Use their Ball Fields Participating in sports is popular in Washington with 83 percent of residents engaging in some level of activity.' However, funding for maintaining fields and building new ones is not keeping pace. The state's two other grant programs that fund sports field renovations amongst a broad mix of local parks projects have far more demand than money available. More Fields Means Healthier Families About one-third of children and one-quarter of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, reducing overall health and increasing health care costs. Increasing participation in sports is one way to get more Washingtonians to improve their health. Recreation Means Dollars to the State Having modern, all-weather fields not only helps keep people active and healthy, it's good business. Regional and national tournaments draw thousands of people to Washington — people who stay in hotels, spend in stores, and eat at restaurants. Emerging Sports Are Left Out There is a growing demand for new sports such as ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse, disc golf, and more. Local parks departments are seeing more demand than ever for fields, stacking multiple teams on one practice field, and often going decades without the resources to upgrade them. Emerging sports have difficulty getting field time when competing with more traditional baseball and soccer. 1 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2013 BUDGET REQUEST $12 million capital appropriation to fund the Youth Athletic Facilities grant program with general obligation bond funds. WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING? • Cities • Counties • Park districts • Native American tribes • Non-profit sports organizations. MATCHING RESOURCES Local communities are required to match state funding. To date, $17 million in state funding has brought in more than $34 million local matching funds. CONTACT Wendy Brown (360) 902-3021 TDD (360) 902-1996 Wendy.Brown@rco.wa.gov Grants for Sports Fields DEMAND FOR THE PROGRAM The Youth Athletic Facilities grant program, administered by the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, has received periodic funding since 1997. In 2014, the board gauged interest in the program by asking communities to submit grant requests and was overwhelmed with the requests (see list of applicants below). Requests ranged from archery ranges to skateboarding areas to softball fields. Aberdeen Asotin County Little League Auburn Baseball Beyond Borders Beacon Hill Youth Soccer Bellevue Bellingham Blackhills Community Soccer Complex Bothell Boys & Girls Clubs of King County Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County Bremerton Budd Bay Rugby Burien Camas Camas Little League Camas -Washougal Bath Ruth Baseball Camp Fire Central Puget Sound Castle Rock Centralia Central Whidbey Soccer Club Chehalis Clark County Colfax Colfax Community Track and Field Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Covington Des Moines Duvall Eastmont Metropolitan Park District Edmonds Enumclaw Everett Federal Way Fife Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park Hercules Running Rebels Hoquiam Girls Fastpitch Association Ilwaco Ingraham High School Track Team September 2014 Island County Issaquah Issaquah Soccer Club Kelso School District Kenmore Kent Key Peninsula Metropolitan Park District Kirkland Lacey Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association Lakewood Liberty Lake Long Beach Longview Longview School District Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Lynden Lynnwood Mason County Mercer Island Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma Monroe Miracle League of Vancouver Montesano School District Moses Lake Mount Vernon Mountlake Terrace Muckleshoot Tribe Normandy Park North Bend Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association Oak Harbor Olympia Orcas Island Park and Recreation District Orting Pasco Pasco Little League Pateros Peninsula Metropolitan Park District People Organized to Operate Leisure Activities Pierce County Port Angeles Puyallup Quillayute Valley School District Rainier Valley Football Association Redmond Renton Richland Rochester Youth Soccer Association Sammamish Rowing Association San Juan Island Park and Recreation District Seattle Shoreline Skagit County Skamania County Skokomish Indian Tribe Skookum Archers Club & Range Sky River Soccer Club Snohomish County Snoqualmie Spokane Spokane County South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District Stanwood Stevens County 4-H Terra Sol Sports Alliance Toutle Lake School District Tukwila Twin City Youth Football Organization Twisp Union Gap University Place Vancouver Vancouver Lake Crew Washington State Archery Association Washington Timbers Football Club West Richland Westport Wilkeson Woodland Community Swimming Pool Committee Woodland High School Yelm