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PDF of 2009 Legislative Agenda
State and Federal funds awarded for projects benefitting children and the environment
Metro Parks received exciting news last month as State and Federal funding requests totaling more than $3,831,649 were awarded for the following projects:
Zina Linnik Project:
Inspired by the enthusiastic 5th grade class at McCarver Elementary School, classmates of Zina Linnik, this project establishes a brand new park adjacent to the school along with a new playground and sprayground at Wright Park. These improvements celebrate the life of Zina Linnik and provide children and families with safe, creative new opportunities to play and enjoy time with family and friends.
Special design features at McCarver will include a powerful memorial to Zina's life - a wall inscribed with a poem read at her candlelight vigil - as well as unique features honoring the Ukrainian cultural heritage of Zina's family. Currently 2.33 acres of open ground, the new McCarver Park will include play structures and surfacing suitable for young children, as well as hard-court play facilities, signage, landscape improvements, irrigation upgrades, community gardens for children and adults, and a community reading circle.
At Wright Park the project includes a new playground facility, a new 3,000 sq ft water play area, a plaza/amphitheater for community gatherings, and remodeling of an existing building to house the Youth Summer Playground Program creating room for arts, educational, health and recreational programming.
South Tacoma Community Center:
The Center is ideally located to connect with the new Boys and Girls Club Topping Hope Center, Gray Middle School, and the popular SERA athletic complex. The center will offer a large divisible Hall with stage, fitness room, dance studio, multi-purpose rooms, catering/teaching kitchen, a community gathering space, Child Watch, indoor and outdoor play areas, and administration and support spaces.
Wapato Park:
This Project completes a lakeside pathway with new shoreline improvements to allow the public recreational access while enhancing water quality and shoreline stabilization objectives, all goals of the 2005 Wapato Park Master Plan which was developed with strong community support. The vision of the master plan continues a century-long history of public recreation on our largest inland lake.
Tacoma Nature Center:
The new Children's Nature Exploration Area will provide a new environmentally themed outdoor space designed to connect children with the natural world. In a world where children's life experiences are often dominated by television, computers and electronic games, this engaging area with a pond, tree house, and hollow logs, will provide a space to help inspire an early passion for outdoor discovery and exploration, providing an important balance for childhood development.
Red Wolf Conservation Program:
36 years ago, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium stepped forward as leaders of a national effort protect the Red Wolf from extinction. The zoo was honored in 2008 with the highest award for conservation presented by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for the strides it has made toward saving the Red Wolf from the Brink of Extinction. At the same time, the program faced challenges as the once remote leased land where its breeding facilities are housed in Graham became surrounded by a housing development. Funding received for this conservation effort will help relocate the program to land on an outlying parcel of Metro Park's Northwest Trek Wildlife Park where the program's successful species recovery work can continue.
PDF of 2009 Legislative Agenda
| 2009 Legislative Session Summary |
Metro Parks received exciting news last month as State and Federal funding requests totaling more than $3,831,649 were awarded for the following projects:
Zina Linnik Project:
Inspired by the enthusiastic 5th grade class at McCarver Elementary School, classmates of Zina Linnik, this project establishes a brand new park adjacent to the school along with a new playground and sprayground at Wright Park. These improvements celebrate the life of Zina Linnik and provide children and families with safe, creative new opportunities to play and enjoy time with family and friends.
Special design features at McCarver will include a powerful memorial to Zina's life - a wall inscribed with a poem read at her candlelight vigil - as well as unique features honoring the Ukrainian cultural heritage of Zina's family. Currently 2.33 acres of open ground, the new McCarver Park will include play structures and surfacing suitable for young children, as well as hard-court play facilities, signage, landscape improvements, irrigation upgrades, community gardens for children and adults, and a community reading circle.
At Wright Park the project includes a new playground facility, a new 3,000 sq ft water play area, a plaza/amphitheater for community gatherings, and remodeling of an existing building to house the Youth Summer Playground Program creating room for arts, educational, health and recreational programming.
South Tacoma Community Center:
The Center is ideally located to connect with the new Boys and Girls Club Topping Hope Center, Gray Middle School, and the popular SERA athletic complex. The center will offer a large divisible Hall with stage, fitness room, dance studio, multi-purpose rooms, catering/teaching kitchen, a community gathering space, Child Watch, indoor and outdoor play areas, and administration and support spaces.
Wapato Park:
This Project completes a lakeside pathway with new shoreline improvements to allow the public recreational access while enhancing water quality and shoreline stabilization objectives, all goals of the 2005 Wapato Park Master Plan which was developed with strong community support. The vision of the master plan continues a century-long history of public recreation on our largest inland lake.
Tacoma Nature Center:
The new Children's Nature Exploration Area will provide a new environmentally themed outdoor space designed to connect children with the natural world. In a world where children's life experiences are often dominated by television, computers and electronic games, this engaging area with a pond, tree house, and hollow logs, will provide a space to help inspire an early passion for outdoor discovery and exploration, providing an important balance for childhood development.
Red Wolf Conservation Program:
36 years ago, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium stepped forward as leaders of a national effort protect the Red Wolf from extinction. The zoo was honored in 2008 with the highest award for conservation presented by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for the strides it has made toward saving the Red Wolf from the Brink of Extinction. At the same time, the program faced challenges as the once remote leased land where its breeding facilities are housed in Graham became surrounded by a housing development. Funding received for this conservation effort will help relocate the program to land on an outlying parcel of Metro Park's Northwest Trek Wildlife Park where the program's successful species recovery work can continue.
View 2007 Legislative Agenda & Session Summary
Questions? Comments?
Contact Nancy Davis, Governmental Relations Liaison, 253-305-1021.
Legislative
Agenda 2009-2010
| FUNDING ALTERNATIVES/BUILDING CAPACITY |
| STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL |
Seek exemptions from any proposed changes to existing legislation that could adversely affect district revenues either directly or indirectly. Where feasible, seek alternative legislation that would allow for replacement of lost tax revenues.
SUPPORT THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON LOCAL PARKS AND RECREATION OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, THE WASHINGTON WILDLIFE AND RECREATION PROGRAM (WWRP) AND THE WASHINGTON RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION (WRPA)
Work cooperatively with other local governments in promoting and achieving a strategy that facilitates the needs and desires of other local agencies while at the same time permitting Metro Parks Tacoma to continue to operate in the same manner as authorized by citizens when they formed Metro Parks in 1907.
| STATE |
Support legislation allowing metro park districts, that are the primary parks and recreation service provider for a city with a population greater than 100,000, the authority to impose a ¼ of one percent Real Estate Excise Tax (REET).
Support the AWC effort to harmonize the first and second Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) in a bill that fixes both. REET would be available for maintenance of properties acquired through REET.
Support creation of an appointed seat on the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCO) for a WRPA representative
Exempt park maintenance equipment operated by certain local jurisdictions from vehicle license and license plate requirements (SHB 3183)
Support WRPA's gender equity position that proposes legislation that requires entities to include anti-discrimination statements in their facility use policies. WRPA proposes maintaining the Human Rights Commission as the state agency to receive and investigate complaints of discrimination. Oppose unfunded reporting requirements.
| LOCAL |
Work with the City of Tacoma to explore options, such as a new category for municipalities, to reduce the costs associated with water rates, resulting in a mid-biennial rate adjustment.
WORK WITH THE CITY OF TACOMA TO ELIMINATE STORM WATER FEES
Metro Parks Tacoma mitigates and retains storm water for the City of Tacoma therefore should not be required to pay fees for the service.
SUPPORT THE SALES TAX PROPOSAL FOR TRAILS, OPEN SPACE AND PARK'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
Support granting of legislative authority to increase the sales tax for parks to one tenth of 1% to build and maintain a countywide system of trails, which connect all of the communities in Pierce County proposed by Forever Green.
Other Potential Issues:
Position Metro Parks Tacoma to receive State Economic Stimulus funding for infrastructure projects.
| FEDERAL |
Other Potential Issues:
Position Metro Parks Tacoma to receive Federal Economic Stimulus funding for infrastructure projects
| LOCAL |
| PARTNERSHIPS |
| STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL |
• Seek state capital funding for park facility repairs and restoration, and construct new park facilities.
• South Tacoma Community Center: In cooperation with the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Tacoma Public School District a South Tacoma Community Center will be built. The proposed site is on publicly owned property in South Tacoma at the site of the old Mt. Tahoma High School.
Request $3,800,000
| STATE |
- Zina Linnik Project (Wright Park/McCarver Park): This project at McCarver Park is designed and named to honor the memory of Zina Linnik, a young McCarver Elementary student who was abducted and killed. The Greater Metro Parks Foundation has applied for a grant of $975,000 from CTED toward a capital campaign to create and maintain a new playground and spray ground at Wright Park in Central Tacoma and to complete the renovation and upgrade of McCarver Park. State Request (CTED) $975,000
- Red Wolf Relocation Project: Since the early 1970s, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) has participated in the recovery and propagation of the endangered red wolf. The integrity of the off-site breeding facility is now being threatened by urban development. The surrounding forest has already been cut and the land cleared. Within the next three years over 400 residential homes will be constructed along its borders. The goal of the Point Defiance Zoo Society is to relocate the red wolf breeding facility to a site where its future can be safeguarded, resources at the wildlife park shared, and the program strengthened through affiliation with our mission-driven facilities. A request is currently being advanced at the federal level. State funding would complete the project. State Request $200,000
- Titlow Estuary Restoration Project Study and analysis by Governor Gregoire's Puget Sound Action Team have identified the Titlow Lagoon as a high-priority pocket estuary for restoration. This project is recommended in the Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan to help improve the functioning of Chinook salmon habitat. This project would begin implementation of the recommendations of the Titlow Estuary Restoration Project Study that was funded by the State in 2008. State Request $400,000
SUPPORT CITY OF TACOMA FUNDING REQUESTS FOR MURRAY MORGAN BRIDGE AND CHENEY STADIUM
Metro Parks Tacoma supports the City of Tacoma's efforts to seek appropriations or revenue streams to replace Murray Morgan Bridge and to complete renovation of Cheney Stadium.
| FEDERAL |
Since the early 1970s, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) has participated in the recovery and propagation of the endangered red wolf. The integrity of the off-site breeding facility is now being threatened by urban development. The surrounding forest has already been cut and the land cleared. Within the next three years over 400 residential homes will be constructed along its borders. The goal of the Point Defiance Zoo Society is to relocate the red wolf breeding facility to a site where its future can be safeguarded, resources at the wildlife park shared, and the program strengthened through affiliation with our mission-driven facilities. Federal Request $868,000
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)
Support an appropriation of $125 million for FY 2009 to restore adequate funding to the LWCF state-assistance program including funding for growing un-met needs and administrative oversight.
URBAN PARK and RECREATION RECOVERY ACT (UPARR)
Call on Congress to restore funding for UPARR and appropriate $30 million for UPARR in 2009.
| LOCAL |
Seek funding, in cooperation with the Joint Municipal Action Committee, to implement traffic mitigation at 19th and Cheyenne.
| ACTIVE LIVING |
| STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL |
Seek funding for increased public access to recreation opportunities that will reduce the effects of physical inactivity, including people with disabilities. Ensure that park and recreation agencies are eligible entities in anti-obesity and specialized recreation legislation. A physically active lifestyle through recreation is a viable strategy for disease prevention, social connection outside the home and health promotion. Public parks and recreation facilities offer low-cost opportunities to citizens of every age, ability and income level and thus contribute to improving health.
- Support Healthy Eating and Active Living.
- Support Buy Local Initiatives
| STATE |
SECURE STATE SUPPORT FOR AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
| FEDERAL |
In partnership with a coalition of national organizations, support adoption of the PLAY Every Day Act of 2007. This is intended to promote the national recommendation for physical activity for kids, families and communities.
IMPROVED NUTRITION and PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACT of 2007 (IMPACT)
Support passage of the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act of 2007. This legislation would establish funding for grants to local government to provide health services for improved nutrition, increased physical activity and obesity prevention.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE and PREVENTION AMERICA ACT (HeLP)
The HeLP Act seeks to improve the health of Americans and reduce health care costs by reorienting the nation's health care system towards prevention, wellness, and self-care.
NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE ACT (NCLI)
This act provides incentives for the development and enhancement of environmental education programs focused on getting children outdoors and learning about nature. Seek funds for Metro Parks Tacoma to develop outdoors environmental education programs.
| LOCAL |
| NATURE, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION |
| STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL |
- Support reauthorization of the Washington Biodiversity Council – the council operates within the RCO and has helped fund work in Pierce County that is oriented toward conserving the rich biological diversity of our region.
- Identify funding for Open Space /Habitat Restoration
SUPPORT FUNDING FOR THE ACTIONS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE PUGET SOUND
The Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda recommends starting with expenditures to restore Puget Sound at a modest scale and testing solutions carefully before ramping them up. The Partnership is proposing an incremental enhancement of $200 million to $300 million for the 2009-11 biennium.
SPORTS FISHING/BOAT LAUNCHES
Seek to protect fishing and related activities to the maximum extent possible in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. Maintenance of some level of sport of fishing on lower Puget Sound is directly tied to the economic viability of the Boathouse Marina and related facilities
| FEDERAL |
SUPPORT CLOSE-TO-HOME ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES FOR ALL.
SUPPORT NATIONAL POLICIES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY and ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLILITY.
| LOCAL |
- Support strategies identified by the City of Tacoma's Green Ribbon Task Force, dedicated to fostering a sustainable local economy.
- Identify funding for Open Space /Habitat Restoration
Last Updated: Jun 10, 2009 4:31 PM