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*** Spokane 42.9 Mill Parks Bond On Ballot ***

Spokane, Washington -- 08/14/2007
Monday night Spokane city council members voted
unanimously to put a 42.9 million dollar parks bond
measure on the November ballot.

The Park bond that will appear
on the ballot will include the following:

Sport/Recreation Improvements at the Joe Albi Stadium Site
- $11 million Construct improvements including softball facilities,
soccer fields, a skateboard park, a BMX Bike park, playground,
and related facilities.

Youth Baseball Improvements - $3 million
Construct youth baseball field improvements
at various City parks.

Neighborhood Swimming Pools & Splash Pad Improvements
- $30. mil. Replace the five existing outdoor pools (Cannon,
Comstock, Hillyard, Liberty and Witter) with similar size or
larger facilities. Construct a new neighborhood outdoor pool
in the northwest neighborhood to replace the closed Shadle pools.
Install up to ten new splash pad water features in Parks throughout
the City.

City Council sends park bond to Spokane voters

The Spokane City Council unanimously decided on
Monday to let the people of Spokane vote in November
on a multi-million dollar park bond.

The measure to put the 42.9 million dollar bond on the
November ballot was approved in a 7-0 vote in a city
council meeting on Monday night.

“I think the proposal is mix needed and what voters can
afford to pass,” Spokane City Councilman Bob Apple said.

The bond covers three main
areas of the city’s parks and pools.

Seven million dollars would go to build a sports
complex at Joe Albi Stadium with soccer fields,
softball fields, a BMX track, and a skate board park.

There will also be three million dollars
designated for baseball fields at various city parks.

In addition to these other funds, 30 million dollars will be
designated to replace the city's five crumbling pools. This
will include the building of a new pool in northwest Spokane,
which will replace the indoor pool that recently closed at Shadle.

The money would also be used to build ten spray pads in
area parks to replace the wading pools that were removed.

Last week the park board took out a proposed indoor
aquatics facility from its recommendation. The indoor pool
was something that the voters wanted, but with the cutting
of this facility from the bond, the board was able to shave
off millions of dollars from the bond.

The reaction is mixed among Spokane residents
as to whether or not to approve this bond.

“It's a shame most only use 70 days a year, I know my
organization work with parks board and possibly do a
temp covering at Whitter pools and have an indoor facility
on a year round basis,” said Spokane resident Todd Marsh.

As proposed, the bond will cost land owners, about
$24 for every $100,000 of their properties assessed
value.

“I would definitely support it, anything we can do to
give kids an outlet to spend time is great not just for
kids but community as well,” said resident Alex Martin.

There is a large amount of taxpayer money attached to
this bond, but some residents feel that the money is worth
using if it can give kids more activities.

“I would defiantly support it because kids need something to
do instead of being on our streets,” another city resident
Nancy Betts said.

Several other people who spoke to us said that they will
not vote for the bond because the city has too many othe
r issues and the pools are only open 70 days a year, but
none of the people who were against the measure wanted
to be quoted.

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