PR: Restored funding will keep parks open, maintained

Last Thursday was the last that boaters hoping to use the lake at Spanaway Park will find the front gates locked due to Pierce County budget cuts. The Pierce County Council this week put $80,000 back into the Parks and Recreation Services budget to keep Spanaway Park and others open every day for the rest of the summer and resume regular maintenance that had been discontinued. Councilmembers unanimously approved a supplemental 2010 budget measure (2010-26s) on Tuesday that uses general-fund reserves to re-open the parks, reinstate maintenance at Gonyea Playfield in Parkland, Dawson Playfield in Midland and Spanaway’s Sprinker Recreation Center, and hire extra seasonal help.

“Our parks provide a welcome break, especially in a summer when tough economic times mean people aren’t traveling as far,” Council Chair Roger Bush (District 3) said. “We thought it was worth going into reserves to keep these parks open, maintained and usable for the rest of the season.”

Maintenance can mean anything from mowing and weeding grass areas to restroom cleaning, ball field grooming, and inspecting and repairing picnic tables, shelters and water fountains. Community members have attempted to take over maintenance duties in the interim at some parks through the county’s Adopt-A-Park program.

Services were eliminated at 16 Pierce County parks and reduced at 17 more in the 2010 budget, and the department’s budget had been reduced by 10 percent since early 2009. For example, the cuts led parks staff to close Spanaway Park on Wednesdays and Thursdays since May 1.

For more on closures or reduced services, visit Parks and Recreation Services’ list of parks with limited service.