Since Paul Allen has given us the new Seattle Seahawks, it'sobvious he knows a thing or two about sports investments that getthe ball rolling toward bigger and better things.
Thanks to the Microsoft co-founder, the National Football Leaguefranchise he bought in 1997 has been built into a contender.
And thanks to Allen, Yakima is now headed in the direction of amuch-needed sports complex that will be of huge benefit to thearea's young people.
Last week, the Yakima Greenway and three area athleticorganizations received a $300,000 grant to help pay for theconstruction of the multi-million-dollar sports complex in TerraceHeights. The money comes from a $10 million fund created for youthactivity facilities around the state.
The project, planned to be built on Hartford Road west ofButterfield Road, was unveiled in July. Studies have shown theoriginal price tag of $2.5 million was too low; construction costsfor the project now are estimated to be between $3 million and $4million. The proposal calls for 24 fields on 60 acres for girlsfastpitch softball, Little League baseball and youth soccer, as wellas acreage for small neighborhood parks and pathways.
Some of the things we like about this proposal:
The partnership involving the Greenway Foundation, Greater YakimaGirls Softball Association, Yakima Youth Soccer and Yakima NationalLittle League is a viable collaboration of four local groups with ashared vision: ensuring a long-term recreational opportunity forlots of local kids.
Because the Greenway already owns most of the land, the projectcost is a real bargain and provides a lot of bang for the buck. TheGreenway owns 45 acres and is negotiating with the state Departmentof Transportation to lease an adjoining 15-acre state-owned parcelfor the soccer fields.
The complex continues and broadens the Greenway's long-term goalof preserving land for public use, a mission it has handled verywell in the Yakima River corridor over the years.
Out of 61 similar requests for the Allen Fund money from acrossthe state, Yakima was tabbed as the second most in need of new ballfields. It was the No. 1 project in the region.
Additional money will come from fund raisers and contributions bythe Greater Yakima Girls Softball Association, Yakima NationalLittle League and Yakima Youth Soccer Association. The fourorganizations jointly will design, build, manage and maintain thefields. Officials for the Greenway project say they hope to beginexcavating the site next year and want to have the fields in use by2003.
The Allen Fund is only providing seed money, to be sure, but it'sa good push in the right direction. And we don't doubt for a minutethat the groups spearheading this endeavor will see it through, andthat bodes well for the future of the community's youth.
Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are RobertBickler, Sarah Jenkins and Bill Lee.
