Seattle Community Network
We are a group of neighbors and residents who live in the neighborhood of the Queen Anne Bowl (aka the playfield of Rodgers Park) who are concerned about over development of a peaceful neighborhood park into a full time sports venue.
Organized sports interests influence the Seattle Parks Department to the extent that many neighborhood parks are being developed to support league activities only. The heightened use of the parks have a detrimental effect upon the neihborhoods where they are located in terms of extended hours, of noise, dedicated use, traffic, and light trespass.
We feel that parks and playfield should be not used or developed exclusively for organized sports. They should be used equally by the neighborhoods and leagues in a way that will not detrimentally affect the neighborhoods.
Queen Anne Bowl is such a playfield that should be protected from over zealous sports development. It is a natural environment that is a peaceful and fun place to play. To turn it into a harried and developed venue is really a crime against Seattle neighborhoods.
If you support this position please send email to alix.odgen@ci.seattle.wa.us and express your concerns. This is an issue that will eventually affect the feeling and environment of Seattle neighborhoods where ever they are located.
Friends of Queen Anne Bowl
PO Box 51212
Seattle, WA 98115
qabowl@scn.orgPlease write or email us and we will put you on our mailing list to keep you updated of progress to keep neighborhood parks from being monopolized by any one interest. Thank you.
For sussinct details of just what's at stake here, keep scrolling down
E-mail qabowl@scn.org
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE QUEEN ANNE BOWL?
A lot. After spending $800,000 to install the professional level plastic surface at the Queen Anne Bowl in the spring of 1998, the DPR wants to now spend the following:
Athletic Field Lighting $279,300.00
Renovate Ex. Cinder Track $105,336.00
ADA Access From N.W. School $59,850.00
Comfort Station Renovation $114,712.50
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TOTAL $559,198.50**Joint School/Parks Athletic Facilities Development Program, August 4, 2000
WHY IS ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING BEING INSTALLED AT THE QUEEN ANNE BOWL?
The goal of DPR is to increase scheduling capacity for citywide organized sport leagues that pay for exclusive use of public athletic fields. Organized adult sport leagues are demanding more convenient scheduling opportunities on "world class" athletic fields. Organized sport leagues are a powerful, well-organized, special interest group, which have been controlling the development and management of our cities public playfields.
Consider the DPR’s stated goal to, "Increase scheduling capacity by making changes to field surface and/or lighting where feasible…" And to "seek to light fields that currently have all weather or synthetic surfaces." As well as, "Seek to install all weather or, preferable, synthetic field surfaces on sites that already have lights. JAFDP Draft Aug. 25, 2001. Page 15
IS LIGHTING THE QUEEN ANNE BOWL NECESSARY TO SATISFY CITYWIDE DEMAND?
No, Ample opportunities exist to reasonable address increased demand without harming the public interest in free drop-in use and neighborhood quality of life. The JAFDP is a massive expenditure of public funds, which seeks to expand scheduling capacity for the entire region. Over 50 projects across the city are proposed at a cost to taxpayers of over $136 million dollars.
Consider DPR following statement: "The 2001-2002 JAFDP update recommends a significant future investment in synthetic turf at selected sites." JAFDP draft page 8. In fact the JAFDP draft recommends at least 46 synthetic fields each costing approximately 1million dollars. All the synthetic fields will need replacement in ten years. DPR memorandum Feb.4, 2000
Furthermore, the expansiveness of the program is questionable. Consider the 1997 DPR briefing documents to the Seattle City Council which states "Upgrading three key facilities alone would relieve 40% of the pressure on the City’s ballfield system:" JAFDP Background November, 1997 page 8
WILL QUEEN ANNE SPORT TEAMS BENEFIT FROM THE INSTALLATION OF ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING?
No, the DPR is interested in meeting citywide demand. A major renter of the QAB has been King County adult leagues. DPR states, "Due to the nature of use and amount of demand for athletic fields, field scheduling is accomplished on a citywide not a neighborhood basis. Some effort is made to accommodate youth sports and local adult leagues on local area fields but this is not always possible." *JAFDP draft August 2001,page 6
DPR’s scheduling policy, which fails to maximize community access, is particularly disconcerting in field developments that use King County Youth Grant Funding (Queen Anne Bowl being one). Because having kids play in their neighborhood is the goal of the funding program.
WILL DROP-IN USERS BENEFIT FORM THE INSTALLATION OF ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING?
No, the general public who drops-in to play ball with family or friends will be excluded from evening use. Again, the goal of the nighttime development is to increase scheduling capacity for organized adult sport leagues.
WILL KIDS BENEFIT FROM THE INSTALLATION OF LIGHTS AT THE QUEEN ANNE BOWL?
No. Since evening scheduling is reserved for adults and local access is not always possible, kids in organized sports from the neighborhood would not benefit. Furthermore the current designation of youth only at Big Howe which has athletic field lighting would direct adult play to the Queen Anne Bowl. DPR has refused to consider the QAB Stewardships Committee recommendation to designated the QAB as a youth only field.
Consider DPR stated policy."On week nights, adult use is accommodated after the youth in the mid-evening hours until about 10 or 11 p.m."JAFDP draft page 6. And, "Seattle Parks continues to schedule most of its lighted fields until 11 PM in order to accommodate adult play." JAFDP draft page 8 And finally, "…most adult play is better accommodated on all weather or synthetic turf fields because the intensity of use by adult players is not appropriate for grass surface."JAFDP draft page 8
WILL LIGHTING THE QUEEN ANNE BOWL NEGATIVELY IMPACT MY QUALITY OF LIFE?
Yes, Athletic field lighting until 11P.M. daily, will destroy the quiet after dusk character of North Queen Anne.. The one consistent feature found in neighborhood real estate flyers, claming a "Quiet residential setting" will no longer be true. This negative impact cannot be mitigated . Although every neighbor of an athletic field expects noise and sometimes lots of it! Modern technology has created artificial field surfaces, which allow noise every single day, 365 days a year. Historically natural fields had to rest (i.e. not be scheduled) in order to maintain a quality playing surface. And sports were seasonal. The installation of these professional level artificial surfaces in residential settings combined with year-round demand is unprecedented. Thus the level of negative impact to surrounding neighbors is equally unprecedented. Additional impact includes light glare and spill, altered easterly views, increased parking and traffic late at night, offensive player behavior, reduced property values.
WILL FREE DROP-IN USE BE PRESERVED?
No, Although free-drop in use defines a ‘public’ athletic field, the DPR has failed to uphold this fundamental responsibility. Imagine a ‘public’ swimm ing pool that now provides only for those able to join a competitive swimming team. Taxpayer funding requires equitable use by all. The Seattle Parks Department has lost sight of this essential truth.
Consider DPR’s new subjective policy on free public use:"As part of our public involvement process, the Department may consider providing scheduled community use of the field." JAFDP Draft Page 14
The above statement fails to "Manage existing recreation facilities to maximize community access and use of available spaces for desired recreation and community-based programming." Seattle COMPLAN Plan 2000 Primary Role And Responsibility for Management of Park Facilities, page 17. As well as, fails to "make multi-use the cornerstone of design principles for program spaces within community centers," Seattle COMPLAN 2000 page 15
And finally DPR has failed to, "Improve the health and well being of our city’s people as individuals, families, and neighborhoods as well as refresh their spirits by providing and maintaining open spaces, recreational facilities, and programs tailored to their needs." Seattle Parks COMPLAN, Fundamental Responsibilities Page 11.
WILL THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PROTECT NEIGHBORHOOD INTERESTS?
No. Will they try to act like they will? Yes. In 1998 Mayor Paul Schell and Park Superintendent Ken Bounds gave our neighborhood written assurance that lights were not planned for the Queen Anne Bowl. They gave those assurance all the while knowing that lights were planned as they were included in the 1997 JAFDP as adopted Seattle City Council Resolution #29681.
The DPR has ignored the Queen Anne Community Councils request to limit scheduled hour to 1200 per year. (1200 hours of scheduled use is as much scheduled use as many lit natural athletic fields.) And the DPR has even refused to show the public the planning level costs associated with this $136 million dollar program!
The Seattle Parks Department is very committed to providing for organized sport interests. For the last five years organized sports league representatives have meet monthly at parks headquarters to strategize development and funding for athletic fields. The financial achievements of the JAFDP thus far are staggering. Through two school levies, the Pro Parks levy and several other sources over the next few years, they will have on hand 95 million dollars!
In preparation for the 2001- 2002 JAFDP update, The Department mailed a survey to user groups (organized sport leagues) in an effort to assess unmet demand for fields. Yet the parks department refused to post one sign telling the surrounding neighborhood that the parks dept. is planning to pursue funding for 85’ to 100’ foot light poles in their neighborhood. Forever altering the after dusk character of their community. Apparently posted notice of athletic field lighting arrives after funding is secured.
The DPR prefers the plastic athletic fields in spite of their expense because they are easier and cheaper to maintain and they generate revenue. The Seattle Parks Department’s ability to protect the public interest has been seriously compromised.
WHY MORE PLASTIC GRASS FOR BIG HOWE AND TWO SITES IN MAGNOLIA?
For all the reasons stated above. The same issues will arrive. Big Howe’s youth only soccer designation will be challenged at some point because of DPR belief that ‘adult play is better accommodated on all weather or synthetic turf fields because the intensity of use by adults players is not appropriate for grass surface."
For the same reason the Magnolia Elementary School field will probably not get that promised "youth" designation. And even more unsettling is the DPR statement that, "Generally, it does not make sense to install either all weather or synthetic surface without field lights to achieve extended use.