September 12th, 2011
This afternoon in High Point, I stood with Mayor McGinn and acting Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, Christopher Williams, as the mayor announced his preferred option for the future of our community centers. Mayor McGinn will incorporate our Option #2, or the Geographic Management and Service Level option, into his 2012 budget. It is unusual […]
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August 5th, 2011
The Parks & Seattle Center Committee met yesterday with a full agenda, and I’d like to take a moment to revisit the meeting. Our first focus was again on Building 11 at Magnuson Park. Over the course of four committee meetings, my colleagues and I have evaluated a proposed lease amendment that made alterations to a lease […]
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June 14th, 2011
Last fall, City Council spent weeks trying to adopt a balanced budget that reflected our City’s values. This was no easy task as we faced millions in cuts. As you may know, I chair the Parks and Seattle Center Committee and, historically, when budget cuts are made, Parks takes a large portion of those reductions. […]
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March 15th, 2011
Seattle Parks and Recreation operates 26 community centers throughout the city. The cost to run the centers far exceeds revenue brought in from center programs. Because of the current difficult budget situation, the department is exploring alternatives that would offer continued services for the public, while reducing costs. New methods of management, staffing, fundraising and […]
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January 25th, 2011
City Council has asked Seattle Parks and Recreation to re-think how community centers are operated. This process will include public meetings to discuss with the community ideas for how centers can be run more effectively and more efficiently. We heard hundreds of requests during the budget process to keep all 26 centers open without making […]
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