Thanksgiving came early for the operators of the Evergreen Community Aquatic Pool in White Center on Friday, Nov. 18 when King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the pool will receive a $70,521 Youth Sports Facilities grant.

Butch Lovelace of the King County Parks Department said the grant money will go toward improving the pool’s heating system, the center’s largest expense.

“It will greatly reduce their cost of energy,” Lovelace declared. “It will go a long ways to making them more sustainable.”

Starfire Sports in Tukwila also received a $60,000 grant for their indoor sports fields.

Highline Public Schools received a $20,000 grant for Moshier Park Field in Burien.

Matching fund grants totaling $685,185 that will help build new sports complexes, playgrounds, an equestrian center and a rowing facility were announced today by Constantine.

“Through these grants we can support the kind of activities that promote good health, build self-esteem, and teach teamwork,” said Executive Constantine.

King County Parks’ Youth Sports Facilities Grant (YSFG) program will leverage nearly $1.5 million for local parks and recreation projects through partnerships with cities, schools and local community organizations.

The grants, as large as $75,000, are administered by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. The YSFG program is funded and sustained through a one-quarter of 1 percent car rental taxes, and funds can only be used for developing and constructing facilities, and not for maintenance or operations costs.
Participating community organizations must match the grant money.

“By partnering with these worthy organizations, we are able to accomplish more than any of us could do alone,” said the Executive.
King County has awarded more than $11 million in grants since the program's inception 1993 inception, resulting in nearly 300 new or renovated youth sports facilities.

Suburban cities and school districts are encouraged to partner with youth sports leagues and community organizations to apply for grants. Grant funds can be used for a variety of projects, including construction or rehabilitation of ball fields, playgrounds and sport courts, among others.