Neighborhood group Friends of Greenwood Park is hoping to receive funding to develop a long-term plan for four open plots along the eastern edge of the current Greenwood Park.

The group finalized their application for a Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant from the city last week and wants to use the land to fulfill the community's growing interest in a neighborhood P-Patch or a multi-faceted expansion that would cater to a number of user groups.

Seattle Parks purchased two of the four plots, located on Fremont Avenue North from North 87th Street to North 90th Street, in 2005 with Pro Parks Levy Opportunity money after the group had applied for funding.

Friends of Greenwood Park are hoping to purchase the last two available plots so they can work their long-term plan for all four plots rather than planning the properties piece by piece.

When initial planning for the construction of Greenwood Park was begun in 1999, the community got together through public meetings to help decide what resident's would like to see in their community park. The park was then completed in 2003.

"The majority of people were interested in having a play area and an open space for sports," said Loretta Vosk, chair of Friends of Greenwood Park. "Those were the uses that were really overwhelmingly supported at the time."

Even after the success of applying and receiving funding to purchase two of the four available plots, the properties were left untouched until recently when a revived interest and new level of excitement came from residents. They wanted to finally make use of the properties.

If awarded a Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant, funding that will be matched one to one by the Department of Neighborhoods with in-kind services, cash or volunteer time, the Greenwood Park steering committee hopes to use the funding to hire a landscape architect.

Interested neighborhood parties will be invited to design meetings over the summer held by the potential planner and will be a platform for the community to give input, share ideas, ask questions and give comments for the property's long-term plan.

"As far as Greenwood Park, I'm excited about it because it's actually a very large piece of land," said Kate Martin, president of Greenwood Community Council. "I think that there's a lot of under served user groups and it gives us a chance to look at those and to start to serve them."

Martin said she would not like to see the expansion of Greenwood Park follow the common mold of parks created to provide open space and playgrounds specifically for young children.

"We don't want to just serve a certain age group," Martin said. "We want to get seniors, teens and be able to round out user groups to what we ultimately end up putting there. It's always great to get different ideas for uses."

If you interested in volunteering hours to assist Friends of Greenwood Park acquire hours for the Neighborhood Matching Fund contact Ronnie B. Wolfe at ronni.wolfe@gmail.com.

Allison Espiritu may be reached at 783-1244 or allisone@robinsonnews.com.