Cheney ranked second to receive grant for Betz Park

By BECKY THOMAS

Staff Reporter

A $500,000 application to build fields and infrastructure at the park on Betz Road was recently ranked second in the state by the Recreation and Conservation Office.

City leaders are celebrating the top ranking—which would ensure funding in a typical year—but warn that the funding may be at risk as state budget deficits loom.

“We're very excited about it,” parks and recreation director Paul Simmons said. “We've owned that land for 13 years and this is the first viable funding source.”

The $500,000 grant requires a $500,000 match from the city and would pay for construction of baseball, softball and soccer fields as well as infrastructure, restrooms and parking at the 50-acre site on the corner of Betz Road and Washington Street.

The Washington State RCO offers grants every other year for recreational land acquisition, habitat conservation and local parks. But with another shortfall projected for the state's 2011-13 budget, Simmons said the funds could be moved to fill the budget gap.

In a budget document from the governor in June, the grant funds were mentioned as a state activity that could be “suspended during these difficult times.”

Simmons said the fact that these specific funds were used as an example was troubling.

“It isn't an end-all be-all, but the fact that it uses this program as an example of what could be cut puts us on edge,” he said.

Simmons has begun organizing a letter-writing campaign to lobby for the continuation of the funds. He said he hoped Cheney residents would meet a goal of 500 letters sent to the governor and legislative representatives, while he planned to challenge other communities on the funding list to contact their legislators as well.

“We're trying to take a leadership role and push a grassroots movement if we can,” he said.

While the city had planned to begin construction of the park as soon as the grant was secured in early 2011, Simmons said the precarious funding situation meant that they would wait until the check was in hand, which could push construction back til after the state budget is finalized next summer.

The rankings, which were announced in September, will be finalized by the RCO board before going to the Legislature for approval in the early spring. Simmons said the legislature could adjust the funding amount, but not the rankings.

The RCO has $7.5 million budget for local parks grants, which would fund rankings 1-21, Simmons said.

“The good thing for us is our project was ranked number 2,” he said. The grant funds would have to be almost completely wiped out to cut into Cheney's funding.

Even so, city leaders have said a total sweep of funds is possible. City administrator Arlene Fisher said she wanted legislators to see the positive economic impact of public construction projects.

“I think that's very telling on how important infrastructure projects like this are,” she said. “It's jobs, period.”

Simmons said he was drafting a template letter for residents to sign and mail to legislators as well as a basic rundown of the grant, Cheney's application and the advantages of starting construction on the park. He said he would seek the help of residents in the coming weeks.

“We really need help from our community here,” he said.

For more information, contact the parks and recreation department at 498-9250.

Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].