Alright. Thank you so much, Phoebe.
Next up, I believe, is Hannah Thomas, who might be there.
I'll give you permission to talk. You'll need to unmute yourself and go ahead.
Yes, we can hear you.
안녕하세요.
Speak big and loud, Anna!
아 나와.
아울러 스마트해요 fdr korea. 모르겠어요. 감사합니다. 알았어 언니 살아있어요.
Okay, Anna, thank you so much.
아 오늘은 구 월 2041 너무 귀여워.
Ian, even Prickmore. Okay, Ian, I'll give you permission to talk to me, to unmute yourself.
Alright. Thank you very much.
Yeah. Hello. My name is Ian David Crickmore. I'm a environmental consultant who's lived in Seattle, lived and worked in Seattle for the last 12 years.
I'm here today to ask the Parks Commission to.
Preserve the grass field at Fairmount Park in West Seattle, and to not convert it to artificial.
Turf, athletic field. Grass fields are green spaces. They provide mitigation for urban heat. Islands improve stormwater infiltration.
And provide habitat. They also provide a place to relax and reduce anxiety.
Grass fields, provide these benefits to the community, and also provide space for organized sports.
But artificial turfs. Remove these benefits permanently, and replace them.
With a source of chemicals and microplastics.
Most residents want green spaces.
Not artificial, athletic fields.
The Seattle parks and rec.
2,017 survey shows that.
72% of respondents list enjoyment of outdoors and relaxation as a primary reason for visiting parks.
Which is the number. One reason given for park visitation.
On the 8% of respondents listed as a primary reason for park visitation.
And only 4% said they want to have more athletic fields.
Fairmount Park in West Seattle is the only.
Meaningfully large and accessible green space within walking distance.
Of the entire with Seattle urban village hub.
This hub already has an artificial turf field.
At the West Seattle Stadium.
But if the grass field at Fairmount Park is replaced.
There will be no green space available.
To these residents at all.
Please protect the green space and the grass field at Fairmount Park.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak.
Thank you, and good use of time. You were picking up.
Next up Carrie Christensen.
Worked in Denny Blaine neighborhood 5 days a week.
For 10 plus years.
A few things that I've made about going to work.
Being regularly exposed to people performing park.
Park users complete disregard following rules and regulations set by the Parks department, as well as ignoring parking and traffic laws.
Why have rules and laws in place, if not enforced?
I can't get away from this, as I have to go work.
This is the same for ups fedex utility workers in various contractors.
In the neighborhood. We don't have a choice of what we are forced to experience on a recurring basis from certain users of Danny's.
I would ask all of you.
What is your expectation of going to a Seattle park?
Have you ever been to Denny Park on a warm, sunny day.
Would you take your family there.
In June. Neighbors were promised visits, visits from Parkers, and more parking enforcement than it included towing. I've seen Park Rangers once.
Ticketing has happened that has no effect on illegal parking.
I feel that the people who are making decisions about this park don't truly understand the impact that this park has on the neighborhood.
Park Users can go home.
The neighbors are already home.
They are the ones that have to deal with problems on a daily basis. Thank you.
Next up, Mike.
Hey!
Thank you all for getting us to speak. I'm talking to me about 2 programs, and Eddie Vine.
This is a limited Time group.
Does anyone know the project at West Seattle.
And if it is.
Yeah, I assume you're not gonna have. There's 1 more could be added.
Finally, it used to be there some years ago.
And looks like there's 1 short and.
The new ones they put in. There's 2 pictures.
That have Jaden Steele.
Spears sticking out the end of it. So we bring your boat up.
I put a dent on the quote. This big.
But if it's a fiber glass, we go right through the side of the boat.
It's real, real, dangerous.
Knows wrongly, and it's the practice to hook each dog together.
It's sticking out.
And the ramps that go down into the water concrete, and through the years they.
You know this scene, this big is now this big.
Is about 6 to 8 inches deep.
So if you're back in your trail just calling you real quick.
And that's it. On our meeting.
The restrooms are often locked.
The gays are often closed when we show up in the morning.
And I know why. That is 30.
Yeah, you wanna tell? Well, then, you're penalized for sure.
If you have security, there.
Why don't you? You're not driving.
Get those people out.
So. And I've seen people.
Go off over the lines and everything else.
She'll show.
Same thing with the restrooms. They're not open when.
The people arrived early in the morning.
And they don't open them up until pretty much everybody's kind of like opening expressways after.
Okay, your time is up. You can. Also get us a copy of your written comments if you would like, and we will pass those out.
Rampant anybody.
I don't think they fixed it this week.
Interesting. Thank you for.
Great next up Alex!
Arcs, Alec.
I will give you permission to talk to me. Unmute yourself. You'll have 2 min.
Hello! Can you hear me?
Hey? I am here tonight to talk about the noise from the pickleball cord in the Gilman Playground park in Ballard.
My wife and I have lived in a home on the same block as the Gilman playground for 5 years, and we share our backyard fence with the Parks pickleball Court.
The there's constant noise from the pickleball, the clacking of the rackets, and the players loudly and yelling, and the noise has become unbearable, and prevents any moment of silence in our home.
During any moment of daylight, and a lot of times into the late night.
I've emailed the Parks department this summer about especially late week nights of loud and disruptive play until 1030 pm. And later.
And I haven't received much of a response. So I'm here today to.
Ask to take some actions, to hopefully give my family and home life tranquility and peace of mind that we're sorely missing. Since the pickleball courts have been there.
I think there are some immediate and relatively cheap actions that the city can take, including the hours of the court, and potentially reducing the days of the court, and I would also like to ask the city to consider a new citywide policy about restricting pickle ball court locations based on the proximity to residents, because.
They are extremely disruptive for the residents that live close, and while the players get to enjoy them, and we're happy that people use them. The players get to go home afterwards, but the people who live there.
Constantly hear the noise.
I I provided a lot more in a written email to Benjamin, and he said he forwarded it to the group. So.
I'll leave it there. Thank you for the chance to speak.
Great. Thank you. Next up Linda.
Plus might be mispronouncing, but.
You can correct me.
Looks like it's no longer the room here.
Dory. Why, Sucky Dory, I'm assuming you might be. Dw, so I'm going to give you permission to talk, and if that is, you go ahead and unmute, and you will have 2 min.
Hello! Can you hear me?
Yes.
Hooray! I'm surprised I thought it for sure. Wouldn't work.
Okay, I work within the class, and we support the Gallia garden at Volunteer Park.
And we've been doing that for.
20 to 30 years.
And we.
We're getting less support than we used to have.
And maintaining those gardens.
And we, for instance, you guys rotate bro.
2 years ago, and it wasn't fixed this year.
And we had the hand turn over a lot of the garden and works.
Seniors, so you know it would be nice, and we can do it quick.
Quicker if we can get that equipment that we're used to having for years and years.
Working. And the other thing that we're running into is that the rhododendrons are encroaching on the garden itself.
And we were hope. We put in a request to get them trimmed back.
And we haven't had success in getting that fixed.
And.
See what else Linda was supposed to do. The main kid, so I was supposed to be back up.
So so bear with me here.
And if it would be at all possible.
The sprinkler system, water, the flower.
It looks like it needs some adjustment, and.
Course we can't do that. We can't bring in our own equipment to solve these problems.
So we need some.
Help and getting some action on some of this stuff.
Last year we had 80 to 100 stolen.
So we, rather than attaching the real names.
On the plans we encoded them, and this year we had a much less.
And I don't know if there's anything that can be done about that, whether you have told or something that go through and.
See if
Perfect happening, or.
i i i have no idea.
And is there a way we can get.
Hey, Dori, we've got this like one more second, and then
Okay, okay, well, is there a way to get our issues?
Highlighted, so we can get some action. If somebody could.
Let us know that. How to do that I'd appreciate that.
Okay, thank you. And and Dory, I, it looks like.
Thanks.
Linda rejoined us here. So.
We'll be able to maybe get her side of things as well. And, Linda, I see you back in the room, so I'll go back and give you permission to talk. You'll need to unmute yourself, and you'll have 2 min.
Okay.
Our problems associated with the garden in the past few years have been expanding.
A lot of them are associated with the failure.
Of the parks to hire enough gardeners.
I'm gonna try to keep this to 2 min. So my 2 pages aren't gonna be.
Really helpful. We have a 30 year history when the park, providing the Dalia garden.
And we're important to the neighborhood.
We provide.
Both care of the dahlias and.
We teach the neighbors on how to grow dahlias.
The ability to maintain this garden over the past.
5 years or so. It's.
Decreased because of.
The lack of.
Mechanic, our support.
From the Park in the past.
We have been able to get tilling done, and the Rota tillers have been broken for the last 2 years.
We've always had enough gardeners to respond to our emails, and they try.
But sometimes it's not prompting. The emails kind of get lost.
And we've had equipment failures in the watering system.
Once poor Dory got soaking wet.
Trying to shut the water off.
Because the
The link to the water.
Didn't close when we remove the connector.
And it created a fountain kind of effect.
And it flooded that end of the garden. This is the second time that's happened to us.
The watering system doesn't necessarily cover the whole garden.
3 years ago it broke.
On the north end.
And at the end of the season, you know.
In September and October. It got no water, and we had to dig it all out early.
This year. And last year it was just small areas that didn't.
Reach, and part of that was probably because no one's pruning the rhododendrons back.
And when the sprinklers go across.
They don't reach certain areas of the garden.
Your time is up. But you can go ahead and send us a letter through Ben, who you signed up for public comment, and we will make sure the rest of the information gets to the board. So thank you.
Yeah. And if you don't mind if I just add in
I, Linda Dory? I'm John. I'm on the board, but I'm also chair of Volunteer Park Trust.
And if you'd like to send you can just go into the website of Volunteer Park Trust org.
And just send an email to the info at Link.
And maybe we can, partner to help connect you to the gardeners and help you with some of these issues. So I'm.
Happy to do that separately.
So we can either give you some more information or just go to Volunteer Park Trust and send a note, and I'll let our Admin know to look out for it. Thank you.
That's okay. Thank you. To everyone who provide a public comment. And let's jump to the folks on screen. I see Whitney and John, if you wouldn't mind introducing.
To the rest.
Yeah, I'm kind of unmuted. So Hi, there! I'm John Flynn for being a few minutes late tonight.
Joining remotely because I'm traveling.
But I'm a commissioner and represent District 3.
Whitney.
Thanks. Hi Whitney. I use she and her. I am in a commission seat.
But I oh, my gosh! It's late. I I live in a district most of my time in District 2.
And sorry to join a little late. Happy to be here.
And might we have a quorum to go back to the consent items? Okay.
So circulated by email. You should have received meeting minutes for the August 8 meeting as well as an agenda for today. And I wonder if I might ask for a motion to please consent.
Any discussion.
All in favor. And those online just reach again.
Any opposed.
Consent.
Alright. Turn this over to Christopher. Maybe before I jump into that. I'd like to respond to some of the public feedback we've heard, and I'll just start out by thanking.
And Hannah for.
Jumping on the public comment for your feedback about the help and support our staff.
Has provided. I also want to next acknowledge that.
Ian Crickmore, who made the comment about Fairmont Park, and just
Clarify that it is our policy.
To install synthetic turf.
Deals, where we have lighting.
I don't believe Fairmount Park is a park with
Liking, so we wouldn't attempt to expand the use by installing a synthetic turf field at a venue or a site that didn't have.
Lightning Carrie Christensen.
We're gonna meet with you and your neighbors at any park with Superintendent A. Pds. And.
Many of us from the park department. So thank you for showing up today.
Mike also mentioned that.
Concerns about.
The boat ramp at a show bay and rather bathroom to bay, and the boat ramp had done our meeting, and coming from a fellow salmon fisherman I did it with the boat ramp, and
You know Ben and Paula.
Maybe we could connect.
Andy with.
Mike, get some information about that boat ramp.
Then closing out here.
Alec brought up the Pickle Ball Concern at Gilman Park.
Andy, we've got a staff person on your team.
Has become our pickleball expert, and maybe you could get that name.
Ben and Paula.
And he could just have a discussion just for this group. We are exploring.
Pickable standards that require a sound deadening paddle.
It was news to me that most of the.
Sound emanating from a pickleball court.
Comes from contact with the ball in the paddle. Not necessarily the ball.
Striking the ground, and there is a new innovation with a paddle.
That is basically very quiet. So we're exploring how to make that standard. And then thank you to Dalia. I'm sorry to Dory and Linda, for your years of stewardship.
At the Dolly Garden and Volunteer Park. I also think here, if we could pass on their contact information.
To Stephanie Shelton for Culture Manager and arrange maybe site meeting a discussion.
So what we can do to improve next summer.
I think that would be responsive to that feedback.
Okay. Well, now, I will get into the superintendents. Report.
A brief note about ap
Was at the World Urban Parks Conference this week.
In Amsterdam. He will be returning tomorrow.
So I'm standing in for the superintendent tonight.
Okay, so this has been a busy couple of weeks here.
The Marrake has 20, rather 2,02526, proposed budget speech to the City Council.
On Tuesday, or I'm sorry. That was Monday.
And it focused on strengthening public safety.
Creating housing, affordability, supporting healthy, vibrant communities. The budget also responded to the 251 million dollar deficit. The city was facing.
For our department. The budget maintains community center hours facility, maintenance funding for new project.
And the revitalization of Westlake Park. And we're expanding investments. Key changes include expanded services.
Provided by the city's unified care team.
This is our unit within the department that focuses on removal. We will add.
6 additional staff to this team and expand from 5 to 7 day coverage. We will transfer the abatement resource from Seattle public utilities to the Park Department. This is this group of employees is known as a graffiti Rangers, and the Graffiti Rangers will join our department and.
I perform Graffini removal all over the city, not just on park property, but in public spaces as well.
We're getting $500,000 to support the design and creation of what's called a youth connector program. This is an app that platforms opportunities for young people to connect to.
Program services and opportunities in the park department. The late night program to summer climate employment opportunities will be.
On this youth Connector app.
We receive 1 point.
3 million dollars.
In 2025 and 2.2 million dollars in 2026 to support the revitalization of Westlake in time for the Fifo World Cup in 2026.
Let's see, here we have a hundred $95,000.
For pre-electification programs and support efforts to prepare community centers for decarbonization. You're gonna hear about that Justin Hill year later, and the.
Program this evening.
We have a reduction of supplemental summer season and support staff, and this reduces staffing.
And the Department administrative support for our grounds and park maintenance.
We have fee increases for community center rooms, aquatic programs, event facility.
Rentals, tennis programs, court rentals.
And I think most notably here athletic fields are increasing. So that'll be a big deal to those leagues and teams.
We're scaling that part of that programming and the park concierge.
Which was largely in response to.
The Covid epidemic and the.
Extensive use of the park system.
We're ending operations at Carteke and discovery. Part visitor centers.
An associated programming. January 26.
And during 2025 Sdr. Will explore alternative service delivery models.
For our environmental learning center programs. This is pretty much our environmental education programming. The strategy here is to.
Love for a 3rd party.
Program service provider for environmental education. So we're gonna be exploring that moving on. Or here, I wanna say a little bit more about the budget process. So
The Mayor delivered his budget proposal to the City Council. The schedule.
Typically goes, is now the budget is in the hands of the city council.
The Department will present our specific budget to.
The City Council on Monday, September 30, th will make that presentation.
The Council will hold public hearings on the budget. On October 16th and November 12.th
City Council adopt the budget by the end of November.
Usually before Thanksgiving.
And we'll do an overview of the budget at the next board meeting. So Michelle again.
Our deputy superintendent for finance and administrative services will come here and make a presentation on a lot of a lot of the things I just grabbed.
Okay. So moving on here. Seattle Park Foundation. Gayla was held last Friday. This was her 25th year.
Celebration it was held at Mo. High. They raised more than $350,000.
And the event was literally a Who's Who.
Seattle Park and recreation leaders, staff supporters, and just a whole community.
People who've been working.
And the park system for.
A lot of years. So it's really good to.
See a few people get recognition and honors, and to see the.
Park, foundation, thriving.
Athletic field summit meeting. This is our opportunity to have a.
A check in interface meeting with representatives from the
Athletic user group community.
And this will be held October 9, th and hangar to Magnuson Park.
And we expect that.
Event to be well attended, particularly in light of
I think people having interest in.
Increases for Athletic Use.
Bill Wright, will occur on October 19.th Bill, right as we've mentioned here before, was the 1st African American to.
When the Us. Gulf Association Amateur.
Championship for United States.
He participated.
And when that championship, during a time.
Where he wasn't allowed to.
Jefferson golf course. Here we are.
50 60 years later.
Naming the golf course after Bill Wright. So there's a big event.
Scheduled for October 19.th
And we're really proud to be partnering with the neighbors and the.
Community that has gotten together to propose the renaming of Jefferson golf course to the bill. Right golf course that will occur on what's notably.
Known as Bill Wright. On October 19.th
Hold my park. Public safety. This is a new park we recently opened.
And you know, frankly, we've had some challenges with whole range of illegal behaviors.
And that part we are working with Spd and the mayor's office, using the one Seattle strategy.
Approach, to minimize and.
Mitigate.
The legal behaviors at this part. One of the things we're thinking about.
Is some robust activation strategy that could include a farmer's market.
At this part for next summer, so.
Hopefully, the change in weather will help mitigate some of the.
Will help mitigate some of the behaviors in that park.
A as we work with the community over the winter to come up with a new activation strategy.
We have a new staff person in the superintendent's office. Her name is Coda Gray.
And she comes to us.
As a special advisor, and the special advisor to Ap.
She will serve
A portfolio that encompasses.
Tribal relations.
She will become our chief environmental initiatives. Officer.
In existing the growth and expansion.
Of our environmental portfolio for the department.
And she will also serve as our public private partnership manager.
With the idea of kind of increasing.
Our knowledge, access, and use of public private partnerships.
So we're really excited to have Hoda on board.
She holds a degree.
In public administration, actually a master's degree in public administration.
And a bachelor's degree in political science.
Prior to joining our Department, who is the executive director of the National Park Service for England.
Which serves as the representative organization for England national parks, and prior to that she was the policy advisor.
For the Canadian National Park Service. So.
She comes to us with a fair amount of experience, and
I imagine she will come here.
At some point and talk about her work. So look forward to meeting.
See, it's great to have on our team.
Next slide.
Hang 30, I believe, is the field summit. Oh, I see.
Building, 2.
Okay, sorry about that.
Correction. Hangar 30 is the location of the summit. Thank you.
For captioning, and I just.
Keeping.
Here the parks are in forestry. Tree crew issues in sonic tomography, technology.
Our tree crew recently conducted a health assessment of a cluster of trees in Green Lake that were potentially failing.
They catch equipment to the trees that use sound waves to detect various conditions, such as solid decade or crack. After this assessment the team then proved the trees to mitigate the failure.
Press for these trees.
This is a big deal for our department, because we have so many trees, and it's kind of a risk management.
A step that we take.
To keep trees from dropping limbs and really busy parts where we have a lot of use. Places like the Green Lake Trail.
Freeway Park, the North Division, Cruise.
Recently organized a team project at Freeway Park. This is a challenging site for staff.
To work, due to no parking and limited access on trash removal, and spreading 30 yards at most to suppress weeds and.
And to do if I could park. This park is looking really nice. We featured this Parker Greener.
Conference system, or I'm just always impressed that I'll.
Great it looks.
Next slide, a drop in pickleball shout out to John Haslinger, recreation specialists for Southwest recreation programs. John has been running. Drop in outdoor pickleball.
In many Southwest Seattle locations, and has also extended this program into southeast Seattle.
Through volunteers called outdoor pickleball. Ambassadors oversee the drop in play.
John is building an inclusive welcoming program that supports the division.
And community. He works the ambassadors welcome newcomers to the sport.
Help with the direction of play.
So all can have a great time.
This gives everyone an opportunity to play.
John insures games get started on time, and everyone has access to this has been a highly successful model that could be replicated in all corners of the city.
Specialized program. A few weeks ago Ap. Came for a visit.
And tour of camp, Long.
And to see some are specialized program.
An action, including Sherman Rock.
And the visit to the overnight camp.
A teen summer musical. So this is a program that we've had in our department for over 30 years. This year we.
The production was snow white, and the 7 doors.
And the theme was each one, teach one, and.
This presentation was held at a royal.
It was huge success. It was soulful, soulful adaption.
Of a class A that was featured live performances, attended by more than 5,000 people.
The talented cast of 70 included 16 youth.
Program was adopted with Seattle Park District Funding.
And a strong partnership with the Associated Recreation Council.
In fact, here the
People who operate Benaria Hall.
Came back to us and said, We wanna make you a regular feature of our programming.
In a royal house, so it was great to be asked to come back after, you know.
Having a presentation there for the 1st time a few years ago.
And they liked it so much. They wanna make this one of the mark a whole programs. Excellent.
Solar power. Seattle's a national leader in clean energy, thanks to our ample hydro power and local investments and solar wind power.
Pictured as one of 3 picnic shelters at Jefferson Park, equipped with so solar camels.
Other examples of solar power in our parks include.
Are included at the break building at Magnuson Park.
Sdr. Partner, but the office of sustainability.
And environment and Seattle City Light to install an extensive system on the roof.
That produces enough energy to power. 3 houses, car, key environmental learning center.
36 modules produce enough electricity to power.
Half of that facilities needs at Monter Pool, Sdr. Has installed solar tubing.
To provide solar water, heating.
Seeking attack or one of the greatest energy Miller community center. We partnered with city light to install solar micro grid on the roof.
That's attached to a massive battery bank at the community center. This is a really big deal.
Because the community.
Center at Miller.
Serves as it serves as a resiliency hub.
In case of an emergency. So if we don't have power, electricity, natural gas people can beltered at Miller and still have access to electricity.
Heat
Electricity to cook. So.
Our goal is to try to replicate this model at other locations across the city.
Next slide, please.
Okay. So quite a big.
Quite a few big events and happenings have occurred since we last met. The Overlook.
Open this is the walkway above the new aquarium.
this occurred on
Let's see. Now this will occur.
The open to the public on Friday, located where the Alaskaway, via the this iconic elevated park will provide new, direct destinations.
I place market in downtown to the entire 20 acre.
Waterfront Park, Genesee, Playfield. We've begun a project. Replace the synthetic Turk on 2 fields that Genesee, Playfield, Playfield 2. The upper field will be completed in spring of 2025, and Plato one, the lower.
Will be completed in fall of 25.
Lake Washington Boulevard improvements after inclusive outreach with the community, the Department is installing.
Improvements to like questions from Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park, and collaboration.
The Seattle Department's transportation. The project.
Will improve conditions for all street users, and safety enhancements and traffic calmly measures.
Otherwise known to speed bumps. This also includes from our cross.
The purpose is to hear speeding.
And make the boulevards safe.
Construction started this month project will be completed by summer of 2025.
Wallingford Plague.
Last week we held a meeting to explore a proposal from the Seattle Public School district.
Respond to the need for a practice bill for the Link High School.
Football team, and we held that meeting.
Last week a hundred.
And 20 community people attended that meeting.
Seattle public schools made a presentation, a proposed building and artificial turf field at Wallingford.
And building a track around woodland number 7.
There was a lot of feedback questions. And we're gonna continue.
To explore.
The possibility that this can happen. And I think the caveat here is this is a school district and a school district.
And through the joint use agreement.
We are honoring that partnership with a commitment to.
Work side by side with them, to explore.
The feasibility of.
This project, and you know, just full disclosure.
This proposal is slated to occur in a very.
Presidential neighbourhood, so.
You're probably receiving some of the feedback that we've already received. So.
More to follow that.
Bert Gilman Trail. Improvements begin this week in Northeast Seattle. Anticipate this work to be completed within the week.
We were opening bids a Pcd. At 3 bid openings earlier this month, with good results.
Including multiple bidders.
And costs within budget. The 3 projects would play field.
The Madonna Player renovation Project.
And Mickey, Marion Field, number 8. Renovation is anticipated to start on these projects by early.
We're also
Looking at a project or a festival at Piper's Creek to bring back the annual festival of Fruit. On Saturday, October 5.th
Malibu, and to 2 PM. At the Piper's orchard at Carkeep Park, and celebrate the harvest.
With a cider, pressing apple, sampling.
And apple identification experts will be on hand.
As well. A Mason D demonstration will also be happening on our key part.
On October 26, th through November second. We're excited to announce.
And our 4th annual Seattle week just around the corner. This is a fun fill week long celebration.
That will be packed with the festivities that encourage people to get outside, get involved and connect with our Seattle urban forest. Choose your favorite.
Activity, site, Restoration, Arts and Craft. There will be.
Tree giveaways and interactive tours, and more, you can find.
More information about this event on our website.
Late October.
Check our website for a long list of Halloween events.
Across the system at community centers.
And in some of our parts IE. Bat walks. We.
Actually do bad luck and.
Stewart Park, which has been.
Halloween event.
Okay, next, slide.
That's it. That was a lot.
I was right there for questions.
I have a couple of no one else wants to jump in 1st I can start, and others can.
And I see Whitney put one in the chat so I can. I'll let you talk to that, Whitney. But yeah, my questions were just on the budget first.st
The transfer of the graffiti rangers. Does that come with the transfer of.
Their full budget? Or is it going to eat an existing maintenance.
So we have been adamant about needing.
Not only the staff.
But there's a heavy performance metric part of this work for the city.
And reporting. So not only.
Are we receiving the staff to do the work? But we anticipate receiving.
The administrative.
Analytical support to do the performance for this work.
Okay, that's great. I I mean, anecdotally, Spu does. A really seems to do a good job.
Yeah.
At least in Volunteer Park, where I'm closest to so.
Keeping the performance of that team high, I think, is super important.
Yeah.
But that's great to hear and then the other one on the visitor center closures around the environmental programs that make sense or trying to outsource it.
Does that remove any access to restrooms and water fountains and things like that? Or will the.
Building out structures still be maintained by parks and Rec. Even if the inter.
Not available for programs.
Yes. So basically, what this does in 2026 is, it reduces half of the staff. The buildings will.
Be available. They will be
Staffed, probably 50% of their current staffing level, but the amenities will continue to be available.
Okay, cool. I'll yield. I should have started with this. I'm bad about this, but on the plus side it was great to see the solar investments. Those are awesome.
The partnership with Ben Arroyo and the success of the team. Musical.
All the capital dev openings and successes and and just a thanks for following up on Burke Gilman. That was a community.
The bike group came to a meeting, and the community was very vocal in the need to sort of look at that trail.
I saw some posts that Ap. And some of the team.
Went out to the trail and surveyed it with the group. So that was.
It's just so nice to see that follow up, but I think it goes a long way.
Toward Community trust and park. So thanks for that, too.
I can't read, I can read it for you. Can you read that.
Oh, sure, yeah, thanks. I was wondering if you can speak a bit more to the increase in fees.
I I mean, I know it varies quite a bit depending on the feed, but some of those fees are pretty substantial increase, and I'm wondering.
If some sort of
Programming either exists now, or will exist, for, like.
Low-income folks
I I know this isn't the same, but I know like there's some.
You know, for certain age groups or for resident non resident, like, I know there are some
Reduced fee options already, but I'm wondering if there's anything specifically for
For low-income people.
Yeah. So I think one of the leading ethics for this department is that.
No child turned away, no person.
Turned away. Inability to.
Pay. So through a partnership with the Associated Recreation Council.
A lot of our fees are used to subsidize participation for people who.
Just can't forward to.
Take the piano lesson at a community center or.
You know, participate in basketball. So that model has been in place for about.
30 years back. Sale partner is probably been.
A national leader in that subsidizing fees to subsidize access for those who can't pay.
The most significant
Fee category. Here will be the youth, athletic field.
Increases Seattle has. We've been reluctant to raise that fee.
Structure for probably 10 or 15 years. We are the lowest
Per.
Person participation fee in county.
And in the region for youth.
And these are structured in a way that get us to the Median.
That Bellevue.
Tacoma. So we're looking to kind of use those fees to.
In some ways offset.
Maintenance and investment.
At the same time fees are increasing.
We're also investing about 7 million dollars in athletic.
Building proofs in this budget cycle. So.
We know that you, the political piece, will.
Something that community is concerned.
Thank you. Sorry. I wanna make sure I understand the reduced.
Options that you spoke to like the the classes and programming? Does that also apply to like rentals and permits.
So Reynolds and permits.
We have a fee waiver request process. So.
Oh, I see!
Person who can wants to use the facility.
We have a well documented process where they can request a reduced fee.
Or they have the feet, and that's been very successful.
There's a question from Elisa in the chat. Elise, do you want to go ahead.
Sure I just want to circle back on the Burke Gilman trails. I was curious what segment of the trail is being.
Worked on.
Andy, are you online? Can you answer that.
Yes, sorry.
We're doing repairs throughout and
I will pull up and put in the chat.
The exact location.
For the Specific Improvement project right now.
Thank you.
So might I suggest just a bit of a time checker about 15 min schedule. So if there are any other quick questions and I'd be okay. But also we could.
Jump to the next group.
Alright, so maybe I will.
Introduce this next area. Justin Heller is gonna come, make a presentation.
Regarding our pre electrification.
Oil heap removal
Program. This is part of our.
Climate, change.
Initiative that was funded through the Park district. So with that I'll turn it over to the very capable Justin Hellier.
Thanks, Christopher, and I want to be clear. I am primarily here to introduce the person doing the work, who, I believe, is sitting in the room with you, Jacob Daly.
So wanted to.
So I'm Justin Heller. I work in the the policy shop here at Seattle parks and recreation, and one piece of my purview is.
Kind of our our park district funding and the plan, and what we said we would do over this 6 year period with with those resources.
So, as many of you know. Really. Well, some of you are new, so I'll say a tiny bit more than I might usually.
We've got a property tax that. Funds is dedicated completely to parks and recreation services.
And as a we plan it in 6 year cycles, and as a part of planning the second 6 year cycle, which goes from 2023 to 28.
We went out to community and went through a a process with the Bprc. And then went through kind of a political process with the mayor and city council.
To determine kind of what we should raise the tax to what we should fund with those resources.
And all that. And so one of the items so.
What we do on a regular basis with you all.
Is come back and remind you about some of the things that we said we would do as a part of that process. Right. We we said, Hey, raise your taxes, give us a little more resource.
And we'll do this list of of good things with it. And so we like to really.
We take that list of commitments very seriously, and.
We'd like to regularly remind the public officials, and of course you are.
Our advisory and oversight team. What we said we would do and kind of where we're at on it.
So today. And one of the ways we do that is by bringing in
The folks who are actually doing the work. So I'll say about 2 more minutes of stuff, and then I'm gonna hand it over to Jacob.
Who will really tell you what he's been up to.
So this we divide the organization up into kind of lines of business. Work, falls in the utility conservation line of business.
It's a budget of about a million dollars a year.
And the things that we said we would do as that are really related to.
Kind of getting buildings ready to decarbonize them.
Or if they're really small little buildings, kind of swapping them out from from oil heat to electric heat.
And so
One distinction I want to make is, you may remember, during the cycle to process there was a lot of department and Bprc. And community interest in decarbonizing our facilities, right moving community centers so that they were not using fossil fuels, basically, community centers, pools, a lot of buildings.
And so there's ongoing work in Andy's shop related to that.
This work is in the same spirit and moving toward that, but is kind of the the things you can do smaller, more quickly right now right to fully decarbonize.
Kind of our our all our buildings will take a long time.
But there's a lot of work we can do to kind of get ready for that, or to to start making dents in our carbon footprint right now. And so that's the.
Awesome work that Jacob and others have been working on that.
He gets to tell you about tonight.
So excited about the opportunity for you to hear from Jacob, and so I'll.
Turn it over to him.
Alright, thanks, Justin, thanks all for your time. As Justin mentioned, I'm Jacob Bailey.
Sustainable operations manager. I work in the facilities division.
For, like most people when I say.
Sustainable operation. They're probably thinking, what the heck does that even mean?
And so my team is responsible for.
Whole belly of things, including.
Our water conservation efforts specifically related to.
Irrigation and green.
Strong water, infrastructure, compliance.
We do a whole slew, as Justin mentioned, of small energy conservation and decarbonization projects.
Beyond just the ones we're gonna talk about tonight.
We bet and maintain all of our utility data, water, gas, electricity. We have thousands of leaders. We have to make sure they're all functioning properly, and that the data is accurate.
Responsible for compliance with state and city building standards, including the new Washington State.
Clean building performance standards.
It should be really affecting our buildings more and more in the coming years.
We had
We are responsible for operational and support through sustainable lens. We're kind of.
Looking over people's shoulders, saying, Hey, can we.
Turn the heat down a couple degrees, can we.
Do something more efficient, building the heating system. Things like that.
We've been involved in a lot of the
Solar photom system installation and operations and maintenance. Christopher spoke a little bit about it. There's a photo there that's the 50 Kw.
Pv. Array on the roof of community setting.
We're currently working on.
You like a vehicle charging infrastructure as we move on our fleet to electric vehicles.
And we're also kind of the primary liaison between Sdr. And the office of sustainability.
So that's what we do.
In a nutshell and then moving on to the prelimitation work.
And organization.
Spr last year. Put approximately.
15,000 metric tons of Co. 2 missions.
Into the air from our buildings, which is about equivalent to.
3,200 internal combustion engine vehicles.
The good news is, we have a plan, and we're gonna work hard to get that as close to 0 as possible.
And so.
Well, the folks at planning capital development are working towards the full electrification of our buildings. South Park is in construction right now.
Quite a few other buildings are planning years.
We're going in with the mppation money and kind of
Teeing it up so it's a little bit easier to.
And what that means is we're basically improving the performance of the buildings.
By doing things like.
Completely overhauling the ladies system.
Making inside and outside 100 led as efficient and effacious as possible.
We're adding advanced controls includes.
Occupancy and vacancy controls as well as daylight controls. So.
For example, if the son's out.
The lights will automatically then need to be using all that electricity.
We're installing a heat pump water heaters in lieu of
Gas fired water heaters
Pretty exciting technology that we we haven't been quite a few places at this point. Bulletproof, so far.
We're installing desertification fans. And what this does. It's a large ceiling fan, essentially.
Mix the air in the space with that heat down to where the users are.
Helps improve the performance of a Hvac system, and.
Reduce the need for eating, and provides a little bit of extra comfort in the summer. Some air movement for the patrons and staff.
And as well as that we were there. Take a close look at the
Building management system. And we try to.
Take care of an iglohanning on the operational side.
To enhance the performance of building, so that.
When the time comes for the building be fully electrified.
It's running as efficiently as possible.
And that can do things like.
Reduce the need for an increased electrical service, for example, which can be very costly.
And then the other thing we've been working on as part of this is the small building, mechanical.
Basically removing any remaining oil heat that we have.
It just is.
We hit the underground oil tank.
Removed. Make sure the soil is is clean.
Get that signed off.
Replace it with a.
Energy, efficient heat, pump.
That allows us to heat the space.
Without any carbon emissions, as well as the added benefit of.
Cooling for the people who are in.
And last year.
We were able to do that at Park, ongoing as well as the Victory Center, which is great. We have a 3rd party vendor there who does childcare so.
Now the kids not only have nice.
Carbon free heat, but they also have growing summer.
And as far as the prelimification sites last year was our community center.
As well as Miller Community Center, which we started. We're completing that this year.
Adding, then so and Jefferson Community Center.
And we're also removing oil heated to Jefferson golf quarters.
And then in the coming years, 2025, through 2028, we have 9 facilities that we're gonna be visiting and doing this same kind of work.
So in the sake of time. That's that's all. I have been.
Thanks to you.
Great presentation. Thank you.
Alright. So this next one is a presentation.
Red card. So Red Farm Ranch was required by our department through the forward.
Press, prime measure.
Back in like 1973.
Inner city youth with an out of city.
Experience, because it's way out in Auburn.
Andy and design have been exploring
Modern day. Reuse for this facility.
And with Thatie I'll turn it over to you.
Thank you, Christopher. I'm sorry I can't be there in person. I've got a sick child.
But I'm grateful to.
Dr. Zay, Mattel.
A great planner in our capital.
Division our primary focus in 2024 has been to get boots on the ground activities out there, fulfilling the.
Mayor's vision decide you want to take it from there.
International big stadium.
Yeah, thank you. So.
Christopher, maybe you know. Just decide.
It's a bit out there. 60 min drive from Seattle east.
So they they see someone.
40 acres
Including included a lot of facilities like swimming pool.
Horseback, riding.
Tennis schools and other buildings in the Uk.
So most of the site is developed in the.
Seventies
And it was cool, but it did. 1940 S.
Yeah. So there's there's just an important.
With this site, which is that 66.
One of the greatest Nba players of all time pitches. Besides.
To get on this service.
To use it as a youth sports game.
And they ultimately advocated for the city.
To patients, decide who are funding.
Which is what Christopher was talking about.
And then, as we are renovated and continue around
1983, when funding ran out.
From there the site has been.
Extending hands and going through.
Different honors and activities, including equestrian camp.
And they also working days. Yeah,
Jointly
And then between 2014 and 2018, it was primarily incubator.
A phone,
And then if I just.
Been vacant since 2018, but.
I understand that the city is continued to.
With a Facebook position. Various groups.
To come up with a vision.
When they sit, do for the especially for.
Black youth and youth.
He's 1 of the.
They can see other.
So, yeah, this is kind of the current segment.
As you can see, there are lots of.
Buildings there, but besides, mostly forest areas around.
Our plan is actually demolished.
All the community except the 7, 1.
Which is still in a good condition, based on.
I've got an assessment.
So this is kind of the main site area. Come with a vision.
What is actually possible based on all these different areas. So we have partners offering 5 programs.
You know they they give
And we have partners like echo trails building.
So this is so much opportunity there. And of course, for Sbi, we're also looking into, how can we activate this.
This before.
Reconnecting the electrical utilities.
So this is actually a recent, a picture with a buffalo of Seattle group, you know, down there.
Doing their thing with the kids, enjoying themselves.
And because the vision of the.
We have right now, which is.
Is to use the range as a.
Especially for a youth.
And ensuring that they can, you know.
Be all those interact with others.
Gives you all the stress.
And
Which feature.
Especially for the youth.
Yeah, so this is really.
Mostly what no research says, you know.
Exposure to nature, to the youth.
You know. Yes, physical benefits, cultural collection.
In identity stress reduction community building.
Social support, mindfulness.
Oh, this is really well supported by existing. It's also outlined to the best vision, which is, in short, document.
After the return reach.
So is, we know, a few other access to make chat is also.
Native, historically regulated issues.
If you look at the map, the maps.
2 maps on the left. That one shows African American location in the 60 S. And American and Pacific Islander.
Most of these groups way.
Located in various downtown and lunch.
And those areas are so valuable.
Less tree canopy.
Close to the areas. Limited access to nature.
And and.
So in terms of what we have been doing during the summer.
These have been the main anchoring groups, organizations, the boys and girls.
Both soldiers of Seattle.
Of course, as we are anywhere in a coalition.
Of organizations, now leg groups, non-profit private sector.
I mean, I see our public schools.
Yeah. So when this picture is just kind of shows, the main activities with the buffalo sheep.
Yes, environmental situation, you know, trends building community that encourages our youth to go down there.
And you have various.
Activities to do.
Which.
Which hopefully will make them get bored. Really, they are thick to select.
Yeah. So the event about over 300 students.
Signed up as volunteers to echo.
Boys at a ghost. So it is really a very good students.
And and our partners, and they've really enjoyed being.
Being being down there next week.
So, looking at it, we are looking to build strong schools, especially Sierra public schools, black organizations.
Us a living world, student in success.
So we are in good positions with all those groups.
To try and come up with a vision for the rails that allies.
Request to be addressed
For the kids.
So if we look at this in terms of the 1st approach we have.
Primarily doing community engagement and stakeholder.
Engagement and preliminary planning.
Which is a screening. Everyone together is taking this and then interest.
But we're also looking at doing basic improvements which requires.
Obviously funding that will include the buildings.
In the building. That's structural.
Reconnecting the next call. So our wartime, all those things.
And
In the long term, of course, that we can also do like overnight parents on site.
Do you want to? Just.
Dude. What was that you did? What.
Like I said.
A.
Yeah, give it a 9. But.
A.
Assault.
So there you go!
Gang.
I see you got what you got. Dj.
Thank you. Yeah, that's all I am.
Alright got some questions in the chat, so.
Nice presentation. Thank you.
Alright. So John asked Andy clarify the site.
And he responded Red Barn to the 40 acre parcel in Auburn.
Vision for the facility to serve the region specifically.
And then, Trisha, I'll turn it over to you if you wanna.
Ask your question here.
Yes, I.
Didn't hear much of the discussion in terms of an equity focus on this other than occasionally showing what the buffalo.
Are involved.
And as well as the fact.
You know I I know. This presentation started off with some information about algebra. He was more than actually a basketball player. So he was, you know, an executive with the La Clippers. He won Nba executive of the year, so he's actually an executive. Longer thing was a player.
And I just say it's kind of ironic that it's 40 acres that he had as well. If you're a person of color, particularly a black person, but I wanted to know. You know, what.
And are you involving? I'll say, a diverse group in terms of leadership on this project, or is the extent.
To that the Buffalo soldiers involvement because I also didn't see a consistent I will say
Visual display of equity in most of the photographs that were there other than the buffalo soldiers.
Doing, sure.
Yeah, thank you for that. So we are actually working. One of our partners is actually parents for student success.
Which is led by Don and former State representative.
And you're right. It has actually been a challenge for us to reach.
All the kids we want, which is why we brought in Don.
And to to actually do the outreach. But she has a lot of connections.
In the black community. So she actually has a contract. Now in decision to actually do that.
Do specific outreach targeted to the black community.
Yeah. And with the urgent beta story I was kind of in my notes. Actually, I have a lot more information about that. So I'm happy to.
Share like I mentioned.
He was one of the greatest Nba players of the time, executive, as you say, for the.
Let's say, just let us
And did a lot of advocacy.
For the youth, and with the city, along with the super sonic.
Ultimately persuading the city to also.
Take over the sides and continue with this youth.
Leadership and sports.
Kim. Yeah, so. But the main thing I wanted to say is that we are actively reaching out.
To reflect coalition, not just among these.
There is no just amount of city leaders.
But actually among our partners. So that is actually gonna be.
Like, I said, this is really the 1st stage.
And we. We have like meetings every 2 weeks.
With this outside groups. The what us I mentioned is primarily run by
Like
Living market. All those groups had a big meeting with them 2 weeks ago.
They're mostly immigrants, refugees.
So we do actually have some.
Groups. What we're trying to do is to reach out to the high schools like Franklinia.
And make sure the black kids from those schools.
You should.
Can I tell me.
I meant more in terms of leadership. I think it's important to have black and indigenous people. So those 2 in particular, involved in this.
And again, as I said, the 40 acres. I don't know if maybe you don't know about. You know black people were promised 40 acres than a rule. So the fact that this site.
Was from Elgin Baylor, who, you know, when I taught, I made sure that my black students also knew that. Yes, he played basketball, but he was also an executive.
Because that's more realistic to try and model for our kids versus the sports and focusing on, because you know, one out of what a million kids.
They're more likely to be successful in this other path, but also modeling that.
For black and indigenous, because this is all indigenous land. Of course.
Involving them in the leadership, and early on in development versus inviting us to speak.
Once everything has been determined, because that invitation, or just inviting our kids.
Knowing full well that they're not going to have any say in the actual development.
Versus this is for you, so ensuring that you're involving black and indigenous people in the beginning, in the early in the planning.
We don't need to be invited once everything has been determined, that's all.
Thanks.
Yeah, thank you. And not to speak to him that that we are creating the vision right now. So we appreciate that.
Thank you.
What's that? Sorry, Andy? Go ahead.
Thank you.
Yeah, part of don Mason's work is developing.
A black, primarily black working group that meets at A on a reoccurring basis.
And to support the member.
Members of that group.
To particip so that they can participate.
And to ensure that the leadership.
Associated with the operations.
At Redburn is black leadership returning to the roots.
Of the facility in the leadership of bail.
We originally our original.
Meetings were with the school district with the Michael Shoe.
And several other broad entities.
And we didn't get enough.
Immediate traction.
And I am very optimistic.
With Don's involvement.
That will be able to get to that.
Point where there is very clear black leadership. Your point is very well taken.
And I would just add to that that
We really wanna lean into a focus on.
5 pop partnerships with groups.
I mentioned earlier that we brought on a staff person.
The superintendent's office, who is gonna become our tribal liaison.
Coordinator for the Department.
And also our environmental, our chief environmental officer. From a pragmatic standpoint.
And this is gonna cost money to operate and sustain over time.
So really leaning into public partnerships and grant opportunities.
And using a model where.
The partners are really in the lead, supported by the department and seeking those grants. We want to try.
Thanks everybody. What a fascinating project! And thank you so much for bringing it to us.
Hey, John, thank you. Folks.
So this next topic is, literally.
Ap's baby. When he came to the department he brought the idea.
Of a swim. Seattle.
Idea, which is a.
Focus on swimming lessons for underserved communities.
When you statistically look at the rate who is able to swim by the time there are 13 years old, or.
9 years old or something. I mean just the inability for certain communities.
To acquire.
The skill to swim, which is a basic life-saving.
A skill. You consider how much waters surround.
This was a priority that Ap brought. As a result, it's a priority for the mayor. We have very capable, Mike Plimpton. This team working on this that are gonna come up and make a presentation to tell us about what our 1st year.
Rolled out of this program.
I'll go to my desk and send it to you.
How's it going? Thank you guys, for having us.
We'll start with introductions. My name is Mike, and I'm a product manager.
And my name is Rebecca Miller. I'm a strategic advisor, and I'm helping support this one Seattle initiative, which we'll be talking about this evening.
So we can go ahead. I guess just kind of get started. 1st slide is really just kind of introduction. So once you add one initiatives.
April of 2023 and as Christopher mentioned, it's really, you know, branch out and.
The baby are super dependent, and it kind of came from conversations between the superintendent and the mayor at the time.
With the focus really being barriers.
For aquatic access for swimming lessons and.
It's for access to aquatic programming. And really with the focus, as I mentioned, drown in Max on black and brown communities.
So really, you know, focusing on that.
Barriers to swimming. We do have a slide show here.
Talk through this part a little bit, and really centering.
Centering communities in most.
Hey, Mike? Sorry to interrupt. We're not seeing the slides yet. So if you could share that on the screen.
We're getting it for you. Just give me one second. I'll I'll pull it up.
Perfect. Thank you.
So make sure you saw that.
So you know, it really came about.
RAM suddenly, and then it was kind of a work to see what that! What that what that work would look like, how it would play out, and the.
The folks that will be brought on board, aside from Santa Marks to make it a larger issue and a larger effort.
I'm gonna kind of pause right there.
Yeah.
Easier for you guys to do.
So when you talk about.
Are these all? Sps.
I mean Sps is hosting.
Maintenance pools, all pools, just like the one.
So we have our average talk a little bit about all the partners. But it's it's Pr. And the Y.M.C.A. Are the 2 main program delivery partners. So I mean, we're the big, you know, in.
Seattle. Obviously most of the focus on Seattle.
But South Kane County as well, really expands more into the rest of King County with us, and it's really a partnership.
Initiative, you know, with those who, really brought together by our superintendent and the mayor's office to really expand the the reach of the initiative. So we have what we do with an Hawaii has what they do, and then we have a number of support partners that help push the message out, support with.
Gear with fundraising, with life jackets, giveaways like just a bunch of the stuff that kind of goes and supporting it. But yeah, this is, we'll talk a lot about our.
Apart from that. Yeah.
Waiting for them to receive.
Alright folks. The video is shared. Now, if you wanted to start with the video. So we wanted to give you just a little glimpse about the initiative.
Water with its agnism, attracts children.
And large crowds gather around it. We have parties around pools, and at a beach.
In Seattle. It's usually during that 1st day of summer that we get that 1st report. We've lost a child because.
They found themselves in a situation where they couldn't.
Save themselves.
Products has always been a part of the operations providing lifeguard's as early as 1,000.
Today. We now have 8 indoor pools.
2 outdoor pools, 9 guarded also we have waiting pools all around the city of Seattle.
However, swimming isn't part of the school system, so it's left up to us to ensure the skill.
That in this area is critical for life.
There are so many barriers to even get to that swim education, whether that's cultural, even informational barriers to even understand what safe swimming looks like, or understand how quickly drownings happen.
88% of drownings happen with at least one adult present.
And it's 30 seconds to a minute.
At most, before a person might go unconscious.
Swim. Seattle is a mayor's initiative that provides swim lessons and driving classes for underserved communities in Seattle.
The mayor picks Seattle parks and recreation and head initiative because we are the largest childcare provider in the State, and the breach that we have is unprecedented.
Black and brown folks are disproportionately impacted by drowning.
We now have the means to reach the families of color.
Through drowning provision we can have a longer, healthy, happier life.
There should be no dollar value to.
It works. Technology is nice.
Yeah.
Okay. So our equity approach in Seattle is based on research regarding health disparities and prevention.
So we do know that drowning deaths do differ by age. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children. Unfortunately, we've actually seen an increase in the rates of drownings over the last 5 years.
Driving guests also differ by race and ethnicity.
American, Indian and Alaska. Native people, as well as black people, experience higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group.
Some of the drowning rates are related to access. We do know that approximately 40 million adults in the United States do not know how to swim.
And we also know that access to swimming lessons and safety instruction is a proven and effective way to prevent incidents and driving deaths.
We also know that about half of you as adults have never taken a lesson. There's also racial disparities with access there. About 2 thirds of black adults.
I've never taken a swim lesson. 3 quarters of the Santa.
I've never taken a school.
The differences in access to sewing lessons could be one barrier that introduced these outcomes are extremely expensive.
I kind of did a cost analysis across our city, and there's a huge huge difference being the most affordable. Some lessons. But.
You know, even when they're very affordable, they're very difficult to get into. And with families that multiple children. And then thinking about what it takes to get some competency for many.
People. It's weeks, if not years, of school lessons.
To get to a level of competency.
And even when they are available and they are affordable. Some people might be hesitant to participate, due to complex social, historical, and cultural factors, and we believe at some Seattle that everyone should have access to basic swimming and water safety skills. This should be a right and not a privilege.
Alright. So this, this is a little snapshot of our partner. So we talk about, you know, the the main types of partners we have, or Y.M.C.A. And Sr. Where the 2 main lesson providers, right? So we operate most of the large percentage of the swimming pools in this area. Certainly in the city of Seattle.
We're supported by the Associated Recreation Council. That was behind the video that was put up. This is, you know, Pr, and recreations, non profit partner.
We're also supporting, supporting this initiative. K. County.
Seattle Children's Hospital Washington State.
That's a nonprofit organization called Splash forward that advocates for water safety. We've got a number of program partners we call no more under. That's grounding advocacy. Group.
Ocean swim school and Afro swimmers are both groups that we partner with for some specific targeted outreach for our delivery.
So a lot of the folks on this this page are also part of what's called the King County swim equity, which came out of the King County Clay Equity Committee. So it's a, it's a larger network. It's really focused on a equity access to swimming. And really, all the things that encompass swim. Seattle.
As well as longstanding work. It was done in the State by Washington State.
So as a part of that work, you know, in the past things that led to things like the women, only swimming and ring of beach. Cool.
Scholarship, access, reform, and access to.
Really a a focus on outreach, to to buy communities, to immigrant refugee communities, and to really look at the importance of swimming so that led to the buildup of what is really.
Really pushing it to another level, I guess, with Seattle and the efforts that are going on.
You can take it to the next slide.
So we're gonna give you an overview in the 3 main components of Seattle. So the 1st is really the swim lessons prior to registration.
The second is our team aquatic, and then the 3rd is our community. Specific outreach events and partnerships.
Alright. So as we look at the learning lessons, you know, one of the things that we're talking about our swim. Seattle curriculum is really a focus on our beginning.
Swim Lesson series which aligns with the American Red Cross.
Swimming lessons. So it's really it's the introductory several levels of swimming that at the end of that.
Will allow someone in general, speaking in generalities, to be able to swim in deep water and swimming pool.
Go to a beach and enjoy deep water.
Safely go off the dining board.
Sign up for a voting class and feel relatively secure to pass a flow. Test those sorts of things. So it's not.
You know it's not refining one strokes, but it's being able to get in and out of the water safely.
Being able to swim in deep water, being able to shred water those sorts of things. So it's a it's a process. It takes time, I mean, as Rebecca was saying, it's not you don't go for.
For a few weeks, you know it takes longer than that, and it depends on the age of the participant. It depends on the athletic ability, how much they swim.
So it's really, you know, it's access to those that was identified as the swim. Seattle.
Curriculum for us.
So completion of that. That's the program folks get to take. If they are scholarship eligible, they get to take it for free, so that.
For, and that was for this year for 24.
For 3 quarters, and we'll talk a little bit about.
Numbers and stuff as we get moving. But let's see here. So really, completion is that was the water competency point that we identified.
We're looking to.
We know we're hoping to continue that, depending on funding in 2025 for the free beginner access. One of the other things that we did. Rebecca mentioned how our lessons were to access as we came out of Covid. Obviously the the amount of programming that we were able to offer as a department, was pretty reduced to staffing.
Concerns and just regrow on our team.
So what that did I mean? Essentially is, it took what was already limited, and it created a feeding fare essentially to get into those lessons. So there was, you know, we were offering probably.
Beginning in 2023, I would say 20% of what we were in 2019.
Right in terms of swimming lessons based on staffability.
So with that that created a feeding frenzy for the stuff that was available.
And we saw if we looked at our percentage of scholarship users that were enrolled in swimming lessons.
It went from what was probably in the around 20 or so of our overall registrations.
Drops to about 10%. So it was a significant folks that really needed it. So I mean, we're the city, right, you know. So we're providing lessons. They're not getting them with us. They're not going to feel like.
Right? So it's that. That was a problem. So with that.
We got through. As a part of this initiative, we got approval to offer registration for a scholarship participants which basically provides a week of early access, so.
Scholarship. If you have a qualified scholarship with our system, you get to register for swimming lessons a week before they open.
For the general public, and what this did.
Took us from a far reduced number.
Slightly surpassing what we were doing in 19 for access for our distance, which was an important thing. It's an important step.
And it really provided that you know that leg up to allow folks to get.
And without having to be there.
In the 1st 5 min the registration open for things filled up.
You know. So there's a good step forward, and it really provided folks with access.
That are in our system to make sure they could get into what they needed to get their kids
If it gets those lessons.
So talking about numbers. So from q. 1 to Q. 3 of.
2024. So this year.
Or excuse me.
We serve. So 1,964 free swim lessons.
2 scholarship, eligible families. So that's 19.
Over 1,900 registrations for a series of lessons. So 8 to 10 lessons.
So that that's quite a bit of those right? So of that, approximately 2,000.
And just for context, we've had during that same period about a total of 6,000 or more.
Begin our lesson series. We're talking so that same curricula.
Of those 1,539 of the 1964 took.
Advantage of the early access registration, so that speaks to.
Really what was happening there to make sure that we were reaching folks who were trying to reach.
The beach lesson. So for a long time we've offered free swimming lessons at our beaches in the summertime. That was, we've had it sort of an increased.
Emphasis on that. We served over 467 drop in lessons this summer. As a part of this initiative, as well.
Take it next slide.
Bringing us to the next part. So teaching kids to swim.
Providing access to those lessons.
Teams. Right? So for teams within Seattle parks, I go to meetings. And I'm always telling people that aquatics is the other team program, right? So we're probably.
It's it's arguable. But we're probably the largest employer of 15 and 16 and 17 year olds in the city. Or, excuse me, 60 and 70.
You know. So that's a large part of our workforce really to grow our team, to grow our team from the community, we have to focus on outreach to teams and working with teams to help them develop skills. So we put a big effort we put. And and with this this one Seattle initiative. We put a focus on expanding our team swimming programs.
We partner with our late programs, and we partner with community centers and whatnot to get.
Access. And and get kids in currently have team programs at 4 pools. These are drop in programs. Their peer led.
And the focus really is.
As a drop in program. All they do is they come in.
They get some free swimming lessons.
And we never see him again. That's fine. That's a win right.
If they stick around, we build a relationship.
They eventually start practicing. Like our training classes, they get trained and get halfway deployment. That's even better. Right? You know. So those are.
Those are the goals of these programs, and they've been very effective.
You know part of it when you think about it. If we don't reach a team when they're at that point, they don't. They're 14 years old.
There are other options.
Is that we could get them in a swimming.
Right. We could put them next to a 6 year old kid.
Who they're twice as tall as be like, get in there. Have fun, right, you know, and if you work for teams that is not gonna work. That's not a successful thing. So.
You know this is part of it, and what what it really is it it is a peer to peer.
Mentoring opportunity. Almost. They learned, the kids that have been in the program a long time to develop.
Swimless and teaching skills, working with.
Your folks in their in their class. Right? You know, they start recruiting for these programs so that long running program at random sites.
And eventually, that's gonna be the real feeder for our staff in the future, as we're kind of rebuilding our team.
Like our training team we mentioned. That's what that photo is.
Is a program that you run that runs out of the beach program so that one's at Mount Baker Beach.
This summer we had 24 participants and a 6 week program. It really focuses on lifeguarding skills, certification and skills utilizing our Summer Beach life program. So it's another feeder program. It's not the same as our.
Late night program. But that's another effort. Kind of to get in there and work for teams.
And lastly, we wanna talk about our piece.
And events and programming.
So 1st up we have a monthly bypause, Jose, at Greater Beach.
This has been going since March, and the picture at the top there is of that slim, and this is a partnership with ocean school, who hosts it along with.
And it's very fun. They do a different theme each month, and in the summer they also do a field trip to Colman, West Seattle.
We also just graduated the 1st cohort of black life, which is the picture that you see below Beach Pool.
We do know from the Cdc. That diversified our aquatic professional staff team is actually a protected factor against drowning and disproportionate drowning rates. We also offered series called Become for Mermaids, which is about the history of black people and swimming hosted by oceans. School.
We also partner with no more under East. In the video she is the executive director, unfortunately lost her son to a driving incident.
And she now leads this organization and really is reaching out to women community different housing communities. And
We hosted a big event with them in August, where they came into 3 different pools. They were mostly for which was awesome, coming into basically a drop in.
So much and for the whole week as a kind of introduction to some Seattle, and then we can enter them into our kind of ongoing registration system for ongoing lessons.
We also have done a large outreach campaign with different ethnic media sources as well as our community engagement to reach underserved communities who we have not traditionally done a great job. At serving and outreaching.
We also hosted water safety day again on our chief. We have statewide this water safety day named after him in May, and we hosted a big event 250 participants at Rainier School, where we gave away life jackets actually just painted their own life jackets and customize them we had, you know. Take a picture of the Lifeguards, and lots of different swim safety events, but also.
Assign and that includes activities.
We did lots of swimming ways. So goggles, cats.
Life jackets hopefully. One day we'll have funding for swimsuits.
But we wanna try to eliminate all the barriers be able to access the.
Just up until today we ran some numbers and we served us over 600. With these activities and upcoming we'll have a fun event at Greater Beach to encourage folks to sign up for our scholarship system.
And we also are wrapping up a selected swim. Equity audit.
In a couple months, which will also inform the future work of this initiative.
And again, I just wanna.
Give a lot of gratitude to our community partners because this piece would definitely not be available.
And with that.
I'm wondering if you have any questions for us.
Question about the scholarship, so will that be.
Another, 6, 700.
Was that $1,600 that you did last time? So it was 1,600. Over 1,600 lessons or series were given away for free. So we have Seattle parks as an ongoing scholarship fee reduction, you know, that's been going on for a long time with this. It was really pushing it? Pushing it to the point of being free. So that was what we did allocate additional funding.
For 3 quarters for this year. So I said, q. 1, q. 3. It's actually q, 2 to q. 4. So it was the end through the end of this year. That was the 1,900 number so.
Our scholarship process.
If folks qualify, they qualify for between 50 and 90 reduction or scholarship. So we some of these folks are did qualify, for, you know pretty heavy reduction, but this really pushed it to that next level to really get them through the door.
And got it to the point of free. Have you guys run into any kids that with disabilities.
Want to be a part of it.
And is that a challenge? Yes, so we do offer adaptive swimming lessons. It really, you know, it depends heavily on what the what disability is many of those that we offer in those those cases are we also work with Dda and various other groups for funding
And that really oftentimes is a 1 on one to one adolescent. And really it depends heavily on the.
What the needs are. But it is good. Yeah, thank you. I had a quick question. You mentioned there were 4 tools that you guys do the team program yet? Yes. What? What are the 4 Pools so randomly doing? Southwest Pool and West Seattle? We're going. What is it? Evan School, Green Lake, and Metropol.
Yeah, we're hoping to add,
Next year, I mean, we're open to.
Megravs as well as and that was Mega's would have been brought in this year. But there was some staffing challenges that we had between the team center. And it's really, it's a heavy partnership focus, right? Because we're.
We teach the swimming lessons we get. But it's really that partnership to at least initiate some of those relationships. And then also actually.
Montreal Jackson, who was the aquatic staff who's in the video, is the coordinator up at Madison Pool.
I think we've got the beginnings of a program out there as well. So they really are. Those are, gonna be they're the like life blood, I'd say, of our feeder program. And really it's really developing our staff. But it's also.
I think that's amazing.
Indian employees pretty cool. So thank you.
Questions in the chat.
At least, maybe first, st I think.
Sure. Hi there. So definitely in support of this initiative as a mom of young kids.
I wanted to better understand.
Has this?
Initiative been informed by data around gaps between supply and demand at various community pools. Are you.
Looking at allocating resources towards certain pools where there may be, you know.
Demand far exceeding supply. I know that this has been the case at the Green Lake Pool for some time now. So you know. I just wanna make sure that we're also looking at this for children who are maybe not falling into that scholarship eligible bucket. But you know, I think this is a widespread issue across Seattle, where.
Many children cannot access.
Education.
Yeah. So I think this is clearly a program that has for demand.
Then we're probably ever gonna be able to meet supply on the supply side. We are actively working with various partners. The Y.M.C.A.
Other partners in the community to investigate grant opportunities. And you know our grant opportunities are really strengthened when.
You know it not only has a city, but it has a.
Private citizen.
Public face as a co-signer on that Grant opportunity. So we're.
Looking at how we could leverage that opportunity.
With this enormous demand. And you know, I think when we got into this, we kind of acknowledge at the beginning.
That we were gonna have way more here than we were ever gonna be able to meet.
To, you know, at least to kind of follow up on your question. So you know, as you mentioned, you mentioned cool right, and that's 1 of them that.
Has had more closure. It's been more, you know. It's been later to reopen that. That is part of it. We're getting there with, you know, with that team with building the staff, it's gonna increase that capacity. So.
Hopefully, that team program into there is gonna help be that feeder to help keep it.
Okay, that's great.
You know, keep programming, get programmed.
Just a couple follow ups. I know you mentioned a percentage of where we were on supply before the pandemic versus sometime after. Do you know where we are right now.
It depends on the facility. So Evans is one of them that had been lagging a bit behind because they've reopened there right? So they're they're still growing so we can staff
With our regular staff, with our benefited team that are assigned there.
But we still have to. We have to build the.
Non benefited staff out of the community, right? So we have to have to get folks that want to work that come in. And that's that's where we've been. You know that pool's been successful for years, based on proximity to the University of Washington.
But we're still growing the team. We're reopened more.
And the Youth Connector program that Christopher spoke about earlier. I assume you're talking about integrating.
For hiring.
Yes, so the idea is that this platform would, I mean part of the.
Challenge here is whenever you have a great program like this is just telling people about it. And the idea that the youth platform.
Or connector app would be on the cell phone of every person.
In the city, and they would be able to have access to this program 1st come first.st So.
In terms of hiring, though also Christopher.
Yes, yes.
For a higher potential lifeguards. Right? That's their employment opportunities through this app.
You've been planning opportunities, but also be included on the app as well.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah.
So Steven Patricia also.
Yeah, I just wanted to say, this is really great to build a program like this to add swimming lessons into the school just anecdotally when we we used to live in Central Valley, California, where there is no water surrounding us, and I was shocked. We moved here. It's the number of children who could not swim.
And so this is a huge need. In the city. So anything we can do to address.
Needs like this is is helpful. I think my question was, I remember, I think, in my first.st
Meeting on the board. Ap. Talked about our training standards for lifeguards, that they, the team, was exploring other cities that had.
Still, like standards of lifeguard certification that met.
Whatever that expectation is, but ours exceeded that and trying to adjust how we train to get people certified as life cards faster. Because.
People would take lifeguard classes in the summer. By the time they were lifeguard the summer was over.
And so I don't know if that's something that's been pursued to increase our our number of staff and trainer city.
Yeah.
He also mentioned, retirees like trying to bring in retirees in.
White birds. That have been lifeguards in the past.
Yeah, you know. So I mean, we are. We are actively we probably.
I don't have the numbers in front of me of the number of new staff that we certified in 2023 and 2024, but.
Let's just say.
We've we've certified and hired enough new temporary. I think we're making.
Some members of our downtown Hr. Team, a little nervous, based on the number of tempings that we bring on right.
With us, you know, the the nature of the work right is that we tend to have a lot of staff for 3 to 4 years.
So several years off during the pandemic, without a lot of training, without a lot of people coming in.
Has created a deficit of our experience staff. So we're we have a lot of new people, and we are still working to skill them up. What Ap was talking about, you know we ran a ton of classes prior to summer.
The issue with hiring folks sometimes with summer employment jobs is they think of it, and they kinda they pursue it.
In May the class is 30 h.
Then there's a process of getting higher. So there are some barriers, you know we are. We worked. We pushed hard to get.
You know, to get Evan's Pool reopened to get all of our pools reopened this summer at least to some capacity, while also.
Operating as many of our beaches as we were able to to do. So. Yeah, it's.
It is a constant effort, and we're looking to be as creative as we can to make that happen. I would also add here, because I think this is an important nuance discussion here, you know, if we hire and train a.
1718 year old, Lifeguard.
I think there is sort of an adjustment period in our comfort level of do we want that young person 50 people on a beach? Do they have the majority? Do they have enough growth.
You know, there's some journeyman level experience required. I think, before the department is investing that level.
Of trust in a person. So it's a little more nuanced than.
You know. Hey? Have we hired enough people.
Do they have enough time and grade, and have the majority to.
That Mike and his team feel like they have the confidence that they can have them be in charge of a beach.
And do open water, rescues.
Absolutely. Thank you.
Does that answer your question, Steve? Were you.
Yeah, thank you. My my niece is one of the kids who decided to become a lifeguard at the start of summer, and is now back in high school.
So.
We're still hiring.
If you have a question from Trisha, and then we are past time. So.
Okay. So first, st I'll start this off by saying that you know.
My family's from New Orleans. Most of them died in Katrina. Most of the ones at Katrina were women, because they could not swim.
I'm the 1st woman in my family that can swim, probably for 400 years.
And I only learned how to swim. Try to take a class.
And you know, being raised.
In New Orleans in La. Maybe when I think it was 7 or 8 years old, I think I went to one class, and I was the only black person there, and I remember.
People left the second that I got to the pool. So my mother was like, Yeah, I don't feel like going through this. So I did so I did learn how to swim when I moved to the Netherlands. As an adult.
And this is to lay the foundation for the question there you.
Well, kids learn how to swim. At 4 years old they get a swim diploma. That's when they go to school. So through the school.
They learn how to swim, but when I registered my son, who was 4 at the time, and they said, Well, do you know how to swim, and I'm like no.
And they provided me also free swimming classes, because that is pointless to teach your child how to swim if you don't know how to swim because we have canals here. He could. You know, you need to at least know how to tread water to save someone.
So they taught me, for free as a priority with having my child.
Lauren has some of my other children then also learned how to swim. Yeah, I was still the only black person, but they were still very supportive, and I was with other, mostly immigrant women, who didn't know how to swim. So we were all learning how to swim together versus being forced in a class with a bunch of 4 year olds.
And being a bear, my own son, like my mom can't swim. So the my question is, how many adults are you offering.
Swim classes to? Are they also eligible for discounted classes? And are those classes with other adults or with little kids.
Yes,
So we've got a few different offerings. So we do offer scholarship to adults as well.
You know the free swim lessons because part of Swindon.
That's specifically targeted for youth.
But I agree with you 100%. That's, you know, that's research founded that if your family swims, if your family is comfortable around the water, you're more likely to to develop water, comfort.
So we offer up to 90% for adult participants. We offer adult specific swimming lessons. We offer beginning adult lessons as well as intermediate adult and advanced adult lessons, so.
We offer actually a good number of adults beginning classes at a lot of our facilities.
Thank you. That's good to know.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, thank you very much.
Thank you.
Unless there's anything really pressing, we're gonna go right through just a few minutes late. Sorry.
Thank you. Everybody.