South Park Update

Sheila Hanrahan

Communications Director

Seattle Academy is embarking on an exciting partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) to invest in the South Park community through an innovative project aimed at renovating convening spaces, upgrading public park and recreation areas, and building high-quality athletic spaces. The agreement between SAAS and SPR was signed and finalized as of January 1, 2020.

The highlights of the South Park Campus Project and our SAAS agreement include:

A design that includes a relocated play area, spray park, full-size multi-sport synthetic turf field with a circular walking trail, an outdoor fitness zone, LED lighting, ADA accessibility, a sport-court, off-leash area, renovated parking lot, and mitigation of health impacts through landscaping.

SAAS will invest $4 million for SPR to fund the new field and lights portion of the project - a critical piece of the South Park Campus Project which provides a safer, more accessible place for people to recreate and enjoy the outdoors.

When the project is complete, SAAS will be allowed to use the field during Fall (last week in August through the second week in November) and Spring (first week in March through the third week in May) sports seasons, Monday thru Friday, between 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM. This translates to about 375 hours annually of the 5,110 hours the field will be open—or roughly 7.5%. The field is owned and operated by SPR. SPR will keep the new field out of the field scheduling system as a pilot, for up to five years, to erase barriers to participation by enabling the community to utilize drop-in time, providing a process and prioritization for the South Park community to schedule field use, enhance programming through the community center, and encourage the formation of neighborhood sports programs. SPR will evaluate the pilot after two years based on these criteria.

As a public benefit, SAAS will provide a minimum of fifty hours of programming annually for the South Park Community Center, local schools, and/ or local non-profits that may include soccer camps, after school mentoring and tutoring, arts programs, and/or robotics based on South Park community need and input.

For many years, Seattle Academy has been active in the South Park community by providing coaching and volunteer support and youth development through the South Park Youth Soccer Program— originally a partnership between SeaMar Community Health Centers and the South Park Community Center. Craig Tomlinson, Middle School faculty, serves as a coach, mentor, and volunteer with South Park Youth Soccer Program soccer teams with coaches and youth four days a week.

In the summer of 2019, SPR hosted a free week-long soccer camp supported by Seattle Academy. This summer soccer camp was open to girls and boys, at all skill levels, ages 5 through 12 that included free lunch provided by SPR. On average, 40 to 45 students attended camp per day.

Craig recruited a mighty SAAS team of thirteen student soccer camp counselors, including ten Upper School students, one 2019 graduate, and two 8th graders moving up to the 9th grade. Collectively, these students earned over 300 community service hours. The SAAS soccer camp counselors were supported by seven adults who included - three faculty/staff (Rick DuPree, Nicole Higgins, and Craig Tomlinson), two faculty/staff alumni (Brooks Hopps ’08 and Blaire Shainsky ’09), and two SAAS alumni (George Alvarado-Salinas ’16 and Allison Leonard ’05, who also works for SPR).

We are thrilled to collaborate with the City of Seattle Parks and Recreation and the South Park community, as this is a purposeful and positive extension of our Mission to contribute boldly to this dynamic community. We’ll continue to share updates and opportunities for you to support along the way. ☜

At the time of this publication, Seattle Parks and Recreation is optimistic and has indicated this project is moving ahead on schedule.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the City of Seattle Parks and Recreation and the South Park community, as this is a purposeful and positive extension of our Mission”