Posted by Jason Alvarado on 9. September 2009 10:20
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on September XX, 2009
As Cheney residents face the decision to support a bond for the development of Betz Park, West Plains Little League board would like to offer a strong endorsement for the development of this facility.
Our association organizes baseball and softball for 570 boys and girls on the West Plains. With so many kids involved, our organization is the majority user of the baseball fields in Cheney. Our league knows firsthand that there is a need for sports fields in our community. Currently, we use EVERY softball field in Cheney and Medical Lake for games every night of the week from March-July. This leaves no fields for our teams to practice on and forces our kids to practice on soccer fields, or to just not practice at all. This also impacts other organizations who are trying to use what little space there is. More fields will mean more opportunities for our kids. These fields are needed and will be used.
More fields would also help our league, as well as other leagues and organizations, with hosting tournaments. For the past 4 years, we have hosted 2-3 tournaments in July. More fields would give our league more options for scheduling games and allow us to even pick up more prestigious tournaments.
As representatives of our league have traveled around the state to visit other communities, we have seen how a community can rally around a quality facility for its youth. Betz Park can be that rallying point for Cheney. Whether it be baseball, softball, soccer or community events let's give our kids and our community something they can be proud of, please support Proposition 1 on November 3rd.
Rob Beamer
President WPLL
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 2. September 2009 05:35
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on September 03, 2009
Many of us have seen evidence of the support and enthusiasm for the much needed Cheney Park including yard signs, letters to the editor, a website, and even community activism. The information being shared regarding the quickly approaching park bond initiative has focused on the cost benefit of voting yes for this important community based park. The benefits clearly out weigh the minimal costs and include the ability for this community to engage in recreational and creative outlets in a way we have never done before. In my conversations with others the opposition (while minimal) has been around the cost of building and maintaining the park. The community group Citizens for Parks has developed a website and countless materials to address this concern. In summary the cost is minimal, so minimal in fact I discovered that my monthly tax increase is less than $11.00. Are you kidding me? I waste more than that in one week at Starbucks and I’m betting I’m not alone.
Putting things into perspective it seems to be a no-brainer that the majority of us can easily support this much needed park and for those who can’t there is a tax exemption for seniors on fixed incomes. Check it out for yourself at our website: http://www.50acrepark.com
The next question that we should address relates to the cost of not supporting the park. There is much information to be had that provides us with the facts related to the proposed costs for the park however consider for a moment the costs of not supporting the park. These costs are often times overlooked and speak more to the wellness of a community in the context of non-monetary values. Consider the following:
1-A lack of a place for the children of our community to gather, recreate, and create- As many of us have experienced there is a clear and present LACK of safe, modern, and accessible spaces and places for our children to gather for the purpose of recreation and other creative outlets. Parents, educators, coaches, grandparents, children, and youth have all experienced the difficulty of trying to find appropriate spaces to practice and/or gather. In the past many of the local schools have tried to open their doors to groups however this has always been difficult given limited space and (let’s face it) in the current economic reality it’s unlikely our schools are going to be in a position to provide the space.
2- Continued need to travel into Spokane and other areas for activities that we could be holding at home-
Many other communities (including the small ones) are able to develop and sustain community based parks and centers. There is evidence of this all over the county. Many of us have had experience of what I like to call the “mini van shuffle” which entails hauling our children back and forth (again and again) sometimes in the same day into Spokane for activities we should be able to sustain in our home community. These other communities are reaping the benefit of this as we end up paying fees to support Spokane area facilities and clubs when that support would be better spent here at home.
3- Increasing health and other problems related to inactivity-
In today’s age of technology the importance of physical and recreational activity continues to take a back seat to the computer and all it’s uses and misuses. An avid computer user myself I am just as guilty as anyone else. Now more than ever communities are in need of places and spaces that support outlets for bodily movement as well as social, face to face interaction and communication.
4-What’s a staycation without a community center-
Families are engaging in staycations and at home activities more than ever.
The local news has profiled various communities and ways in which families are opting to stay closer to home in order to save on the cost of vacationing. I dare say a community without a community center is one that that misses out on multiple economic and social venues.
6-No place for our senior citizens to call home-
Our senior citizens are in need of a place to call home as well. Many communities today have recognized the importance of supporting seniors through centers that provide multiple outlets and activities. Without the new park Cheney is not in a position to support it’s senior citizens in a manner that they deserve and need.
I’ve often times bragged about my community. It’s perfect size, caring citizens, and clean/well kept homes and businesses. I would very much like to add a strong commitment to community wellness to that list. Wouldn’t You?
Support the Cheney Park. Vote Yes on Cheney’s Proposition #1
Sincerely,
Theresa L. McDowell
Citizens for Parks
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 2. September 2009 04:15
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on September 03, 2009
The Olmsted Brothers passed
through Spokane County 102 years ago on their way to building a park
system in Seattle. Eastern Washington folks were impressed by their
vision and asked what it would take to build a park system in Spokane.
The price: $1,000,000. Just imagine the debate that occurred…yet when
the Olmsted’s made it back, the bond issue had passed. Our forefathers
caught their vision of wisely planned open spaces creating places for
young and old to gather and play. I’m so glad they had the courage to
push their views forward and convince others to support parks.
This fall, we get to make history in
creating a special place in Cheney. The 50-acre park has something for
everyone - open space for places to walk, to relax, to relieve stress,
and opportunities to bring loved ones right snack into the middle of
the great and some say disappearing outdoors. My Iowa farmer dad
reminds me, “They aren’t making any more land.” Let’s make a
difference. For a few dollars a month we can develop something
permanent for future generations to enjoy. Vote YES for Parks in
November – make our forefathers, our grandchildren (and my dad) proud!
Barb Brock
Citizens for Parks
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 27. August 2009 09:32
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on August 27, 2009.
It’s understandable in these financial times that citizens are concerned about adopting a new tax. “What’s it going to cost me?” is the question I hear most often on this issue.
Taken directly from the city’s website: “For homes valued at $150,000 the average monthly increase would be $10.” That breaks down to 0.066 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
To make it easy, the monthly cost would be $6.66 on a $100,000 home, $13.33 on a $200,000, and $16.66 on a $250,000 home. I’ve built an easy cost calculator available at www.50AcrePark.com that you can use to find out your exact cost based on your home’s value.
These estimates are also likely to decrease over the 20 years that the bond is to be repaid, as the assessed valuation of our city will increase as the community grows. Think of the bond as a big pie. As more people move to Cheney, everyone’s slice will get a little bit smaller.
Low-income seniors and disabled persons can also qualify for a property tax exemption so that the bond would not affect their taxes. Applications for the exemptions are available at www.spokanecounty.org/assessor
Now is the time to build our park. Construction costs are down about 20-30 percent and interest rates on debt are also down. It makes the most financial sense to build now. The only other option is to rebuild the Wren Pierson Building, but that is like putting a new engine in a car with 300,000 miles on it.
Please vote yes for Proposition No.1 on Nov. 3. If you live in Cheney and are not registered to vote, you can do so at www.spokanecounty.org/elections by Oct. 5. To learn more about this bond issue, or about the proposed 50-acre park, please visit www.50acrepark.com.
Jason Alvarado
Owner, Cheney Tech.
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 21. August 2009 09:09
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on August 20, 2009.
Who needs a 50-acre park and community center: The answer is simple – we do.
Last
winter, the snow damaged our Wren Pierson Building to the point that it
had to be demolished. This was our community center and it served us
well for 60 years, however, it had outlived its usefulness and the snow
actually did us a favor.
It forced us to move forward. Now, we have
the opportunity to do something really positive for the future of
Cheney, to develop a 50-acre park starting with the community center. A
place for our senior citizens they can actually call their own. A place
where our children can play and learn together in organized activities.
A place where we can have community meetings, or a safe place just to
relax. We have an excellent recreational staff, now we need to give
them the space to provide even more activities for our community.
The
plan also calls for two baseball/softball fields and two
soccer/football fields. A gymnasium is planned for the community center.
We will also find a permanent and accessible location for our museum, for our food and clothing bank and our outreach program.
This
is all possible and doable. This is not pie in the sky, a want, a nice
to have. It is a necessity if we wish to continue with the quality of
life that we all enjoy. Parks and recreation is the backbone of our
community’s quality of life. We not only need our community center and
the 50-acre park, but we also deserve it.
Please vote yes for our future and the future of our children.
Curt Huff
Cheney
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 19. August 2009 13:13
The following is a letter to the editor that was published on August 13, 2009.
You’ve read about or seen
us from the Cheney Historical Museum trying to raise funds to move our
collection into an interim location on First Street. We often use the
disaster analogy for our situation. After the disaster we scattered our
family (collection) among friends and we were given a tent (storage
unit) for temporary shelter. The next step, the interim location at 420
First St. is like the FEMA trailer. It has heat and lights, and allows
us to gather our things back together and keep them safe while we work
with the city and others to develop a permanent home.
The Park and
Community Center Bond on this November’s ballot include funds to help
the museum secure that permanent home. The museum won’t be in the
community center at Betz Park. We are researching building options in
town including the old train depot among others. Each of those options
will have moving, repair, and/or remodeling costs. Funds from the Park
Bond will be used to match grant funds to pay for those costs.
Some
folks say, just move back into the Wren Pierson building, put things
back the way they were. I’ll remind those folks that the good old days
weren’t so good. The bay doors which made part of our exterior wall
were falling apart, our front door was rotting through, our lighting
and power were dreadfully inadequate, and there’s more. The insurance
money won’t address these issues.
I urge you to vote yes for the
Park & Community Center Bond this November. Build a home for our
past and a future for our children.
Joan Mamanakis
Director, Cheney Historical Museum
Posted by Jason Alvarado on 14. August 2009 11:31
This website has been developed by an independent citizen group known as "Citizens for Parks". Its purpose is to present information about Cheney's proposed 50 Acre Park & Community Center, and the Bond issue placed before voters on the November 3rd election.
Please check back often as we will be posting updates at least once a week. These may include letters from committee and community members, information about the park itself, and/or the bond issue. You can subsribe to this blog via RSS feed as well.
Below are some of the architect's renderings of the proposed community center.
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