National Park Service Gives $370K To Improve Skyway Park

SKYWAY, WA - The National Park Service has awarded a $370,000 grant to King County to make improvements at Skyway Park, the largest sports and recreation facility in the neighborhood south of Seattle. In addition to Skyway, Tacoma got a $750,000 grant for Swan Creek Park. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell announced the grant on Thursday.

Here's more from Cantwell's press release:

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today announced that the National Park Service has awarded a grant of $750,000 to Metro Parks Tacoma to improve Swan Creek Park and a grant of $370,000 to King County to revitalize Skyway Park.

“Both of these grants will help ensure underserved communities have access to local outdoor recreation opportunities. Not only will these park improvements help people get outside, but they will provide an economic boost for these communities by supporting jobs and attracting new business,” said Senator Maria Cantwell.

The grant to Metro Parks Tacoma will help transform Swan Creek Park into a regional outdoor attraction and connect the park and the surrounding community with trails, access points, signage, and amenities.

The grant to King County will improve recreation and repair sports facilities at Skyway Park including an expanded play area, a new soccer facility, and improvements to the parking lot.

Both projects were funded through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program, which helps plan, build, and enhance parks and other outdoor recreation facilities in underserved communities. The ORLP is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF is the nation’s most successful conservation program, providing opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, and other recreational uses.

Senator Cantwell has led the fight to defend the LWCF in the Senate. She has repeatedly fought for its permanent reauthorization, most recently including it in the comprehensive energy legislation she passed through the Senate in 2016. In July 2016, she led a bipartisan effort to rally Washington state’s environmentalists and the outdoor industry behind the program.

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