More parks in Lacey could mean less crowding elsewhere in county

Some groups use space outside city

LIONA TANNESEN, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Sunday, March 3, 2002

LACEY -- The Lacey parks bond could free up fields for new leagues and adult teams that have a hard time squeezing into crowded schedules for fields in Thurston County, supporters say.

"I think it definitely will have a regional impact," said Janet Crader, president of the Thurston County Fastpitch Association.

Crader's association is among eight sports groups that endorse the $9.98 million Lacey parks bond issue to develop 15 parks.

The bond would pay for eight new softball and baseball fields, improvements for soccer fields, and other play fields that could be used for multiple sports.

The biggest effect would be in Lacey.

"I basically get requests for almost every available time slot there is between the beginning of March to mid-July or so, Monday through Saturday," said Mike Rathke, Lacey recreation supervisor.

Rathke also schedules North Thurston Public Schools' fields. The North Thurston school board also endorses the parks bond.

In theory, fields rest on Sunday, Rathke said.

But adult and family teams often use the fields then because no one else is there, Rathke said.

No place to play

Lacey gives established youth groups first priority for fields. After that come new youth organizations and then adult or family teams.

Adult and family teams often have nowhere to go, Rathke said.

"Any new organizations that come in wanting to schedule, we can't help them," Rathke said.

Rathke said he will turn away two or three requests for baseball diamonds each week from spring through July.

The fields the parks bond would create would be used immediately, Rathke said.

The Thurston County Fastpitch Association doesn't struggle to find fields because it has been established for more than 25 years, but it can't expand or have special tournaments, Crader said.

For example, the association couldn't have a special tournament to raise money to pay the membership fees for low-income students because there aren't enough fields, Crader said.

Kids will have better fields if the bond passes, Crader said.

New fields might allow state tournaments or district qualifiers to come to Thurston County, Crader said.

That could bring in hotel and restaurant business, he said.

More fields in Lacey likely will provide some relief in Olympia as well, said Terry Rodgers, Olympia's recreation program and facilities manager.

Olympia also typically has more users than fields, Rodgers said.

Olympia Parks Services Manager David Hanna said he hopes Lacey passes its parks bond.

"I am also hopeful that collectively we can look at a regional approach to dealing with major park and recreational facilities that kind of cross boundaries in a sense," Hanna said.

Park users don't look at city boundaries, Hanna said.

Some groups, especially adults, will patch together fields for practices and games across the county, Rodgers said.

Society teaches young people to look at sports as lifetime activities, and to be responsible, there need to be places for adults to do these sports, said Terry Rodgers, Olympia's recreation program and facilities manager.

"Otherwise, we're setting up unrealistic expectations," Rodgers said.

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