Category Overview
Local Parks grants help protect these symbols of vibrant communities, providing places for families to gather and play and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in an era when people spend increasing amounts of their time inside. The WWRP is the largest source of local parks funding in Washington, helping communities fund the acquisition, development, and renovation of vital recreation areas and green spaces.
Project Highlights
This project will add field lighting on a competition level softball field and build a restroom facility to serve the newly opened Steven J. Underwood Memorial Park. The park has three competition level softball fields, a parking area, and the infrastructure for future development of soccer fields, field lighting and additional parking. Maximizing field use by adding lights is critical because Des Moines has 60% fewer sports fields per capita than the surrounding cities of Federal Way, SeaTac, and Kent. Restrooms to replace the use of sani-cans will improve user and spectator comfort and site sanitation. The project improves the quality of athletic experiences by reducing conflicts between users caused by overlapping game times and daylight constraints. Having lighting to compensate for cloud cover and shortened daylight in the fall and winter months will also enhance game safety and lessen the need for local teams to search for practice and game fields away form home. Outstanding community involvement is the hallmark of Steven J. Underwood Memorial Park. Each phase of the park’s development has had a broad base of support form Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation WWRP Local Parks and YAF grants, Community Development Block grants, King Count REET and Youth Sports Facility grants, South Highline Little Leagues, Des Moines Midway Soccer Club, Des Moines Legacy Foundation, Des Moines Police and Fire Fighters Guilds, Starbucks Coffee Company, and Des Moines Rotary Club.