In July of 2020, a group of Northeast business owners, parents, coaches, community leaders and basketball players met with Ken Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager, at Miller Park to identify their ideas for improving the park. An initial meeting was held on July 28, 2020 with the community members, Mayor Byers, Council Member Macias and staff. A purpose statement was created by the group. The statement is “Revitalizing Miller Park as the Heart of the Community."
A list of improvements was created by the group and ranked by priority. The number 1 & 2 priorities are to resurface and reline the basketball courts and provide lights for safety and to allow play to continue later in the evening. Some of the other identified improvements are a new restroom, a second picnic shelter, a new playground, added walkways, additional picnic tables and benches. Cost estimates were developed and shared with the group at the second meeting which was held on August 11, 2020. Three of the community members presented their ideas to the Parks & Recreation Commission on Wednesday, August 12, 2020. The Park & Recreation Commission was grateful to the group and supported their efforts. A fund-raising brochure was created and distributed and $18,000 was raised for the improvements. In November of 2020, a request was made to the Washington State Legislature, sponsored by Representative Gina Mosbrucker and to Governor Inslee to provide additional funding for the improvements. The request was approved in the amount of $629,160.
Some work at the park has already occurred. One basketball court was completely removed and rebuilt by the Streets Division staff and the other 3 courts have to be crack sealed and all courts have been lined. The Yakima Parks & Recreation Division is pleased to be working with another group of energetic and motivated community members that want to make improvements to a Yakima park and the additional funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce will pay for the majority of the improvements. |