The issue of the Boys & Girls Club's planning to construct a brand new facility on the northwest corner of the Garfield Elementary play field came to our attention last spring. This issue is building in momentum and before it moves forward we'd like to know what you think.
Please consider this an opportunity to voice your opinion. Please remember that the NWONA Board has not taken a stand on this issue and each member of the Board is free to voice her/his opinion regarding this issue.
For many this news may be a surprise. Although the very first post on this blog back in April was about the Boys & Club proposal and the meeting about it that was poorly attended. See http://nwona.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
ReplyDeleteFor further reading also see an editorial the Olympian did at http://www.theolympian.com/2011/06/04/1675375/boys-girls-clubs-an-immense-asset.html
And there is a Facebook page against the project called "Stop Destruction of Garfield Elementary Ball Fields"
Is there a hearing or forum upcoming?
I for one think it is a terrible idea! That is the only open space in the neighborhood. We have run our dog there, launched rockets, counted shooting stars, played baseball, built snow forts and sledded. Where would we do all thos things now? There is a deep irony that the boys and girls club wants to fill up the space our children have their baseball and soccer games in so they can what, play basketball and volleyball instead?
ReplyDeleteRight now that field is open to all. The Boys and Girls club is only open to some.
Do they really need a seperate building? They operate when children are out of school. They have been using the middle school. Why do we need to have a school that stands unused in the evenings next door to another building that stands unused in the mornings?
And lastly, there are TONS of empty builiding in Olympia.
I think it is great for our neighborhood kids to have a safe and affordable place to be before/after school and during school breaks!
ReplyDeleteI hate the idea of giving up our park space to build on no matter what the building is going to be used for. That is a great space that is used a lot. Put the Boys and Girls club in the Police annex building that is being mothballed at the end of the month.
ReplyDeleteI would rather see the money go to improving the area as a neighborhood park than put buildings on the site.
ReplyDeleteI previously wrote that I liked the idea of having a safe place for our neighborhood children, but after reading more on this topic, I did not realize how large of a building they are wanting to build. I hope they do NOT take our open field where my kids and dog play to build a center that could be put in one of the many empty buildings in Olympia.
ReplyDeleteWhile we are in favor of creating safe places for kids, we agree that the open field at Garfield is too important to give up. It has been and continues to be an important place for our neighborhood. My grandson learned to ride a bike there, we fly kites, throw frisbees, play baseball, throw a football, play in the snow, etc. It's already crowded when spring sports begin, so we don't really see how taking a good chunk of the space is helpful. It would seem to be fixing one problem, but creating another. Surely there is another location in an existing building somewhere. Besides, the other westside elementaries may be a better choice as they are not right smack in the middle of a walking distance neighborhood like ours.
ReplyDeletePlease post some links to the official proposal.
ReplyDeleteThanks
I think having a Boys and Girls club in our neighborhood is a good idea. There is a large population within and adjacent to our neighborhood whose children - our children - will be beneficiaries of this facility. There is clearly a need. It is close enough that many can walk or bike. Yes, the site is well used but even so, it is vacant most times I walk or drive by. There will still be plenty of room for dogs to run (plus the dog park is just up the road). There will still be lots of room for ballgames in the spring and summer. This wouldn't displace those uses though it will reduce the space somewhat. By how much depends on the design of the facility.
ReplyDeleteThe parcel on which it would be situated is very large. My concern is not with the notion of the facility, but with its design. A 20,000 square foot facility all one story will have a footprint of 100 feet by 200 feet. That same facility as a two-story structure would be 100' x 100'. A three story structure would have a smaller footprint still. Well designed architectural features will ensure it blends in with our neighborhood, and is oriented to promote pedestrian and bike access.There is an opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency and storm water runoff measures that are a model for other new buildings.
Boys and Girls Club is a good organization. I encourage our NWONA Board to engage Boys and Girls Club and school district officials in discussions about design details that will help it to add lasting positive architectural and functional character to the neighborhood. I would be happy to participate in such discussions.
The boys and girls club is a good idea but the Garfield open space is the WRONG place for it. There are lots of empty buildings and spaces within a 1/4 mile of Garfield that could be used. Open space is precious - it's a major meeting place for our neighborhood.
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