Tacoma elementary playfield won’t be turned into sports complex after neighbors push back
After Hilltop neighbors raised concerns about plans for a Tacoma elementary school playfield to be renovated into ballfields, Metro Parks announced it would now evaluate alternative sites.
Metro Parks Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools proposed a plan in March to revitalize the Stanley Playfield into ballparks to give Stadium High School baseball and softball players a home field. At a community meeting in early March, neighbors, parents and other community members voiced concerns about the project’s plans and lack of outreach to the Central Tacoma neighborhood.
The playfields are behind Stanley Elementary School and Al Davies Boys & Girls Club at 1712 S. 17th St.
The plans included fields for baseball and fastpitch, which would take up a large portion of the playfields. It also included a basketball court, soccer and lacrosse field with synthetic turf; and new playground equipment for Pre-K and K-5 children. The project is included in the school construction bond measure that was approved by voters in 2020.
Neighbors said they wanted the playfields for daily use and not for a sports complex.
Park Board members voted at their April 10 meeting to eliminate Stanley Playfield as a site for the multi-purpose, all-season sports fields.
Park Board President Andrea Smith said the proposed improvements were well-intended to support school district athletics and community sports programs and to provide upgrades to the playground and sport court amenities to serve the school community and neighbors in the Central District, but the baseball and fastpitch fields should be accommodated at a different site.
“We started with a misstep on March 1, and we’re reining it back in,” Smith said. This is a great step to move us forward.”
Smith directed Metro Parks Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools to evaluate alternative locations for the sports fields, such as Peck Sports Complex, 1425 S. State St.
“We believe that the proposed activities would be better suited to another site, such as one of our existing sports complexes and that could better accommodate more intensive play,” Smith said.
Smith said Peck could be reconfigured to accommodate the two needed fields, which would be used as home fields for Stadium High School fastpitch and baseball teams.
Currently, Stadium baseball players commute to Vassault Park for practices and games and fastpitch athletes travel to Browns Point Elementary School. The commute time and inclement has resulted in canceled games and lack of participation.
Peck currently has four softball-sized fields. According to Debbie Russell, Metro Parks director of business administration and planning, the complex is an aging facility and because of its condition it doesn’t have as many games as people would want.
Smith said Metro Parks is sensitive to the timeline of Tacoma Public Schools to begin renovations ideally by summer or early fall.
“We will prioritize the fields as a first step to design and begin construction in order to meet the needs of the school aged students in our community,” she said.
Jennifer Lacy, Stanley PTA member, thanked the Park Board for hearing the community.
“I look forward to working with you guys on making it a really great space for all of us,” she said.
The Park Board told staff from Metro Parks, Tacoma Public Schools and the City of Tacoma to meet within the next two weeks to provide clear expectations of all parties moving forward.
