Voice of the Valley

On that Saturday evening the Washington State Legislature passed its 2013-15 capital construction budget, which included $2.1 million for the Covington Community Park’s second phase. Sen. Joe Fain, Rep. Pat Sullivan and officials from the City of Covington secured the additional funding after helping finance the initial phase in last year’s construction package.

“This park will provide a special gathering place that will be unique to Covington,” said Fain. “I applaud and strongly support the goals of leaders from the City of Covington who have worked to make this project a reality. There is a great deal of current and planned growth in the surrounding area and I envision this park as a cornerstone of the community for many years.”

Covington Community Park is a 30-acre site at the intersection of 180th Ave SE and SE 240th St and is slated to have a variety of athletic fields, a community event stage as well as walking paths and trails.

“I’m excited to see the second phase of the Covington Community Park project moving forward,” emphasized state Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, “and that the state has partnered with the city of Covington to accomplish this goal.”

The state’s capital budget provides funding for new construction and maintenance for public buildings as well as other long-term infrastructure projects. The budget also provides funding or low-interest bonding for local government projects.

"The Covington City Council and Parks & Recreation Department are very excited that our legislators have secured funding for the next phase of Covington Community Park,” said Covington Mayor Margaret Harto. “Parks and recreation are essential to our vision of an unmatched quality of life, and I think the public will love what we have planned for phase two."