Olympia ponders adding school to proposed park Yelm Highway property

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The Olympia City Council is currently in limbo whether the land along Yelm Highway would be built entirely as a public park or include a school on the grounds.

During its study session on Tues., Feb. 8, the city council met with representatives from the Olympia School District to discuss the possibility of building a school on the proposed 86-acre Yelm Highway Community Park.

Andy Mitton of Berger Partnership, consultants on the project, revealed that discussions on having a school co-located in the property began in November 2020. If approved, the school would take up 20 acres of the property along the road, with the park located behind it.

However, School Board President Maria Flores and School District Superintendent Patrick Murphy acknowledged that construction of the school would not start for ten years. Park construction is slated to start in 2024, with Phase 1 opening in 2025.

“We really need direction on how to proceed soon,” Mitton remarked.

New school needed for emerging growth

Murphy argued their studies show that the community will need a new middle school; and a new high school in 10 to 20 years. The city currently has 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, two large comprehensive high schools and two smaller high school programs.

Murphy explained that while the school district has expanded Capital High School and Olympia High School to accommodate growth, these are only temporary fixes. He added that the increase is partially due to families moving away from places like Seattle and Tacoma to Olympia, where real estate prices are lower, among other factors.

“It won’t be the solution that we need long-term,” said Murphy.

The school district offered several options as recompense for the use of the area, such as buying the land; providing upgrades for the park; trade school-district owned real estate, or any combination of these.

Included in the school district’s proposal was a facility-sharing scheme, where the city and school can schedule times between the school’s students and the general public use of the area and share construction and upkeep costs.

Murphy also added that if land for a proposed school is granted, the school district would be willing to find means for constructing a pedestrian overpass over Yelm Highway to the site.

More parks a 20-year community demand

Parks and Recreations Advisory Committee Chair Maria Ruth shared reservations about the school’s proposal.

“I have not found any of the information that we’ve been given allows us the confidence to recommend a proposal, commented Ruth.

Ruth explained that the idea of building a community park began in 2002, and has consistently received public support, with three park plans made and two ballot votes held to raise funds to buy the land.

Ruth added that one of the reasons the Yelm Highway property was in demand was to answer the call for soccer fields. The park-alone plan features four soccer fields; a school co-located park would include three.

In a survey conducted by the city through its Engage Olympia website concerning the property, soccer fields came second as the most anticipated activity in the park, with paths and trails ranking first.

Other park features would also be compromised, according to Ruth, with many of the facilities reduced in size: something Mitton also pointed out in his report.

Ruth alleged that the information provided by the school district on the benefits of building a school is "not accurate" and misleading. In particular, the Parks Committee head remarked that the proposed schedule on the use of the soccer areas “is not evidence-based.”

Ruth added that the Parks and Recreation Committee voted not to recommend the school co-location proposal because “our concerns were not answered.”

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