Both the Vashon School District and the Vashon Park District were recently awarded King County Youth Sports Facilities Grants.

Thirteen grants totaling nearly $630,000 were awarded to youth sports and recreation facilities around the region.

The school district will use the $23,000 it was awarded, in addition to matching donations from Vashon sports organizations, to replace the gym scoreboards at all three schools.

Dave Wilke, the district’s facilities director, said the current scoreboards were at least 15 years old and in various stages of disrepair.

“Things were breaking that we just weren’t able to fix because the parts are obsolete,” he said.

The scoreboard at Vashon High School has already been replaced with a longer-lasting, LED board in preparation for basketball season, said Wilke. Chautauqua Elementary and McMurray Middle School should have similar boards by March.

The park district was awarded $75,000 to put towards construction of a new outdoor skatepark at Burton Adventure Re-

creation Center (BARC).

Susan McCabe, the park district’s program director, said the grant puts the district within $25,000 of what it needs to break ground on the skatepark in April.

She said the district is currently looking for additional grants. In addition, BARC is selling brand new K2 inline skates at $10 a pair to raise funds for the skate park. The skates were donated by the Vashon Kiwanis.

“It’s a win-win situation because the skates are such a good deal ... and we get money to help build the skatepark,” McCabe said.

Contact Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Reporter Natalie Johnson at njohnson@vashonbeachcomber.com or 206-463-9195.

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