School bond

History repeats itself: Vote ‘yes’ for track, other improvements

My son Gordy, along with other boys, were track athletes in junior high. When they started high school in 1967, they discovered there was not a good track and no track meets could be hosted at Vashon. This eventually motivated some parents, including my husband and me, to insist that the school board install one that met requirements. The members of the school board didn’t feel it was necessary, that is, not until they became aware that the parents had started to physically attempt to rebuild that old track. They then asked the voters to support the levy they proposed, and eventually a track was built that was good enough to host home meets.

Now, Vashon voters face very similar circumstances. For many years, our track team has not had a home meet because our current track, the one my friends and I battled to get built, is currently so sub-par. At that time the track served its purpose, but its practical life ended several decades ago. It is time for our community to decide, as it did nearly 50 years ago, that we must provide adequate facilities for our schools.

This school bond is also about much more than athletic facilities. Just over half of the money sought will be spent on the track and field. The rest, however, is spread around school district facilities to replace and repair worn out systems. As we all know, things do wear out even when we do our best to maintain them. It is our job, as community members, to back the school board and see that we stay on top of things, just as we do in our own homes.

Vote yes, folks.

— Barbara Steen