Proposed Lakewood Park Community Center

What could a community center look like? What could it look like if it filled a need to give communities a bright place but also give kids a bright future? What could it look like if it turned outdated materials into an efficient new resource? What could it mean for a transitioning neighborhood, a family new to the community, a struggling child? What could we create if we got the right partners involved? King County Parks, Technology Access Foundation, Miller Hull and Public Architecture want to find out.
Join us.

In collaboration with:

For nine years, the Technology Access Foundation (TAF) has worked extensively with southeast Seattle young people in K-12 to provide them the opportunity to develop 21st century skills. TAF has earned a national reputation for its innovative use of technology to help young people succeed. Outcomes speak most directly to the impact of the organization:
Over 1,250 youths have been trained in one of TAF’s programs
TAF proudly saw 100% (88) of TTIP students go on to college with 9 more entering college in the fall of 2005
Nearly 85% of TAF’s high school seniors attend four year universities right after high school
TAF programs have maintained a student retention rate of 85%
TAF programs generate an annual wait list of over 100 students

San Francisco-based nonprofit Public Architecture recently completed the widely-publicized ScrapHouse demonstration home and now will be assembling the Lakewood Community Center design team. Public Architecture provides a venue where architects can work for the public good. They seek projects with needs and desires that are palpable but poorly defined, in circumstances where both client and financing must be imagined in new ways. Public Architecture engages in a variety of design projects for traditionally underserved communities and also coordinates a national program called the “1% Solution,” sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Public Architecture secured the involvement of the Miller Hull Partnership, a leading Seattle architecture firm. Nationally regarded as a leader in regional, green, and sustainable design, Miller Hull was the recipient of the prestigious 2003 Architecture Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects.

King County Parks has embraced extraordinary change and innovation over the past few years. A major funding crisis in 2002 presented King County Parks the opportunity to refocus with an emphasis on things they do best. King County Parks continues to be the key provider of regional parks, natural lands and trails -– specializing in finding strategic partners who will work with the county to increase community & park amenities without increasing ongoing operations costs. Since 2002, Parks has integrated a number of new business practices, innovative partnerships and efficiencies based on the blueprint of the Parks Business Plan.

A Community Center for 21st Century Skills
at King County’s Lakewood Park

Vision: Community centers traditionally have been a place for children to build relationships and learn the skills that will help them succeed in life. In the 21st century providing recreation activities that teach our children about team work is no longer enough to level the playing field. We want to provide them with a place to learn the additional skills of tomorrow.

How Implemented: Construct a hub for 21st century communities. A 20,000sf community center located in White Center’s Lakewood Park would serve as an after school community center and daytime center for families. Family & community programs will include technology classes, a parents’ guild, summer camp, skill building workshops by corporate & community partners, volunteer program, college prep program and recreational activities. Activities offered will be geared to be both fun and enhance critical thinking, problem solving, technology fluency, and communication skills.

A flagship for green building and conservation education. The facility is envisioned to be a first of its kind: a LEED certified building that raises the bar for “green”—focusing as much on the process of building as the ultimate product. Taking the lead from Public Architecture’s vision and recent pilot success, a significant portion of the building materials will be generated from the community. For example: Children urge their parents to recycle household cans for a school field trip where the aluminum will be crushed and re-used for the buildings foundation; Wood and glass are salvaged from the deconstruction of a distressed public housing development to form the floorboards and internal walls.

Ingenuity and innovation will drive a 21st Century “barn raising”, where individuals unite, learn, and create a new resource for the community. The County, Public Architecture & TAF will collaborate with local community members and organizations on design elements of the community center.

When: Construction will begin once matching funds are secured.

Cost: Total project will be between six to eight million dollars. King County proposes to contribute a grant of $2M conditional upon securing matching funds. Approximately $6M will be raised in contributions and services.

Partners: Partners with King County for this project currently include the Technology Access Foundation, Miller Hull Partnership & Public Architecture. King County will work with TAF to aggressively pursue partnerships with local organizations and community leaders.