What is the Community Partnerships and Grant Program (CPG)?
The Community Partnerships and Grant Program (CPG) is offered through King County and managed by their parks department.  The CPG Program is a public/private partnership initiative that empowers user groups, sports associations, recreation clubs, and other non-profit organizations to construct, develop, program, and/or maintain new or enhanced public recreation facilities on King County land in a manner that does not result in new publicly funded operations and maintenance costs.

King County contributes use of land and capital improvement grants up to $100,000 for successful partnership proposals. Community partners contribute the necessary additional capital and in-kind resources to develop the new or enhanced facility, as well as, most of the operations, maintenance, and programming typically through volunteers and/or revenue based programs or other resources.

There are currently over 30 CPG projects in various stages of development and implementation including preliminary discussions, initial negotiations, pre-planning, design development, permitting, construction and/or completed projects with ongoing operations.

The CPG Program has been very successful in leveraging the commitment, passion, and resources of community-based organizations to create new public recreation opportunities for citizens in King County while not increasing publicly funded operations and maintenance costs.

What is May Valley Park?

May Valley Park is located at SR 900 and 148th.  It is a 54 acre, largely undisturbed, natural woodland park. The park is laced with dirt hiking trails accessible to pedestrians and equestrians only. The park is heavily forested and provides natural habitat for a variety of wildlife. Parking and access to the park and its trail system is quite limited. The park is not heavily utilized and many residents in the greater surrounding area are unaware of its existence.

Who does the park serve?

May Valley Park is classified as a “local rural park” for “recreation”.   Its formal service area includes the local May Valley community and the surrounding rural area bound by the Four Creeks UAC.

What is the history of the May Valley Park?
May Valley park was to King County in 1988.  In 1990 a plan to develop May Valley Park was created. The plan produced a GeoTechnical survey (November 1990) of the park and a layout for proposed use. The 1990 plan included a 3 baseball field, a soccer field, outdoor basketball courts, picnic areas, children play areas, along with pedestrian and equestrian trails and parking. The plan was not approved.

Why was the Coalfield 5-Star Athletic Association chosen to head up the CPG?
King County’s CPG program requires a non-profit (501-C) organization to enter contract with to receive the CPG funds.  5-Star was approached by community members to be the 501-C organization and is providing the project management and leadership resources, necessary liability insurance and community 501-c status required by King County for a CPG project.  5-Star did not pursue this undertaking, but are glad to have been asked because of their strong involvement with the community providing sport, scouting and hall usage activities to almost a thousand families each year, and having a community history going back to the 1930's. 

How did the May Valley CPG become reality?
• King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn was approached by local May Valley residents asking for support for development of a natural area in May Valley sometimes called Pioneer Park by local residents. The area is 2-acres west of 164th SE just north of SR 900.
• Since the natural area was in a wetland boundary, King County Water & Land Resources suggested to Parks that the area was inappropriate for any development and suggested consideration be made for May Valley Park, a 52-acre park southeast of the intersection of 148th SE and SR 900.
• The KC Council authorized $135,000 to the Parks budget for initial efforts to be used to fund initial feasibility analysis of the Park under the King County's Community Partnership and Grants (CPG) program.
• The residents contacted 5 Star Athletics because of their involvement in the community since 1939 and the CPG contract required a non-profit organization.
• A community task force came together to brain storm park ideas and be the initial community outreach sounding board and feedback medium.
• KC Parks and 5-Star negotiated a CPG contract with a statement of work up to $135,000 (milestones: $75,000, $50,000, $10,000). The CPG contract was finalized in June of 2008.

What are the development plans for May Valley Park?

King County Parks currently has no development plans for May Valley Park.  A Master Plan was created with the community in the early 1990’s but the plan was never implemented.   Since that time, rural citizens have proposed many improvement ideas but there has been no formal public planning process to ratify any proposals.

Has the park been renamed to the Jennifer Dunn Memorial Park?
Not officially.  Shortly after the initial community task force was formed with the idea to explore park possibilities through King County’s CPG program, Jennifer Dunn passed away.  A member of the community task force suggested naming the park after Jennifer Dunn due to her strong and positive involvement on the East Renton Plateau.   After much discussion, the community task force agreed it would be a great thing to do considering Jennifer Dunn’s history in our area, and the fact that her son, Regan Dunn, is our District 9 council member and county sponsor and advocate.   The community task force asked Jennifer Dunn’s family their permission to name the park after their mother, which they granted very graciously.    Although the park as not been formally named yet, the Jennifer Dunn Memorial Park name has stuck and has gained positive momentum.   

Is the May Valley Park linked to any annexation, Urban Growth Boundary Line Adjustments or land trades?
The May Valley CPG project is not associated to any annexation efforts, Urban Growth Boundary Line Adjustments or land trades with contractors, realtor, politicians or the general public.  Rumors to such are inaccurate and false and only cloud the positive efforts made by community members to bring something great to the East Renton Plateau.

Are there plans to move 5-Star hall onto the May Valley park land?
The Coalfield 5-Star Athletic Association owns the community hall at the intersection of SE 128th and 154th SE.  The hall was built in 1939 and has been used as a community hall for close to 60 years.  Historical photos of the hall and discussions with the King County Historical Society indicate the hall has historical significance.  Over the last 5 years, talk of relocating the hall has been discussed with several parties interested in the current 5 Star Hall location.  5 Star Athletics has made an unsolicited proposal to King County to relocate their building from its current location to the May Valley Park site and donate it to King County. 5 Star Athletics would solely fund the relocation and renovation (via sale of the existing property and a historical grant).  With an improved location, the hall could once again be used as a community meeting hall or a rec center for all age groups.  It secures the 54 acres as a park, it restores a significant historical landmark, and it allows the hall to be used as it was meant to with safer parking and road access. 

What is the latest community planning effort?

Local citizens approached Councilmember Dunn and King County Parks in 2007 about the possibility of doing community park improvements at May Valley Park.    Councilmember Dunn and King County Parks agreed to set aside funds in 2008 to conduct updated site analysis and implement a new comprehensive community brainstorming and planning process for the park.   The funds are being granted to the community through the Community Partnerships and Grants (CPG) Program.  

5-Star / Coalfield Athletic Association volunteered to offer their non-profit status and organize volunteers to accept the community grant and manage the site analysis contractors and community planning process on behalf of the community.

What is the purpose of the preliminary site analysis?

The preliminary site analysis will offer the neighbors, park stakeholders, and the community at large with technical information about the conditions of the site.   Data about topography, hydrology, soils, wetlands, and other site conditions will be compiled to determine the park’s overall opportunities and constraints.  This information will provide realistic parameters for the neighbors, park stakeholders, and the community at large to discuss any of their improvement ideas or concerns in the context of actual on-the-ground conditions. 

What does the community planning process involve?

The community planning process will first identify and contact all the stakeholders of the park.   Stakeholders will include neighbors, local representative organizations, individuals, and the community at large.   There will then be several public meetings to share the preliminary site analysis information and begin the initial community brainstorming effort.    Ideas and concerns from all the stakeholders during the initial brainstorming sessions will be organized and shared with the community for further discussion.  Eventually, feasible improvement ideas from the stakeholders that have broad community support will be further considered and vetted as part of a formally proposed park improvement plan.

When will the community planning process begin?

Community leaders and King County Parks anticipate that the community’s first informational and brainstorming meeting will be in late September.   Information about the meeting will be mailed out to all neighbors and also disseminated by various representative groups and stakeholder organizations.

When will a park improvement plan be formally proposed?

A community-supported park improvement plan will be proposed by the community when their planning process is complete.   Depending on the ideas and concerns that come up during the community planning process it should take about 6 months to develop a fully vetted park improvement plan proposal that is supported by the community. 

What has been committed to and what has not?
The ONLY thing King County Parks has committed to is a contract to understand what opportunities and limitations there may be for developing May Valley Park.  The county has made NO funding or support commitment beyond the CPG at this time. There's plenty of time to completely discuss ANY park development proposal including proposals to leave the park as it is or develop it for uses completely different from those being discussed currently.

Where can I get more information?

Beginning in mid-September all information about the site and the community planning process will be available at the community’s park planning website:  www.mycommunitypark.org.  As factual information becomes available and various milestones are reached in the process the relevant information will be posted there.   Contact information for all the representative organizations that are participating in the process will also be available on the website.

You can also contact King County Parks directly.  T.J. Davis, Manager, Community Partnerships and Grant Program is the King County Parks liaison to the community for their effort.  Email: tj.davis@kingcounty.gov