Contact: Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson – 576-6416
Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler – 901-1142 – randy.beehler@yakimawa.gov
Over that last several years, Kiwanis Park has celebrated a lot of improvements, including new softball fields, a new skate park, new basketball courts, and a new playground. On Saturday, September 22nd, the latest additions to the 34-acre park in Southeast Yakima – three new ballfields – were in the spotlight during a grand opening ceremony starting at 2:00 pm.
The opening of the three new, lighted ballfields, which can accommodate youth baseball as well as women’s fastpitch and slowpitch softball, marks another step in securing the park’s growing reputation as a premiere sports and recreation destination.
“Earlier this year the Gateway Sports Complex at Kiwanis Park hosted the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges women’s softball crossover tournament,” said Yakima Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson. “It was a big tournament and it was a huge success. With the opening of the three new ballfields, we anticipate more events of the size and scale of the NWAACC tournament, or even larger, coming to Yakima,” said Wilkinson.
Other improvements were also made in conjunction with the three new ballfields including restroom facilities, a concession stand, an additional parking lot, and new playground. In total, the project cost more than $2.5 million. Funding for the project came from Yakima Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis clubs as well as the Yakima School District, the City of Yakima, and the State of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (“RCO”).
“The new ballfields, as well as all of the recent improvements at Kiwanis Park, prove that amazing things can be accomplished when the community joins together to achieve a goal,” said Wilkinson. “Kiwanis Park is a great testament to the concept of public/private partnerships. It really is a facility all of Yakima can be proud of,” said Wilkinson.