Summary

The Cemetery Pond Open Space area in East Renton has received $50,000 as part of King County’s participatory budgeting process. This is the first of dozens of projects that voters chose earlier this year as part of the budgeting and will be used for acquiring critical green infrastructure.

Story

The Cemetery Pond Open Space area in East Renton has grown, thanks to a historic community vote that awarded $50,000 for the acquisition of critical green infrastructure.

Last summer, residents across five urban, unincorporated areas of King County selected dozens of community projects and initiatives to receive public funding as part of the county’s new, community-driven approach to public investments called participatory budgeting.

“The new land acquisitions at Cemetery Pond, funded through our first round of participatory budgeting, is a milestone for this new and critical process,” said Executive Constantine. “With each new project funded, we’re highlighting the power of resident-led investments in the communities we serve, delivering on a shared vision of our region’s future.”

The Cemetery Pond project is now the first of those selected to receive its funding, building on years of advocacy from the local community to improve and restore the wetland. The project directly supports continued acquisitions of the wetland and its buffer areas. The Community Investment Budget Committee selected the Cemetery Pond wetland acquisition project to be included in the list of projects that went to the public for a vote earlier this year.

The award for acquisition of critical green infrastructure helped the county purchase property that increases the pond and wetland capacity. King County has acquired nine parcels at Cemetery Pond since 2019, totaling 3.15 acres for wetland protection and restoration. The most recent parcel purchase in September, supported by the participatory budgeting funds, adds more than an acre to the wetland restoration project that will help slow and clean stormwater runoff.

“The acquisition and improvements at Cemetery Pond are just some of the many types of community improvements that we envisioned as we created the Participatory Budgeting process,” said Local Services Director John Taylor. “Residents were empowered to choose and directly address community needs. This marks another milestone in the Participatory Budgeting process, and we’re excited to see other projects that the community has chosen become reality as well.”

“This project delivers multiple benefits extending well beyond the boundaries of the Cemetery Reach Natural Area, with improved water quality for native fish and wildlife and expanded recreational opportunities for people who call this historically underserved community home,” said Natural Resources and Parks Director Christie True.

Voters also approved $35,000 to upgrade public access and amenities in the wetland area, which will fund the design and construction of public trails to access the open space. Community partners will inform the design of wetland restoration and public amenities and improvements through June 2024.

Restoration of Cemetery Pond is one of the Clean Water Healthy Habitat goals of managing stormwater and restoring salmon habitat.

More about Participatory Budgeting
In 2020, King County embarked on a new, community-driven approach to determining how to spend public funds called participatory budgeting. King County Executive Dow Constantine proposed a budgeting process that would empower the urban unincorporated areas of East Federal Way, East Renton, Fairwood, Skyway, and White Center.

King County Local Services and its community partner, the Community Investment Budget Committee, established the parameters of the program and collected and evaluated project ideas submitted by community members, which culminated in a public vote last August that decided which projects should receive funding. More than 60 community members contributed their time and ideas to the process, which allowed residents who live, play, go to school, work, or worship in each of the areas to cast their votes. Nearly 2,600 ballots were cast across the five areas.

Quotes

• King County Executive Dow Constantine: "The new land acquisitions at Cemetery Pond, funded through our first round of participatory budgeting, is a milestone for this new and critical process. With each new project funded, we’re highlighting the power of resident-led investments in the communities we serve, delivering on a shared vision of our region’s future."

• Local Services Director John Taylor: "The acquisition and improvements at Cemetery Pond are just some of the many types of community improvements that we envisioned as we created the Participatory Budgeting process. Residents were empowered to choose and directly address community needs. This marks another milestone in the Participatory Budgeting process, and we’re excited to see other projects that the community has chosen become reality as well."

• Department of Natural Resources and Parks Director Christie True: "This project delivers multiple benefits extending well beyond the boundaries of the Cemetery Reach Natural Area, with improved water quality for native fish and wildlife and expanded recreational opportunities for people who call this historically underserved community home."

• Gloria Briggs, Participatory Budget Program Manager: "It was an honor to work with the local community on this proposal. Through the Participatory Budget process, it brought the possibility of a potential funding source for a project they have been working on for years. This project and the fact that it will be implemented so soon is a testament to the dedication of everyone involved. I’m so happy that PB helped jumpstart it. This project has also opened the door to additional opportunities involving wetland education and job training. Thank you to everyone who helped support this effort."

• Debi Eberle, Community Investment Budget Committee Member and Community Representative: "I am really happy that I got to be a part of this process. I think this will be a great project for the community. I feel we were heard, and this is long overdue. I’d like to see this project partner in the future with local schools and use the opportunities here to broaden the educational experience for all our community. To see this come to life is going to be exciting."

• Gwendolyn High, Participatory Budget Proposal Advocate and President of Community Alliance to Reach-out and Engage (C.A.R.E.): "This is the first time we have had any funding to even bring the community in. We have been dedicated to this area since 2006 and it’s been a long time coming. The whole community is really invested in this, and there is a long history of this area not being appreciated as it should be now. We are super excited to see what we will come and will be here every step of the way."

Links

• 45 projects selected for initial King County participatory budgeting awards
• Clean Water Healthy Habitat
  

(Originally posted on Executive News)