(WSB photos)
Five years after voters passed the levy that funded it, Madison Middle School‘s upgraded playfield was dedicated this morning in a short ceremony featuring an all-school photo.
Madison principal Dr. Robert Gary, speaking to his assembled students via megaphone, recalled, “This used to be a mud field with mud problems. It wasn’t healthy and-or safe.”
Now the field has turf and lighting; as first reported here in 2019, the ~$3 million project included widening the field by more than six feet.
It’s getting rave reviews – among the people we talked to was 8th grader Oliver Miller, who played soccer on the upgraded field earlier this week, and declared it “really nice,” recalling its previous near-unusability because of the damage done by neighborhood use as a dog park. Sheree Porter, who retired as Madison’s longtime PE teacher two years ago but was back today as a substitute, declared it “amazing.”
She laughed, “I retired too soon. This is the real thing.” Another PE teacher, Courtney Schiro, marveled, “This is going to be a game-changer.” Then in the bright-but-breezy sunshine, members of Madison’s student government cut a ceremonial ribbon.
Dr. Gary says the field will be reserved for school use during the day but then there’s an agreement in place with Seattle Parks for community use, such as sports teams, during other hours. Other major West Seattle projects in 2019’s BEX V levy included the West Seattle Elementary addition that opened last fall and the on-hold-for-another-appeal Alki Elementary rebuild.)
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