Bellevue Athletic Fields Analysis
Bellevue Parks & Recreation Department and the Bellevue School District, Bellevue, Washington

Faced with demands from athletic league representatives for the development of more fields, City Council wanted to determine the short and long range need for competitive soccer and baseball fields within the city. In particular, Council wanted to determine whether the city should be acquiring and developing more fields or entering into joint venture agreements with the school district and other field owners to upgrade and schedule existing facilities. In addition, the Parks Department wanted to determine requirements for fields of different size and surface in order to balance the supply with changing age and sex-specific needs.

Working with the athletic leagues, we determined athletic team participation rates for all ages for all outdoor field sports for all city, school, and organization leagues operating within Bellevue city boundaries to determine season and peak event game and practice requirements.

Working with field owners, we assessed the condition of all city, school, and other fields within the city service area to determine peak playing capacity under alternative improvement and scheduling scenarios. Working with the leagues, we were able to standardize practice and game duration and schedules, playing seasons, and other variables between the leagues to create equal access policies.

Using the study results, Council and the Bellevue School District were able to negotiate an agreement whereby the city gradually assumed responsibility for scheduling all fields within the system, and improving middle and high school fields for competitive activities.