King County voters approve Proposition 6, a Forward Thrust Parks and Recreation bond, on February 13, 1968.

  • By Alyssa Burrows
  • Posted 1/03/2003
  • HistoryLink.org Essay 4116

On February 13, 1968, voters approve Proposition 6, a $118-million bond proposal for the purchase, creation, and improvement of parks throughout King County. Proposition 6 is one of 12 proposed Forward Thrust bond propositions.

Forward Thrust's Ambitions

Forward Thrust was a major King County works program with bond proposals encompassing transportation, community housing, water issues, and other publicly financed capital improvements. Proposition 6 was approved by 64.7 percent of the voters.

Below is a list of some of the 260 park projects in King County, taken from a progress report included in the April 12, 1970, Seattle Times-Seattle Post Intelligencer Sunday newspaper:

Regional Parks

  • Sammamish Valley -- $3 million -- included river easements between Marymoor Park and Bothell
  • Coal Creek -- $1,100,000
  • North Soos Creek -- $1,100,000 -- Land east of Kent and Auburn
  • Cedar River -- $825,000

Urban Parks

  • Weowna Beach -- $350,000 -- East of Lake Hills
  • Steel Lake -- $196,000
  • Five Mile Lake -- $543,000
  • Cougar Mountain -- $405,000
  • East Green River -- $711,000 -- Between Auburn and Flaming Geyser Park
  • North Green River -- $553,000 -- North of Isaac Evans County Park
  • Big Finn Hill -- $249,000 -- Land near O. O. Denny Park
  • Des Moines -- $550,000 -- Land south of Sea-Tac to Des Moines vicinity
  • Earlington -- $374,000 -- Near Foster Golf Course
  • May Creek -- $615,000

New Parks

  • Airport -- $97,000 -- Land west of airport near Des Moines Way
  • Redondo -- $165,000
  • Shoreline-South Central -- $469,000 -- Near I-5 and N 115th Street
  • Kenmore -- $248,000 -- Land north of Bothell Highway
  • Federal Way -- $443,000 -- Land near S 353rd Street
  • East Norway Hill -- $88,000
  • McAleer Creek -- $346,000
  • Lake Boren -- $77,000
  • Lake Sammamish Bulge -- $77,000
  • Shoreline-North Central -- $645,000 -- Land between Highway 99 and I-5
  • Maplewood Heights -- $113,000 -- Land east of Renton, south of 128th Avenue SE
  • North Meridian -- $193,000 -- Southeast corner of SE 224th Street and 132nd Avenue
  • Lea Hill -- $165,000 -- East of Auburn, north of Green River Community College

Waterfront Parks and Beaches

  • North Des Moines Beach -- $825,000
  • Northeast Vashon Island -- $198,000
  • Seahurst Addition -- $1,125,000
  • Lakota Beach -- $506,000 -- West of Federal Way
  • Dumas Bay -- $328,000
  • Richmond Beach Addition -- $110,000
  • Redondo Beach -- $566,000
  • Normandy Beach -- $497,000
  • Burton Park Addition -- $320,000
  • East Central Vashon Island -- $350,000
  • Lake Meridian -- $917,000
  • North Central West Lake Sammamish -- $560,000
  • Luther Burbank -- $1,503,000
  • South Central West Lake Sammamish -- $400,000
  • East Central Lake Sammamish -- $430,000
  • Shoreline Community Beach -- $260,000
  • Northeast Lake Washington -- $278,000

Scenic Drive

  • Puget Sound Boulevard, Shoreline and Marine View Improvements -- $1,800,000

Recreation Facilities

  • South Area Park and Athletic Field -- $3,599,000 -- North of Tukwila
  • Enumclaw Golf Course -- $221,000
  • Shoreline Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Lake Washington Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Bellevue Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Renton Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Federal Way Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Highline Swimming Pool -- $452,675
  • Seoia Beach Boat Launching Ramps -- $675,00
  • Seahurst Park Boat Launching Ramps -- $166,000
  • Neighborhood parks in incorporated areas -- $5,655,000

Improvements to Existing Parks

  • Agren -- $62,500 -- Improvements
  • Angle Lake -- $45,600 -- Beach improvements
  • Bellevue Highlands -- $61,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Boulevard Lane -- $78,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Chelsea -- $21,750 -- Playgroun
  • Des Moines -- $98,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Eastgate -- $57,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Enumclaw -- $157,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Five Mile Lake -- $171,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Hamlin -- $107,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Juanita -- $296,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Kenmore -- $71,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Lake Hills -- $98,500 -- Facilities improvement
  • Lakewood -- $133,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Lake Wilderness -- $232,115 -- Facilities improvements
  • Marymoor -- $322,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Moshier -- $39,400 -- Facilities improvements
  • Pine Lake -- $38,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • Richmond Beach -- $95,200 -- Facilities improvements
  • Seahurst -- $272,700 -- Facilities improvements
  • Si View -- $62,400 -- Facilities improvements
  • Skyway -- $119,300 -- Facilities improvements
  • Sunset -- $43,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Skyway -- $119,300 -- Facilities improvements
  • Sunset -- $43,500 -- Facilities improvements
  • Valley Ridge -- $64,000 -- Facilities improvements
  • White Center -- $65,000 -- Facilities improvements

Sources:

Forward Thrust Progress Report (advertising supplement) to The Seattle Times-Seattle Post Intelligencer, April 12, 1970; HistoryLink.org Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History "Forward Thrust vote approves Stadium and aquarium, nixes transit on February 13, 1968" (by Walt Crowley), http://www.historylink.org (accessed January 2, 2003).


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