The Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club is leading the way to build a badly-needed sports and recreation complex in North Kitsap. As announced at the Club’s annual auction, the multi-use, multi-generational baseball/softball, flag football, soccer, basketball, pickleball, and volleyball complex would be built around outdoor fields and courts, with an indoor facility as well. The vision is an approximately 20-acre complex for year-round use to host North Kitsap games and activities, as well as regional tournaments that would bring visitors – and economic impact – to North Kitsap hotels, stores, and restaurants. A secondary goal is this venue would also accommodate not just sports-related activities, but provide a conduit for other uses such as birthday parties, family gatherings, with things like zip lines, a ropes course, frisbee golf, bubble soccer, and team-building activities. The vision is inclusive of public-private opportunity where, potentially, businesses can be brought in to augment not just a sport-only mindset. According to Rotary Lead Clint Boxman, this project would be similar in scope and approach to the building of Kingston’s Village Green Community Center, with multiple grants, stakeholders, and donors.
North Kitsap has grown and continues to grow rapidly. The lack of fields and courts is well-documented. Folks often drive miles at awkward hours just to access practice and playing facilities. Those that are available are often poorly maintained, almost unusable. This Rotary-led project is at its very early stages of visioning and community communication. Those interested in contributing to the cause, including in-kind donations of labor and materials, should contact: kingstonsportscomplex@gmail.com
