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

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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 Drives

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 -- $675,000
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 -- Playground
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 improvements
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).

By Alyssa Burrows, January 03, 2003

This file made possible by:
King County Landmarks & Heritage Commission
Hotel/Motel Tax Fund