Councilmember Reagan Dunn visits Coalfield Park.
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With the passage of the 2026 – 2031 Parks Levy, King County Parks is building an improved process to award $117 million in new grants over the next six years to local nonprofits, cities, and other public agencies.
King County Parks is seeking input from our partners across King County to inform updates to all Parks grant programs through questions like:
- What are the most important ways to define equity?
- Who should be involved in scoring and awarding applications?
- How should success be measured in a community project?
Your feedback will help Parks award grant funds equitably, expedite approval and contracting timelines, and support grantees throughout their project.
Share your thoughts by taking this short survey by March 26th! Please complete the survey on behalf of your organization.
The 2026-2031 King County Parks Levy reimagines the grant programs to better provide support where it is needed and sustains funding for another six years. Below outlines the grant programs that the department plans to run in the coming years.
Accepting applications Fall 2026:
- Healthy Communities and Parks
- Aquatic Facilities
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NEW! Ballfield Preservation and Access - This new grant program will open an available $13.5 million over six years to improve ballfields and increase public access to sports and play. More information coming soon!
Accepting applications Fall 2027:
- Youth and Amateur Sports Grants
The following grant programs will not continue into the 2026-2031 Parks Levy:
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Parks Capital and Open Space - This previously competitive grant program was converted to passthrough funding and will be paid directly to cities and towns based on their population size and the presence of opportunity areas. More information can be found in the Parks Levy ordinance on page 17.
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Open Space - River Corridors - This grant program will be retired and no additional funding will be available.
The community engagement survey will directly inform the updated grant guidelines, so expect more resources coming this Spring!
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You can now pay for your ride by tapping a credit or debit card directly on the ORCA reader. The reader accepts taps from Visa™, Mastercard™, American Express™, and Discover™ cards with a contactless symbol.
You can also pay by tapping your phone or smartwatch using one of these cards in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet.
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Important Details:
- Riders are charged an Adult fare and will receive the same 2-hour transfer window benefit as those using an ORCA card.
- Riders cannot receive discounts (Senior, Youth, ORCA LIFT, Disabled) or use passes when paying with debit or credit card.
- Take the physical card you want to use out of your wallet before you tap to avoid unwanted charges on other cards.
- If you already have a digital ORCA card in your Google Wallet, your phone may default to this payment method instead of your debit or credit card. Make sure to check your app’s default payment settings.
- Be prepared to show the last four digits of your card number if your fare is inspected. This information only allows inspectors to review your transaction history; it does not give them access to any of your sensitive, personal information.
- You cannot pay for multiple riders or groups using one card or device.
- Tap to Pay is not available on all services. Check the FAQs to see the full list.
This new feature makes paying your fare easier than ever, especially for occasional riders or out-of-town visitors. That said, ORCA cards are here to stay! Keep using your ORCA card if you qualify for a reduced fare, use monthly or daily passes, or receive your ORCA card through an employer or other organization.
To learn more, please visit the page: https://info.myorca.com/contactless
In order to provide resources to communities who continue to recover from the impacts of the December flooding events, King County Solid Waste has extended free weekend disposal of storm debris through March 22 at three station locations, including in Enumclaw.
There will be no charge for flood debris brought to the following stations on Saturdays or Sundays through March 22:
For a full list of accepted items at each stations, view our Guide to King County Recycling and Transfer Facilities. Third-party haulers are excluded from the free disposal policy and must pay standard fees.
Councilmember Reagan Dunn at the 2025 Bellevue Lunar New Year celebration.
The wait is finally over! Come celebrate Lunar New Year with our community in Newcastle and Bellevue this weekend! Both events are sure to be a wonderful event for family and friends, and I look forward to seeing you there.
Bellevue
Date: Feb 28 Time: 11 AM – 5 PM Location: Emerald Parents Association Marketplace at Factoria, Factoria Blvd SE Bellevue, WA 98006
Sponsored by the Emerald Parents Association, King County Council District 9, Amazon, the Marketplace at Factoria, 4Culture, and more, come celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Marketplace at Factoria. This event will include interactive cultural activities, performances, and presentations by community members and elected officials.
Lunar New Year displays will be showcased at the Marketplace at Factoria Feb 11-15 and 18-22, Wed-Fri 12-4 pm and Sat–Sun 12-5 pm.
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Newcastle
Date: Mar 1 Time: 1-4 pm Location: Risdon Middle School, 6928 116th Ave SE Newcastle, WA 98056
Join your friends and neighbors for Newcastle’s 2026 Lunar New Year Celebration. There will be lots to do for all ages including live performances, crafts and art activities, demonstrations, food, games and lots of fun.
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