Sports and Recreation Complex Update

            A proposed sports and recreation campus in North Kitsap, spearheaded by Kingston North Kitsap Rotary, has resulted in three community information meetings recently.  By way of background, Rotarians, in an early assessment, identified poorly maintained playing fields, in disparate locations, and a substantial lack of fields to meet current and projected demand, as an urgent issue in North Kitsap.  They began crafting ideas on how to meet those needs, including an estimate of how much land would be needed. They searched possible centrally-located sites where land is, or might be, available within a few miles of Poulsbo, Kingston, Hansville, Eglon, Suquamish, and Indianola, and sketched possible layouts, uses, and operational possibilities.  Then Rotarian Clint Boxman, and others, went on a mission to seek other public and private parties that may have an interest in addressing the need for year-round, useable, sports fields for kids and adults.  That led to identification of Raydient Places and Properties (formerly Olympic Property Group, a subsidiary of Pope Resources), and YMCA of Kitsap and Pierce counties as potential partners in development of a sports and recreation campus to serve kids and adults in North Kitsap.  Conversations between Rotary, Raydient, and YMCA leaders resulted in the christening of a project to be known as North Kitsap United or NKU.  A possible location was identified that is central to all north Kitsap communities and represents a chance to bring together communities, organizations, and activities.