At last night’s final Together Spokane Town Hall, Spokane Youth Sports Association Executive Director Ben Walker announced plans to abandon a sports complex intended for the Glenrose neighborhood and instead put up to $5 million toward the development of all-weather fields with practice lighting at Ferris High School.
“If this initiative passes, SYSA will move away from these project plans at the Glenrose property we've been trying to develop for nearly 15 years,” Walker stated.
“We have been providing youth sports for nearly 60 years in this community, changing lives through the transformative power of sport,” Walker told the audience, adding that about 14,000 kids participate in SYSA each year. “So, any opportunity to create better access, equity and more affordable opportunities for young people is what we are about.”
He noted that giving kids more opportunities to be active is about much more than team sports. Active kids are healthier physically, mentally, and emotionally.
“Their test scores are higher. They're 15% more likely to go to college. They have lower levels of depression and higher self-esteem,” he said. “Studies from the Aspen Institute show that they have an almost 10% higher earning potential, and that they're more productive in the workplace as adults.”
Learn more about the Ferris Sports Complex proposal. This project is subject to voter approval of a School bond and Parks levy that will be presented on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot.
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