Lawmaker says Olympia should pay for park in city

OLYMPIA — Sylvester Park is a downtown park in Olympia that’s owned by the state and costs about $100,000 a year to maintain.

State Rep. Chris Reykdal of Tumwater told The Olympian it’s an unfair burden on state taxpayers who have to pay for cleaning up after the homeless and drug users who cause vandalism and litter the park with needles. He hopes a study will lead to transferring the park to the city next year.

Olympia Parks Director Paul Simmons wants Sylvester Park to remain under state control, in part because of the costs. The state also owns Heritage and Marathon parks in Olympia.