SPOKANE COUNTY, October 27, 2020 – Spokane County and Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association (dba Spokane Rapids) have worked together to modify a long-standing successful partnership to establish The Spokane Rapids as the one-stop shop for programming recreation play and scheduling of all events and activities at Spokane County’s Plante’s Ferry Sports Stadium in 2021.
Just as COVID-19 and the restrictions implemented to slow its spread have impacted most residents, Spokane County Parks, Recreation, and Golf Department and its programs have also been significantly impacted. Recreation programs typically offered have been “frozen” since restrictions were put into place in March.
Spokane County has long offered adult recreation programming opportunities for the community including volleyball, basketball and softball, not to mention the occasional dodgeball tournament. All program offerings depend upon the revenue generated by team registration fees. Some programs (more than others) have also come to depend increasingly on car rental tax revenue to keep up with growing costs such as mandated minimum wage increases. With team registration fees reduced to zero and car rental tax revenues forecasted to be significantly less than past years, Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf Department has come to the difficult realization that we can no longer offer adult softball and basketball recreation league programming.
In addition to youth soccer programming, Spokane Rapids will also offer adult recreation softball league programming at Spokane County’s Plante’s Ferry comparable to that formerly offered by Spokane County. This change should allow adult recreation softball program offerings to continue in Spokane Valley in the short-term in hopes that other municipal and community partners in the Greater Spokane Valley may come together to develop a longer-term solution to supporting youth and adult recreation as well as competitive team sports.
Doug Chase, Director of Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf, stated, “With the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, this is the best-case scenario for adult softball players residing in the Greater Spokane Valley. For those that have participated in Spokane County’s Softball Program in the past, we encourage you to check in with Spokane Rapids, show them some love and when the time comes, support softball in the Greater Spokane Valley by registering your team with them for the 2021 season.”*
For more information, including team registration info, please visit the Spokane Rapids website at: https://www.spokanerapids.org/ or call (509) 922-7910.