After a large public outcry, the Ballard Community Center and the Loyal Heights Community Center, as well as the rest of the city's community centers, will remain open, at least for the rest of 2010.

"We heard very clearly, as you all did, that Parks' services are highly valued by community members," Beth Goldberg, acting director of the City Budget Office, said during a June 14 Seattle City Council briefing on the mid-year budget.

The closures would have gone into effect around July 1.

Seattle is facing an $11.7 million midyear shortfall in the General Fund, and in late April, outgoing Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher told KING-5 TV that either the Ballard Community Center or the Loyal Heights Community Center would likely be closed due to their proximity.

The announcement prompted Ballard resident Mindy Terence to form the group Save Ballard's Community Centers and start a petition and postcard campaign to keep both community centers open.

"We are ecstatic that the Ballad centers, as well as centers everywhere, are safe from these cuts," Terence said. "We are so pleased that the mayor and council recognize the how much these facilities figure into our community's lives."

Parks is able to keep the city's community centers open through the rest of 2010 by accumulating $1.67 million, or 2 percent of its annual budget, in savings trough other means.

Maintenance of parks, such as emptying garbage cans and mowing grass, will be reduced, the department's travel and training budget will be reduced, and there will be reductions in management and personnel.

In addition, a number of wading pools will be closed or have their hours reduced.

Gilman Wading Pool, located at 923 N.W. 54th St., will be closed for the summer. Soundview Wading Pool, located at 1590 N.W. 90th St., will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays through Mondays from June 26 to Aug. 22.

Though the Ballard Community Center , located at 6020 28th Ave. N.W., and Loyal Heights Community Center, located at 2101 N.W. 77th St., will remain open in 2010, that is no guarantee of what will happen in the coming years.

Dewey Potter, Parks spokesperson, said the department doesn't know what will happen in 2011. Parks won't know until Mayor Mike McGinn presents his proposed 2011 budget to the city council in September, she said.

"We are not out of the woods yet," Goldberg said. "We still have problems for 2011."

Save Ballard's Community Centers is already looking for ways to alleviate Parks' 2011 and 2012 budget shortfall, Terence said.

"Just because the centers are unaffected by these cuts does not mean we can rest easy for long," she said. "The city is facing huge budget cuts next year, and we believe the threat to centers is even bigger."