In January I became the chair of the Seattle City Council Parks and Seattle Center Committee. What I have seen in the last nine months is men, women and children, throughout Seattle building parks and restoring our streams and greenbelts.

What brings a new park to life is the vision and energy of people in the neighborhood, a lot of persistence and hard work and funding from the city's current Pro-Parks levy.

In West Seattle we have a recent good example.

Ercolini Park located at 48th Avenue Southwest and Alaska was dedicated in July. Funding from the Pro-Parks levy made it possible for the city to purchase the land. The funds paid for only part of the construction. People in the neighborhood organized, donated their labor and raised the balance of the money to complete the park. The dedication in July was a joyful celebration of what can be done when people work together.

What I have heard since January is many people asking if the Pro-Parks Levy, which expires in December, can continue beyond this year. Seattle has playgrounds, athletic fields and park's buildings that need repair. Many neighborhoods still do not have parks.

A citizens committee reviewed the parks and recreation needs of our neighborhoods and developed a package of parks projects that would be funded through a Pro-Parks levy that requires voter approval. Following public hearings the City Council agreed to place the question of a Pro-Parks levy on November's ballot.

If approved, the annual cost to the average homeowner would be $81 on a home valued at $450,000. That's $25 a year less than the current levy. It will raise about $145 million and the levy will be six years compared to the current eight-year Pro-Parks levy.

Most of the funding will go to improve existing parks, playgrounds and athletic fields. For example over 20 playgrounds will be repaired to meet current safety standards. The balance will go to acquiring land for neighborhoods that need parks, for bicycle and pedestrian trails, stream and wildlife habitat protection and for an opportunity fund like the one that helped build Ercolini Park.

Many West Seattle neighborhood projects would be funded under the proposed Pro-Parks levy including Delridge, Morgan Junction, Camp Long, the West Seattle Junction, Beach Drive, the Fairmount Playground and the West Duwamish Trail. You may learn more by visiting: www.seattleparksforall.org.

Recently I spoke to a group of retired senior citizens who live in an apartment building on Capitol Hill. I asked them how they were planning to vote. A strong majority said they support the parks levy. One gentleman raised his hand and said, "Parks are the only place that I can afford to take my granddaughter when she visits me!"

During these financially challenging times we are experiencing more use of our playgrounds, parks and community centers. This November's Pro-Parks levy is on the ballot because people across Seattle want to have livable and affordable neighborhoods with parks and playgrounds just like Ercolini Park.

Seattle has a long and proud tradition of supporting our parks. We love our parks, and we use them in many ways and for many reasons. They are an essential part of our lives and are key to balancing out the continued growth in population and density to keep a livable and healthy community.

The 2008 Seattle Parks and Green Spaces Levy is designated as Proposition 2. You will find it toward the end of your ballot. A Yes on Proposition 2 continues the good work of today's Pro-Parks levy and allows the city to create and maintain quality parks for all.

Tom Rasmussen is chair of the Seattle City Council Parks and Seattle Center Committee and may be reached at tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov