Dear Editor:
When I asked my mom if I can go outside at my house she always says "Yes" but then she always says to stay in a place where she can see me. Just imagine if you lived in an apartment or condo and your child wanted to go outside you would probably say "no" because there is not place where your child could play where you could see them. Apartments and condos in Seattle should have green spaces because the kids who live there should have a place to play, so the pets who live there could have a place to go outside, and it is a safer place to let your kids play then a park down the street. The apartments and condos in Seattle should all have big open green spaces.

There should be open green spaces at apartments and condos so kids who live there can have a space to play. On December 10th the Seattle city council voted that they are going to put in a green space and playground at a new condo building going up in Seattle. Donald Harris the parks property manager is very on board with putting in the green space at the condo that is going up in Seattle. This is what he said about the park and green space going up, "West Seattle, with all of the development going on is a little hard to get a handle on and I think that the new park going up is recognizing those apartments and condos that are really trying to put in green spaces where they are going up in Seattle." But some may disagree with putting in open spaces at apartments and condos in Seattle. Like many construction companies they say that is would cost more money than put in the green spaces. Put green spaces in to apartments and condos so kids can have a place to play.

The apartments and Condos in Seattle need open green spaces so the pets that live there can go outside whenever needed. The pets that live in apartments and condos need the open green spaces because if your pet needs to go outside to use the bathroom or just to play you can just let it into your "backyard". 5% of the apartments in Seattle let pets live in the building so the pets who live there need a place to go outside when needed. However many people disagree with letting pets be in the open green space at apartments and condos. If the owner of the pet does not pick up their pets business then some other person will probably come along and step in it. However, there is a simple solution to this problem you could simply put in open green spaces in the apartments and condos so the pets that live there could have a place to be outside.

The safety of your kids is much bigger if you were to have them play at the green space at your apartment and condo. In 2013, more than 3 incidents have happened with kids getting harassed and offered rides by strangers. As a kid, this worries me to think that if I was at a public park I could get intimidated by a stranger at any moment in Seattle. You know what they say "stranger danger". Apartments and condos in Seattle should have open green spaces so the kids who play there would be safe.

When the city of Seattle is starting to build an apartment or condo building they should put in an open green space. Adding the green spaces to apartments and condos would be a big benefit because it would give the kids who live there a place to play, the pets who live there a convenient place to be outside and the safety is much bigger to have kids play there than to have them play down the street at a local park. What do you think would happen if a kid who lived in a condo with no green spaces and he/she did not play a sport? That kid would most likely get obese and add to the kids obesity levels in our country. So add the green spaces to the apartments and condos in Seattle.

Sincerely,
Ryan Harper
6th grade, Madison Middle School