Eatonville outlines $3.5 million track-and-field project, plans separate funded stadium and Paul Bunyan statue

Eatonville School District staff on Wednesday detailed progress on a voter-approved six-year calendar projects levy that allocated about $3.5 million to replace the high school track and field and presented a separately funded stadium plan that would seat roughly 1,222.

Jay, a district staff member who presented the field rendering, said the levy-funded work covers the field and track replacement and described field markings, colors and elements planned for the turf and track. "We allocate about $3,500,000 for this," Jay said when describing the levy-funded portion of the project.

Jay said the turf design will include Eatonville end-zone markings and colored boundaries to accommodate soccer, football and kicking markers. He described track color choices and explained the district moved from an earlier terracotta option to a black track after group review and no added initial cost.

Separately, Jay described a stadium project that the district has been pursuing with outside funding and legislative support. He said the stadium would be larger and include a covered seating structure "very similar" to a referenced stadium and would seat approximately 1,222 people. Jay said that stadium funding is not local levy money but instead comes from other sources and is still subject to a final approval from the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) and permitting.

Jay also told the board the district has been offered a donated Paul Bunyan statue from the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad in Mineral, Washington. The district is planning logistics for transport and installation and has discussed placing the statue where athletes emerge on to the field; Jay said the statue is about 16 feet tall and that cranes are being lined up to move it.

Other details included plans for an updated scoreboard (staff said a sponsor is being sought), placement of restrooms delivered by crane, and enhanced press box and riser colors. Jay said scoreboards, restrooms and other stadium components would be coordinated with the timing of final approvals and demolition work.

No formal board action on additional stadium funding or sponsor agreements was recorded in the transcript. The presentation noted the $3.5 million levy portion is complete as the work to replace the track and field; the stadium project and related external funding remain in the approval and permitting phase.

Board members and staff also discussed community fundraising. A later remark in the meeting noted the Eatonville Education Foundation had raised more than $90,000 toward stadium seat sponsorships, which staff said will supplement outside funds for the separately funded stadium.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this reporting are drawn from the meeting transcript and include district staff who presented the field rendering and stadium plan.