In May 2022, Parkland locals formed the group Save Parkland Schools (SPS) to save the historic school off of 121 Street S and Pacific Avenue. The 115-year-old building is on the docket to become a community center- that is, if the money is allocated in time.
The 2.85 million dollar building is currently under the control of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), who intends to sell the building if not purchased by March 28. SPS has been fighting to raise money to purchase the historic building for years, in hopes of turning the school into a community center. We caught up with Parkland resident Wendy Freeman, who is co-secretary of the Parkland Community Association. Freeman’s roots for community activism run deep. Her grandmother and mother were activists for local schools and libraries, inspiring Freeman to do the same for the Parkland community. For Freeman and many others, saving this school has the potential to be what Parkland has always needed. “Our children, that’s one reason,” said Freeman, when speaking about who the community center would benefit. “Our elders, that’s another reason, and demographically, what’s happening to us.”
The concern for Parkland children is huge among many, Freeman included. According to a demographic analysis of Legislative District 29 (Parkland), 16.2% of families with children are in poverty, making up 9.5% of the statewide statistic. “We don’t want our children to be disenfranchised,” said Freeman. “ We want them to feel safe, we want them to be supported by our community.”
In addition to being a community center for children, the school will also be a place where many local groups and businesses can come to provide support for the Parkland neighborhood. Some potential tenants include the Pierce County housing authority, Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Zones, and health and wellness, and recreational groups.
If SPS raises the $500,000 by March 28, PLU will take off $350,000 from the purchase price. SPS has applied for numerous grants to help with the financial need, but is still not where they need to be to meet their goal. As of March 5, the group has raised $750,755 of the $1,000,000. “Parkland matters,” said Freeman. “Parkland matters to a lot of people.”
