West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The 34th District Democrats are now officially on the record as against the proposed SODO arena.
That’s the result of a resolution approved following an hour and a half-long forum in which three supporters and three opponents participated.
Many stressed this wasn’t an anti-bring-back-the-Sonics vote, but rather a vote reflecting serious concerns about the location, as have been voiced by organizations including the Port of Seattle and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce (here’s their July 25th letter).
Seattle Parks and Recreation has just released its list of adult sports available this fall, and a couple – including flag football and women’s basketball – will be in West Seattle.
Both men’s and co-ed flag football leagues are going to be offered at Riverview Playfield from September 16th through November 18th. Both leagues’ games will be played on Sundays at varying times between 10 am and 2 pm. The cost to join is $635, which includes an eight-game guarantee, and all teams will make playoffs. The first place team wins a trophy and t-shirts (plus bragging rights). To enter, call 206-684-7092 or email antoiniette.daniel@seattle.gov.
Women’s pick-up basketball games, though not on the official list, will also be offered at High Point Community Center starting August 18th. Players can come with a team or as an individual every Saturday from 10 am to noon. The cost is $3 per person (free with high school ID), with all proceeds going to the Community Center. Questions? E-mail nadjastars@aol.com or call the Community Center at 206-684-7422 (ask for Sharri or Jimmy).
We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Dan DeSantis, who is the agent for 4325 1/2 Thistle, 
a home in south West Seattle which he calls an in-city retreat. The home features unbroken mountain and Puget Sound views, as it is perched above the tree line, so you are looking over treetops instead of roofs. The home features a newly remodeled kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, two separate view living areas, wood fireplaces on both levels, and a bed/bath on each level.There’s a wrap-around deck and garden patio that includes a hot tub. It’s located near the Morgan Junction business district as well as Westwood Village. Lincoln Park and Lowman Beach are nearby as well; nearby schools include Gatewood Elementary as well as the Denny-Sealth campus. See photos of this home at thistletreehouse.info.
Dan DeSantis has been a multi-million-dollar producer in West Seattle for more than 30 years as a Residential and Investment Real Estate specialist. He says, “Knowledge and negotiating skills are the basis for client satisfaction and success; I get the best for my clients. I most often hear from my clients that I gave them great service. I listened to and met their needs, while being a great negotiator. 90 percent of my business is from referrals and repeat customers.” He also is involved in the community as a board member for the West Seattle YMCA. You can reach him at 206-947-4773 or by e-mail at dandesantis.re@comcast.net.
We thank Dan DeSantis for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Roxhill Elementary‘s new principal has been announced, just three weeks after word that Carmela Dellino would move up to become Seattle Public Schools‘ new executive director of West Seattle schools. Here’s the letter from Superintendent José Banda:
Dear Roxhill Elementary community,
I am excited today to announce the appointment of Sahnica Washington as your new principal.
Ms. Washington has been with Seattle Public Schools since 1998, and she comes to Roxhill after serving as a STAR mentor for the past four years. She is deeply committed to helping all students excel by encouraging them to work to their highest potential. She will be a great fit for Roxhill Elementary community.
Sahnica Washington is familiar to many Roxhill families from her time as principal intern in the 2010-2011 school year. She is excited to return as principal and looks forward to continuing to work with the students, families and staff at Roxhill.
In Metro‘s work to figure out how buses will get through downtown once the Alaskan Way Viaduct and its central-downtown on/offramps are history, a reconfigured Columbia Street seems to be in the lead.
That’s according to a presentation made to citizen advisory “working groups” last week, and our followup conversation with a Metro rep.
One more announcement today from Kelly Davidson at Seattle Parks: The long-awaited new comfort station for Riverview Playfield is finally close to reality. Davidson explains, “The existing facility has been vandalized multiple times and does not meet the current ADA codes. … We have been working to replace it for years, and we finally have the funding.” If the bidding process next month goes as planned, construction will probably start in November.
(Click to see larger image)
Too cute to wait – while we work on more news, enjoy Gary Jones‘ photo of a harbor seal, and friends, on and around the Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft near Alki Point during this morning’s short-lived snshine. (If you missed it in 2009, here’s the story behind the raft.)
P.S. Remember that it’s pupping season, so if you see a seal on a local beach, let Seal Sitters know – keep their hotline handy, 206-905-SEAL.)
If you’re watching and waiting to see what happens with the Roxhill Skatepark and Playground project, which went to a second round of bidding (as reported here last month), we have an update today from Seattle Parks‘ project manager Kelly Davidson. She says, “After a review and protest period, California Skateparks has been determined by Contracting to be non-responsive. Contracting has determined that Grindline Skateparks is the next low bidder and has requested their Supplemental Bidder Qualifications for review and approval. These should be received by Friday and we should be able to make a determination early next week if we can move forward with the request to award.”
In the first round of bidding, according to Parks documents, West Seattle-based Grindline – which designed and built Delridge Skatepark – had been deemed the “apparent low bidder” (as reported here) even though the dollar amount was more than $100,000 above California Skateparks’ bid. Factors included the fact that CS – which donated design services – and two other firms failed the “inclusion-plan scoring,” falling far short of the city’s WMBE (women- and minority-owned business) goals, while Grindline scored much higher. But Grindline’s first bid was too far over the estimate for the city to work with, Davidson said last month, so it too was rejected.
In the new round of bidding, Davidson tells WSB, “The Non-Responsive ruling was based on the fact that California Skateparks did not fill out a line item on the bid form. They protested the ruling for several reasons, but Contracting is standing behind the original decision.” She says this time around, CS bid $445,500 (close to what it bid the first time), while Grindline’s bid was $468,999, far below its previous $572,000 bid.
Once a contractor is chosen, they will build the skatepark (in city terms, a “skatespot” as it’s somewhat smaller than full “skateparks”) and will also prepare the adjacent playground site for renovations – a play structure is to be built there by volunteers later this year.
The August edition of the West Seattle Art Walk is tomorrow night. See the walking map/venue list here – and start planning your route with some of the venue/artist previews that are on the official Art Walk website now. Such as – photos of perfume bottles in theatrical vignettes at Carmilia’s in The Junction; and in the Admiral District, the art includes Atomic Boys displaying drawings by two youth artists, Chance Williams and Quinn Sadow.
The Admiral District is also where you’ll find something extra AFTER the Art Walk – The West is presenting an afterparty at the Heartland Café‘s Benbow Room, 9 pm-2 am. You’ll find a while-they-last supply of free tickets at some Art Walk venues (Hotwire Online Coffeehouse [WSB sponsor], for one), or it’s $5 at the door. The lineup just expanded – in addition to The Grizzled Mighty and Hobosexual, an acoustic opening set by Tyson Meade (ex-Chainsaw Kittens) has just been added; details on the event’s Facebook invite.
(Trileigh Tucker‘s 8/1 photo of the Lincoln Park eaglet, which she nicknamed “Ricky”)
Seems like the perfect day for a bald-eagle photo, with its patriotic symbolism, since not only is this the day after Election Day, but also a day when two political hot potatoes will be discussed by local groups. That’s all part of our highlight list:
TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERT: The southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 will be closed 9 pm tonight till 5 am Thursday, between the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge.
KIDS HELPING KIDS: A unique daylong event at West Seattle Christian Church, open to all children K-5, starts this morning, to help kids not only learn about hunger, but do something to ease it. It’s explained here.
EUROPAKIDS PRESCHOOL TOUR: A group tour of EuropaKids International Preschool (WSB sponsor) is planned for 9:30 this morning – RSVP required, so call fast! Contact info’s on the calendar-listing page.
AT THE LIBRARY: Story times plus “Funny Bamboo Music” – check the Seattle Public Library calendar for all their local listings today.
CHARTER SCHOOLS INITIATIVE FORUM @ KIWANIS: When the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle meets at noon today at Be’s Restaurant in The Junction, a hot issue is on their plate, along with lunch: A forum on Initiative 1240, the fall ballot measure that seeks to create charter schools in our state.
MORE ‘FILL THE BOOT’ FUNDRAISING: Local firefighters are scheduled to be at key intersections again today, 2-6 pm, to ask you to help “Fill the Boot” with donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Details in our Tuesday coverage.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: Your weekly chance to buy fresh organic vegetables yards from where they were grown – 4 to 7 pm today, 32nd and Juneau.
TRY NEW ZEALAND WINE: Special Wednesday tasting, 6-7:30 pm, at Bin 41 in The Junction – details here.
SODO ARENA ON DEMOCRATS’ AGENDA: Our area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, have pro-SODO arena and anti-SODO arena resolutions on their agenda for tonight’s meeting – among other things (here’s the agenda) – 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
NIGHTLIFE: At Skylark Café and Club, trivia at 7 and open mike at 9.
| 131 COMMENTS