Delridge Council report #1: Street lights; “Art Lending Library”

Several major items on the agenda tonight as the Delridge District Council — representatives of neighborhood groups and other organizations in eastern West Seattle — gathered at the Southwest Precinct for its monthly meeting. We’re breaking them up into a few separate reports, starting tonight with two items — a Seattle City Light rep’s revelations about street lights (what to do about them and what it means when one flickers), and more details about what’s coming up during the gala Delridge Day festival later this month, including a new free “Art Lending Library” to be introduced that day:

STREET LIGHTS: Mike Eagan from City Light was there to talk about burned-out street lights and how to get them fixed. He noted that the city has 90,000 street lights, with 2,000 burned out at any given time. If you see a street light flicker – that means it’s on the verge of burning out. He says SCL relies on citizens to report burned-out lights; tell the utility the number on the pole and the address of the building (if applicable) that it’s in front of. Right now, he says, the average delay between a report and a repair is 14 days in the north end, 25 in the south. Delridge Council chair Pete Spalding noted that he’s gotten quicker response reporting burned-out lights online than calling them in; you can find that online reporting form here.

DELRIDGE DAY: Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association executive director Derek Birnie and community builder Philippia Goldsmith both were on hand to talk about the big celebration at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center — a project developed by DNDA, from what was the rundown old Cooper School — on May 31st. A flyer is out now with full details on what’s going to be happening 11 am-5 pm that day — much of it outdoors, in the Youngstown parking lot, but also indoors, as the Cooper Artists upstairs present their annual open house and gallery. Multicultural music, arts, and food offerings are all on tap (the fabled falafel truck that visits Youngstown on Mondays is going to be there); so will exhibits and booths from 25 organizations, with room for up to 25 more, according to Birnie. But the most intriguing feature described tonight was the planned debut that day of an “Art Lending Library” — Artists will donate pieces that community members can check out for up to 2 months and display in their homes. The only requirement is that if you check one out, you take a photo of it on display in your home, and provide a writeup afterward about what it meant to have the piece in your home. “The artists are very excited about this,” Birnie said. The first pieces will be on display in a Youngstown room during Delridge Day.

Coming up in our next Delridge District Council reports – the major agenda items, voter-owned elections and the King County Food and Fitness Initiative. More on both tomorrow.

1 Reply to "Delridge Council report #1: Street lights; "Art Lending Library""

  • Bikefor1 May 22, 2008 (11:51 am)

    The Art Lending Library is a great idea! A living example of art by the people, for the people. Sign me up. :-)

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