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(15 posts)

Rant

Started 2 years ago by Lyn Wiley
Latest reply from Lowery

Lyn Wiley
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I moved to West Seattle four years ago. I love it here. Whether we are transplants or born in West Seattle, we are incredibly fortunate to live in such a magnificent place. Why is it then, that there is so much litter strewn about, in West Seattle? I love to walk along California Avenue and in doing so am often disheartened at the litter I see and the number of businesses that appear to take no pride in the area outside their front door. If every business owner would take a few moments before opening, to clean up the area in front of their business, and to make sure their storefront looked fresh and clean in terms of paint, signage, washed windows etc. California Avenue would look much nicer indeed. It baffles me how such a delightful business area could be so neglected by certain business owners. Comments anyone? Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way - maybe no?

Posted 2 years ago #
AlkiRagdoll
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I share your dismay with the behavior, however from at different perspective. I am one of the junction area business owners. Do you know that businesses in the junction pay a special tax for the privledge of being in the Junction and trying to make it a better place, called the Business Improvement Area Tax? For my small business, it is nearly equal to my city B&O tax, so its not small. Those same funds could pay for part time staffing. Therefore, after 2 years of cleaning up the trash left behind, I've given up in frustration.
Poor management at the JeffSquare Safeway (who doesnt bring in their produce at night), allows kids to steal mellons/pumpkins and bomb my sidwalk. Partons of the area bars/liquor vendors pee (assumed based on the odor) or throw up on that same sidewalk or leave their bottles/cans in front of my door. While the Junction Association has put out trash bins using monies from that tax, it appears that the additional steps to use them are not worth the efforts of about those I complain.

Posted 2 years ago #
EmmyJane
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I agree. In general I think the appearance doesn't match the quality of things. When you drive into West Seattle on Fauntleroy it looks run down and you'd never guess a place as fabulous as the Junction is just blocks away.

There's not a day that goes by that I don't pass a ton of trash on Fauntleroy walking from the bus to my house.

Posted 2 years ago #
MargL
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We were walking thru the Jefferson Square area on Sunday morning to see what our brunch options at Fresh Bistro. That whole area near the corner of Alaska and 42nd is seriously scudgey. Overgrown planting areas trash on the sidewalk. I guess most of that building with the copper awnings is empty - isn't it going to be torn down soon?
Here's hoping once the park is finished and the QFC building is completed that intersection will feel a little less run down.
The big hand lettered sign at the entrance of the lot next to Fresh Bistro saying "Don't park here for Fresh Bistro or you will be towed the second you leave your car!!!" doesn't do much to inspire a welcoming community feeling, either.

Posted 2 years ago #
GenHillOne
Member Profile

LOL, MargL, I know I just saw that. Not to thread-jack, but technically, you are supposed to be patronizing JS to use their lot, so that leaves the 12 spots on the street for the Mural businesses? *ADD ends, back on topic*

Posted 2 years ago #
HunterG
Member Profile

Ask not what your neighborhood can do for you, but what you can do for your neighborhood.

When I see a piece of garbage, I pick it up and dispose, or recycle it (and I hope that it never gets so bad that I would have to carry around hefty bags). If everyone did that our city would be spotless.

Lead by example, don't just bitch about what you do not approve of, do something about it. When people see good in others, and them acting upon it, they tend to be inspired and follow. If more people see others tending to their city, maybe less would be inclined to litter...

What if WS had one day a month where we all went out and cleaned up our neighborhoods? Kind of like a neighborhood watch, but a neighborhood cleanup? Help with planting parking strips...garbage pick-up...overall beautifying?

I apologize for thread jacking...but...

Each neighborhood association could set it up?!? I will talk to my MOCHA rep next time I see her on what it would take to get this started.....

Any insights TR?

Posted 2 years ago #
Lowery
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Hunter, as I was reading thru this thread, before I got to your post, I was thinking the exact same thing that you wrote. Instead of complaining and waiting for someone else to make your neighborhood better, why not do it yourself. Reminds me of a commercial I saw a long time ago...people were walking down the street then stopped to look at a piece of garbage that was laying there. A crowd eventually gathered to stare at it and talk about how terrible it was that the garbage was sitting there until someone simply walked by, picked it up, put it in the trash can a foot away and continued on their way. Only then the crowd dispersed.

WSBers put together meet ups at bars and other places. I'm suggesting a "Clean Up or Shut Up" WSB meet up. Sunday the 13th at 10 am (this way OUR Junction can look presentable for the following weekends car show). Meet in the Post Office parking lot. Bring trash bags, gloves (I will have a box of latex gloves that I can also share) and as many friends and family members you can.

Let's see if those that don't like what's happening to their little piece of Seattle will step up to the plate or just wait for someone else to do it.

I double dog dare you.

Posted 2 years ago #
lonelycrow
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The Junction is like a toilet bowl. It smells like urine all over the place. It is runned down badly.

Posted 2 years ago #
hollyplace
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I'm out of town on the 13th, but I love the idea. We do it for the beaches, why not our neighborhoods?! If it was once every couple of months people might be more likely to participate. I know I could get some people to help.

Posted 2 years ago #
johnnyblegs
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Lowery, I certainly hope others show up with you in the Post Office parking lot. Maybe spread the word other than in this forum?

Posted 2 years ago #
ericak
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HunterG and Lowery - The Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) has adopted the Junction and does clean-ups quarterly. We last did one in late June . . . I think it is a great idea to get neighbors together to do this even more frequently. We are currently recruiting for a member of the neighborhood to join our board to help us coordinate these events. Feel free to contact me via our website on the sidebar (West Seattle Community groups/org) if you are interested in being a part of this. Regardless, the more people pitching in the better our neighborhood is! It is exciting to see energy around this!

Posted 2 years ago #
funkietoo
Member Profile

Hunter and Lowery...I'm in for the 13th at 10:00am. We are lucky to have supportive, generous merchants in our West Seattle Business districts. This is a great way to show our appreciation of them and our pride in our neighborhood.

Does anyone know if we need 'permission' to remove some the newspaper stands/boxes and 'apartment stands' that are in front of the Alaska Junction Post Office? Many of them are trashed; dirty; always empty; etc.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
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Lowery..

could i suggest you take this idea out of the rant and put in in a separate thread.

if i am in town on the 13th, i would be glad to help.

ericak..

the occasional clean-ups aren't cutting it.
perhaps those who sell liquor in the junction should be contributing more for the clean-up required because of their inebriated patrons.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSratsinacage
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I live near CA Ave and I get all sorts of consumer trash which blows on to my property. I clean it up atleast once a week but it is still frustrating to have to clean up after others. I never imagined I'd be a maid outside of the house TOO..
.
I'm sure some businesses care and are responsible but some are not .. My beef is with lazy consumers that think it's ok to litter all sorts of things from the benign to the profane..
.
It would be great if the city used their street sweepers .. I am still waiting for excess sand to be swept up and recycled as the city claimed they would be doing 24/7 after the storm we had in December. It has only been 9 months. I know I should just call someone or sweep it myself (and I have swept some myself) but they shouldn't make those claims if they are not going to follow through. It would be great if it could be recycled. I guess I am just one of those peeps that does what I say I am going to do and expect others to do the same.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lowery
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JoB, I've been contimplating taking your suggestion and making a seperate thread for my idea but I decided there's no reason for it. If people in their own neighborhood need someone else to organize them to simply clean up their own community instead of just telling everyone else that something should be done, it's not my place to help them down off of their soapbox (the funny thing is, The Junction isn't even my 'hood...but I'm still willing to do this because Seattle is my home). As I've done before, I will continue to walk around W Sea and pick up trash and do what I can to keep this a place I love to live in.

Funkietoo, I'll still see you at 10 AM on the 13th in the PO lot if you'd like. Anyone else that would like to join in, you're more than welcome. It would be a pleasure to meet more in W Sea that are doers instead of talkers.

Sorry for the rant inside a rant but I just have never been able to comprehend that way of thinking when there's something that can be done about it. Thank you for coming. Please tip your servers and bartenders. Good night and good luck.

Posted 2 years ago #