Parks plan, West Seattle meeting #1: Surprisingly interactive
We went to tonight’s Southwest Community Center meeting for the Parks Department’s future Strategic Business Plan not realizing it would be an interactive format – listen to organizers for a few minutes, then break into groups and discuss ideas and opinions for most of the rest of the time. What resulted was a public meeting that really felt like a public meeting – with the emphasis on “public.” This was the first of six of these meetings happening in West Seattle over the course of the next week (full list here, continuing with High Point Community Center @ 7 pm tomorrow), and if you care about the future of our city parks, we strongly urge you to make time to participate in one of them. Here’s what we experienced tonight – including a high-level observer:Read More
West Seattle Christmas lights, 11/28/07
Earlier than usual tonight because as West Seattle Christmas lights go, this is breaking news – the Menashe family’s famous display on Beach Drive was finally on in full glory when we drove by a short time ago – THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: we’ve replaced our original cameraphone photo with a pic courtesy of Christopher Shoemaker, who took it after helping the Menashes with the finishing touches:
The house is on the water side of Beach Drive roughly halfway between Me-Kwa-Mooks and Lowman Beach. Meantime, if you’ve put up, or seen, an especially bright (or unique) display, please let us know about it!
Upzone updates: Opponents’ flyer, supporters’ comments
On the eve of the public meeting about the upzoning proposal for both sides of California Ave between Hanford and Hinds (and a bit south on the west side), two updates: Neighborhood opponents are distributing a flyer around the area with their concerns and full details of how to have a say (they sent us a copy; we uploaded it – click here to read it); supporters continue to add comments to our earlier posts (one comment is at the bottom of the list here; another one at the bottom here). Tomorrow night’s meeting is at West Seattle High School, 6:30 pm. For background info, the city’s page about the proposal is here; our report on informal presentations made 2 weeks ago to the Admiral Neighborhood Association by a developers’ rep and a city planner is here.
Reader Recommendation Request: On the fence
From David:
I am about to drop a considerable amount of money on a new fence and have been unimpressed by the big names that have come by so far to provide quotes. Some have
even taken 2 months to just get us an estimate ~! Can you please inquire with the community on recommendations for fence contractors/companies in the area that perform fast, reliable work?
As always, please respond by adding a comment; all WSB Reader Recommendation Requests are archived here.
Gifts that keep on giving
West Seattle holiday gifts ‘n’ stuff with an extra punch – plus a request for ideas from you:
POINSETTIAS TO HELP STUDENTS: Today’s the deadline to get orders in for the Chief Sealth High School Band fundraising poinsettia sale; full details in our original post – we just checked and they DO have some left!
BOOKS FOR WESTSIDE BABY: This Saturday, during Hometown Holidays weekend, Square 1 Books in Jefferson Square is having a unique sale — as described on the Square One blog, “Purchase any children’s book from us Dec. 1-2 for 15 percent off and we will donate the book to WestSide Baby. The books will be distributed to families in need in December.”
CALENDARS FOR CANINES: Wendy Hughes-Jelen, from the High Point K-9 Club and other endeavors, has created the 2008 IGGY Ambassadors Calendar, which she describes further: “Entitled ‘Personal images of the dogs we love, photographed by members of IGGY Ambassadors — Emerald City (Italian Greyhounds of the Northwest)’, it is a large and elegant calendar, something to be treasured by ALL dog lovers.” 16% of the price of each calendar (what’s left after printing costs & the lulu.com publisher’s fee) goes to “help pay for vet bills and other costs associated with the very active Northwest Italian greyhound rescue community.” You can preview the calendar here; you can order it here.
NOW, A QUESTION FOR YOU: This came in as a WSB Reader Recommendation Request but relates to the topic of “gifts that keep on giving” — Adam e-mailed, “In lieu of giving presents, my wife and I have donated money which we might normally spend on presents to some of the many worthwhile charities. We are searching for recommendations for legitimate local charities for Iraq veterans and their families. Any reader suggestions?”
Reader report: Train derailment
From Garrett:
Train slightly derailed, zig zag fashion, right under the intersection of 99 and spokane st viaduct. Don’t know if this will affect any West Seattle Bridge traffic!
8:45 UPDATE: John from WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits forwarded a city traffic alert e-mail that says: “All lanes on S Spokane St are blocked by a derailed train at E Marginal Way S. Seattle Police are providing traffic control.”
2 important events in West Seattle today & tonight
SENATOR HERE THIS MORNING: U.S. Senator Patty Murray and a long list of business and education leaders will be in West Seattle this morning, in Olympic Hall at South Seattle Community College, for a field hearing of Murray’s Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety.
FIRST STOP IN THE CITY PARKS HEARING TOUR TONIGHT: As we reported earlier this month, the city Parks Department is touring the city in a series of 30-plus public hearings on what should be in its forthcoming Strategic Business Plan. Tonight is the first of five hearings in West Seattle (7-9 pm, Southwest Community Center). Lots more info here; the full list of meetings is here; if you are absolutely certain you cannot make it to any of those meetings, the Parks Department has a “short online survey” you can take here. With so much parkland here on our beautiful peninsula — and remember, we’re the biggest neighborhood in the city! — it’s vital to have West Seattle opinions, hopes, and dreams represented in the forthcoming Parks plan.
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