From park site, to true park: Ercolini labor of love under way
Just west of The Junction at midday today, those kids played in a space that is taking shape as their future neighborhood playground, at Ercolini Park, while dozens of adults labored just feet away to install the playground equipment that just arrived:
Here’s video of both aforementioned groups in action:
The volunteers’ work at Ercolini continues 9 am-3 pm tomorrow, and is a major milestone in a transformation that’s been years in the making. Around this time last year, the park site was still a large grassy lot – former family homestead, sold to the city Parks Department:
In the ensuing months, neighborhood volunteers received a city grant — matching funds for cash and volunteer-time commitments that they worked hard to procure; now they’re cashing in on that volunteer help – and looking forward to a grand-opening celebration within a matter of weeks. By the way, if you live in any of the areas around The Junction, stop by Ercolini tomorrow to not only see what’s happening, but also to familiarize yourself with the site’s new status as your neighborhood gathering place in case of disaster – between 10 am and 2 pm, a table with safety info will be set up like the one last weekend in Morgan Junction (and other events that have happened in Alki and Pigeon Point; check the map in this post for other upcoming events – we’ll have updates soon for additional neighborhoods).
And another pitch for help: This one’s for the critters
Michael at Liberty Bell Printing in The Junction mentioned this situation when we dropped by the other day on other business — we told him it sounded like news to us. Lots of hard-working animal-advocacy groups in West Seattle; this one, Friends of the Animals Foundation, is a week away from a fundraiser but hampered by a crisis related to a recent fire — read on to see what Michael wants you to know:Read More
Fire callout on 14th SW: Woodstove woes
Just checked out the “fire in single-family residence” call in the 8800 block of 14th SW — a woodstove that got going a little too well, according to what firefighters told us — water took care of it.
If you’re not selling May 10 – get ready to shop like mad!
Thanks to everybody who signed up to participate in the 4th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day coming up two weeks from today — 9 am-3 pm May 10 — the semifinal registration total (depending on how many last-minute mail-in forms arrive today/Monday) is 142 sales!!!! – including some group/business/school sales and block sales, too! Now the big job ahead is to make sure EVERYONE in West Seattle knows about the garage-sale-shopping opportunities that await that day, and also folks in surrounding communities who can head this way to enjoy great shopping and spectacular scenery. We’re plowing the registration $ back into promotion and printing, but beyond that, we’d like to ask your help in spreading the word outside WS … if you get a chance to tell friends, relatives, co-workers that May 10 is THE day to head this way; you can even use the “Share This” feature under this post to e-mail it to someone. (Maps will be available May 8 online and at locations we will list soon at the WSCGSD site, westseattlegaragesale.com, as well as on a new round of posters you’ll be seeing around town!)
West Seattle Saturday scenes, today’s first installment
Tons going on today; much of it is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup list, but not everything:
No idea what those City Light crews were up to along Fauntleroy just west of 35th, but we couldn’t resist a picture. Next, something else we happened onto – a line outside the Westwood Village post office, where a passport fair is under way:
Last but not least, a quick pic from the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Hi-Yu Fishing Derby at Seacrest this morning, as a participant gets help bagging the fish he caught:
(We have video too, which we’ll include in a later roundup, but more Saturday events to cover first!) EARLY SUNDAY UPDATE: Here’s the clip, as promised:
Two reader reports on transportation trouble spots
That photo, and report #1, from Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness:
It’s finally happening! The sidewalk on the south side of SW 104th next to Arbor Heights Elementary School is almost finished. Many thanks to the Arbor Heights PTSA, who have worked for several years with the city to make this happen!
The Arbor Heights sidewalk project was first mentioned here last November.
Report #2: As Manuel noted in his e-mail, the issue he is following isn’t technically in West Seattle, but certainly affects a lot of WS drivers “who use South Spokane Street to go to Costco or work.” He continued:
I wrote SDOT inquiring about the poor condition of the concrete panels at the railroad crossings down there. Over time they sunk several inches, and drivers had to slow way down. They have since fixed the eastbound panels, but the westbound panels are currently pretty bad. Anyway, just passing along a well-thought-out response from our city.
Read on for the full text of the response that Manuel received and forwarded:Read More
Truck hits house on Genesee Hill
For the second time in less than 12 hours, a vehicle has hit a building in West Seattle. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is out on the “heavy rescue” 911 call in the 4400 block of 55th SW (map) and texted us with the description “truck vs. house.” 1:05 AM UPDATE: Police on the scene tell Christopher nobody is hurt; the truck’s driver fled before fire/police arrived and will face a hit-run charge if/when found.
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