West Seattle, Washington
19 Monday
Two more reports to share from the WSB inbox:Read More
Thanks to the Pigeon Point neighborhood mailing list for sharing this alert from Boeing Field management:
Naval Air Station San Diego notified KCIA Operations about four F-18s arriving between 4-6 PM on Saturday, June 14 to conduct over-flights, arrivals and departures, and departing at 5:00 PM on Sunday, June 15.
From June 23-28, one F-21 from Norfolk, VA will visit KCIA to support the Boeing Company’s testing of its Wedgetail aircraft at Boeing’s Military Flight Center. The jet fighter will make a couple operational flights/day during business hours.
Whenever scheduled military flights are known in advance, KCIA will alert surrounding neighborhoods; however, occasional refueling stops occur by military aircraft without any advanced notice to the Airport.
KCIA is an open-access airport and must accommodate all aircraft 24/7. By Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the Airport cannot discriminate against any aircraft because it is a violation of the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.To report noise incidents, please call KCIA’s Noise Information Line at 206-205-5242; or email KCIANoise@metrokc.gov.
We’re no experts but — according to online research, F-18 is a Blue Angels-type jet; F-21 is this.
The first West Seattle wading-pool opening of the season MIGHT be tomorrow @ Lincoln Park, but there’s a hitch – gotta be 70 degrees and sunny – not looking much like there’s a chance of that. (SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: We just went down to check – the pool IS filling, and it WILL be open both days this weekend no matter what.) Nonetheless, we’ll hold out a good thought, and include that possibility in the list of 40 events ahead, from bellydancing tonight to the West Seattle Moms of Tots benefit Bake Sale on Alki tomorrow morning to the WSB Forum Community Happy Hour Meet-Up tomorrow afternoon and beyond – and if you MUST leave West Seattle, there’s the first-ever Capitol Hill Community Garage Sale Day — it’s all ahead:Read More
Got this report from Anna and headed over to get photographic proof:
It’s not a major thing, unless you happen to live near the corner of 35th and Webster [map] and ride the bus. In the last week they have recovered the sidewalk at this bus stop and this morning, I was surprised that the (county) had installed a new bus shelter (previously no shelter from the rain at this stop) and provided us with a trash can. Before yesterday, this stop only had one small exposed bench, no trash receptacle and no covered shelter. A lot of people commute using this stop, so it was really nice to see some … amenities to make our commute a little nicer.
Catching up on BDB, noticed this photo posted yesterday. We’re used to seeing herons stalking fish or flying overhead, but this view looks down at a heron in flight. Wow!
After this weekend (which kicks off with a free public swim today at 4:30), Southwest Pool — West Seattle’s only city-run indoor pool — will be closed for 3 1/2 months of work. The sign boils it down to just two words — “capital improvements” — but as we found out in an interview with project manager Garrett Farrell, which we requested after some WSB’ers wondered “why so long,” what’s going is so much more. You won’t see most of the effects — it’s really an overhaul of major components that keep the 1970s-era pool running, like the big old inefficient 30-plus-year-old boiler we got to see during a basement tour (click to watch the short clip):
Lots more about what’s changing, why it’ll take 3 1/2 months, how it’ll affect the adjacent community center (which will close a few times during pool work, starting with a 6/23-6/29 shutdown), and more, in-depth, ahead:Read More
ADDED 10:10 PM: Thanks to Scott for that photo of the grass seeding at the future Myrtle Reservoir Park — apparently it was just done today. ORIGINAL REPORT: The Seattle Design Commission‘s agenda for next Thursday just came out, and it includes a return engagement for the Myrtle Reservoir park plan, which has been at the center of “skatepark or not?” controversy for quite a while, though that appears to be out of the picture with recent revelations involving other sites (first High Point, then Delridge). Myrtle’s on the agenda for 1:45 pm Thursday during the SDC’s all-day meeting at City Hall downtown.
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Susan, who hopes you’ll keep an eye out for the unusual items stolen from her:
Bummed to report that my house (off Charlestown near Schmitz Park) was broken into yesterday. Came home from work to discover a slashed screen, window popped out of place. They must have been on foot because all they took were the contents of my change jar and a little safe.
I’m bummed about the safe–and the burglars are going to be bummed, too–because it held all the spare change from my travels around the world. Which is to say, if the burglars thought they were getting another pile of
quarters, they are sorely mistaken, as they got a bunch of coins from around the world, coins that the bank won’t even convert back to U.S. currency. Sentimental value only.The safe was a gift–it was made out of an old P.O. box. I’m picturing it on the side of the road somewhere; or perhaps dumped in Schmitz Park. If any of your readers find a small old PO box safe, please put them in touch! [WSB note: E-mail or call us if you see it]
And hurrah for my neighbors, who saw the commotion (three police cars responded) and came over to check in on me.
Thanks to Sean for that photo and the report that the new Fauntleroy/Dawson pedestrian signal (map) is just about ready for action, exactly a month after neighbors reported getting word the construction schedule had been moved way up – he says it was in “flashing yellow” mode when he went by. (We’ll check back on it in a few hours if we don’t get an update first.)
As mentioned in our Parks Board meeting report, Parks staffers didn’t say anything more last night about the line in their briefing paper saying there could be a “car-free” day on Alki in late summer — they mentioned it in passing as a city Transportation Department proposal. So we asked SDOT communications boss Rick Sheridan this morning about the status and what’s next. Here’s the reply that just came in:
“Car Free Days,” where some city streets would be open to bikes and pedestrians, is an idea that Mayor Nickels proposed as part of the campaign to “Give Your Car the Summer Off.” The effort seeks to combat global warming by encouraging more walking, biking, car pooling and taking transit. The closures would be similar to Bicycle Saturdays and Sundays along Lake Washington Boulevard.
Parks and Recreation jumped the gun as no definitive decisions have been made. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is still fine-tuning the concept and needs other departments (fire, police, etc.) to approve it. Outstanding issues remain about mitigating the impacts on nearby streets and finding city resources to support it. The three corridors mentioned are, at this point, only possible locations. As we move further along in the process, we are interested in hearing the public’s perspective on the idea itself and suitable locations. SDOT should have more information to share in the next few weeks.
Rick Sheridan
SDOT
Right after the city Parks Board‘s meeting last night, we posted a quick update to say the beach-fire discussion hadn’t taken any startling turns. Lots more to say about it, of course, so here we go – and after our account of that discussion, we have a few other West Seattle-related notes from the meeting:Read More
Two nights after we told you about the sudden change in plans for 3811 California SW – once targeted for teardown, and once rejected for landmark status – the Southwest Design Review Board got its first official look at the new design shown above, which retains and raises the existing building’s front “wings” — this one and its south-side twin:
For our summary of board and public comments – plus what was said about the other project on the SWDRB’s agenda last night, 4532 42nd SW on the east edge of The Junction – read on:Read More
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