Video: High Point Neighborhood Center groundbreaking

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That’s the $13 million High Point Neighborhood Center that should be up and running by fall of next year; an unconventional “groundbreaking” ceremony and community celebration on Saturday moved the project to its next stage, even as fundraising continues (leaders from the parent agency, Neighborhood House, revealed that $10.6 million of that money already is in hand). One speaker had a slip of the tongue and almost called the event a “groundbaking,” appropriate enough given the sizzling midday heat at the Commons Park Amphitheater, where ceremony attendees were summoned with the rhythms of African group Naby Camara:

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The actual groundbreaking itself didn’t involve the traditional dignitaries with shovels; instead, it involved stones, handed out to attendees beforehand, with pens, for them to inscribe the stones with their hope/dream for Neighborhood Center. See how that worked – and hear short highlights from many of the speakers — just ahead:

Everyone got to throw their “hope stones” into the basket as the ceremony ended:

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But before that, as various officials spoke, some of them mentioned what they’d written on their stone, as did High Point Neighborhood Association president Andrew Mead:

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High Point always has been a place alive with families, reminisced another ceremony participant, State Senator Claudia Kauffman of Kent, a Nez Perce tribe member introduced as the first Native American woman elected to our state’s Legislature:

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She and King County Councilmember Larry Gossett were introduced at the ceremony as among the “children of High Point” who became high achievers, in their cases, serving in elected office. His High Point memory focused on how low-income housing gives people in need a chance to better their economic standing:

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He also noted that his hope stone reads “Justice for all.” Neighborhood House’s Mark Okazaki announced today that a room at the new facility is to be named after Councilmember Gossett and Sen. Kauffman – the Youth Achievement Room. Also speaking at the ceremony, Seattle’s Congressmember Jim McDermott, who talked about what’s on his hope stone:

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A theme of unity also was sounded by King County Executive Ron Sims, but his brief speech began with a personal note, after he revealed that a local public-TV station had recently obtained a DNA sample from him:

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High Point already has evolved from what it was in King County Councilmember Dow Constantine‘s early memories:

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Other dignitaries at the event included Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and Seattle Housing Authority executive director Tom Tierney. After the ceremony, the crowd moved to the multicultural-cuisine buffet (Peter Wolf of Neighborhood House described it ahead of time as featuring Somali, Vietnamese, and Cambodian food, plus Husky Deli ice cream, to name a few) set up on the Commons Park lawn – we walked up onto the park’s knoll and surveyed the scene, starting with the homebuilding that continues to the southeast:

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The celebration continued after lunch with entertainment including young performers:

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(photo courtesy Andrew Mead)
Neighborhood Center will be headquarters to many social services for High Point neighbors, and also is billed as “the heart of High Point.” One of its hallmarks, which was mentioned but not dwelled on at the Saturday event, is the fact it is to be built as a “LEED Gold”-certified project, meeting high environmental standards — including extensive use of solar panels. You can read much more about High Point Neighborhood Center here.

1 Reply to "Video: High Point Neighborhood Center groundbreaking"

  • GreenSpaces August 18, 2008 (8:20 am)

    I thought I would look like a dork with my umbrella but I can’t tell you how many people called me brilliant for thinking of it. I have been a perpetual red all summer from walking my dog, and it happens in a short time period thanks to my Swedish heritage. The umbrella is not an original idea as many of my senior Asian lady neighbors use them regularly, they just had the sense to stay indoors that day I guess. It was HOT!

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