Video: Fauntleroy Schoolhouse celebration/open house

| Fauntleroy | Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(Video added beneath original as-it-happened report)

ORIGINAL 7 PM REPORT: Via cameraphone, a couple early photos from the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse celebration, which you still have plenty of time to go join – it’s continuing till 8 pm. Above, the group that gathered to cut the ceremonial ribbon a short time ago; below, back from a few months on the East Coast, it’s former Mayor Greg Nickels, the West Seattleite whose administration was among those helping secure funding for the schoolhouse purchase:

The West Seattle Big Band is playing, and there are treats and tours – 9131 California SW (take SW Barton west and downhill from 35th, or head uphill from Wildwood through the Endolyne area east of the ferry dock), till 8 pm.

ADDED 10:35 PM: Video of the ribboncutting – Fauntleroy Community Service Agency‘s Kevin Wooley speaks first, joined by Dr. Jack Pierce (at center), founder of Fauntleroy Children’s Center, and Bruce Butterfield (right), president of Fauntleroy Community Association – keep watching till you see the jersey on the young spectator!

And the West Seattle Big Band (which is playing tomorrow night at the West Seattle High School All-School Reunion event), with lots of little ones on hand to dance:

Tonight’s celebration is in honor of the official completion of the FCSA’s purchase of the schoolhouse and some of the surrounding property from Seattle Public Schools, which closed this spring. But the purchase is just the start – the building needs a fair amount of work – and there’s also room for more tenants – so its next chapter has just begun.

JanS June 3, 2010 (8:06 pm)

Mr. Nickels looks good with a beard

miws June 3, 2010 (9:37 pm)

Jan, you might remember he sported on for awhile several years ago.

I think he probably shaved it off about the first time he ran for Mayor.

I also seem to remember him saying something about his wife not liking it. I wonder how she feels about it now? ;)

Mike

Cheryl June 4, 2010 (3:54 pm)

My daughter is one of the little ones dancing down in front … (we had a blast watching them go!). The ribbon cutting event was a lot of fun, the kids certainly had a great time & so did we grownups!
.
Kudos to all those who worked their collective butts off over the past couple years to make the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse purchase happen! This is a great thing for our end of the peninsula, and for the community of West Seattle in general. Can’t wait to see how it all develops from here.
:-)

Kim Sheridan June 4, 2010 (7:09 pm)

Thanks to all of our friends and supporters these past many years, including our friends in the city and state who made this purchase possible. Thank you also to the blog for the great coverage, and the collective party participants, including the WS Big Band. It was a grand affair!

Sorry, comment time is over.