We’re at the monthly Highland Park Action Committee meeting, where local residents have just received an update about the West Seattle Reservoir-covering park project. Virginia Hassinger from Seattle Parks says construction will not start this year. Hassinger notes that the park’s design-development detail isn’t even fully finalized yet. And when asked about the possible P-Patch/community garden on the park site, Hassinger explained that’s not currently funded – the neighborhood would have to get together and seek funding, for example, to make it happen.

But one of the reasons it’s taking a while has a silver lining – Hassinger says some city changes since the inception of the project mean the nearby neighborhood will get some long-requested sidewalk work: The south side of SW Cloverdale between 8th and 9th will get a 6-foot concrete sidewalk, says SDOT‘s Douglas Cox, explaining that the estimated cost of nearly $100,000 (for 275 feet of sidewalk) will be funded by some Bridging the Gap money (the park project itself is being paid for out of Parks and Green Spaces Levy money). Attendees are saying there are still a few other improvements desperately needed for traffic/pedestrian safety in the area, and they’re being urged to fight for that by contacting city leaders. More from the meeting, coming up later. One more P.S. HPAC’s Dan Mullins brought up some pothole problems in the area, and Cox reminded everyone they can call 206-684-ROAD, or report them online here.