Save the date: Celebrate the reopening of Cove Park on July 18th
(WSB photo of Cove Park, taken from the bluff across Fauntleroy Way at midday today)
Exactly three years ago, on June 22, 2012, we reported the closure of Cove Park – the pocket beach just north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock – for what was at the time described as about two years of work to upgrade the Barton Pump Station next door. Cove Park’s beloved art installations were taken away for storage, but now the crow and canoe are back … the beach is being restored … and new art will be in view when the beach reopens soon. Thanks to Judy Pickens for the heads-up that the big celebration is set for 2-4 pm on Saturday, July 18th (as she first reported in the Fauntleroy Community Association newsletter): “Festivities will include remarks from community, county, and artist perspectives, music created for the occasion, refreshments, and tours of the upgraded and expanded Barton Street wastewater pump station.” Perfect timing that day, between the West Seattle Grand Parade and the first of this year’s six West Seattle Outdoor Movies!
More fresh-grown food! High Point Market Garden farm stand opens this Wednesday
(WSB photo, looking eastward across the garden this afternoon)
It’s a mini-farm in the middle of a residential neighborhood – the High Point Market Garden. Every summer, its farm stand offers a weekly chance to buy fresh-grown produce steps from where it’s grown, and the city Department of Neighborhoods sent word that this Wednesday is opening day. Just-harvested organic produce will be on sale 4 pm-7 pm at the farm stand at 32nd and Juneau (map), every Wednesday from this week through September 30th. EBT cards are accepted and the stand participates in Fresh Bucks, doubling the first $10 spent on the card. The announcement adds, “A new feature at the High Point Farm Stand will be the ROAR mobile farm stand that sells produce grown by local farmers across Puget Sound. ROAR, which stands for Roots of All Roads, is focused on connecting community with locally grown produce and sharing new ways to enjoy it.” DoN oversees the High Point Market Garden (one of two in the city – the other is at NewHolly) as part of its P-Patch program.
TUESDAY P.S. We noticed the city webpage for the program had listed a later opening date, in July; the warm, dry weather that’s led so many gardens to bloom earlier has also accelerated food gardens like this, so the date was moved up.
35th/Roxbury charter-school updates: Site sale finalized; new development plan; local forum scheduled
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Four updates today on the planned charter middle/high school at what’s now the Freedom Church/Jesus Center on the southwest corner of 35th/Roxbury, almost six months after we discovered the proposal:
DEAL CLOSED: The nonprofit that’s developing the school for California-based charter operator Summit Public Schools, Washington Charter School Development, has closed the deal to buy the property. King County records show the purchase price was $4,750,000, almost $2 million more than the site’s 2008 sale price.
TWO-PHASE SITE DEVELOPMENT: Once we found the records of the purchase, we started checking on the status of the plan to remodel and add onto the former supermarket building at the site, and discovered a change in the plan: It’s now going to be developed in two phases, confirms a spokesperson for WCSD, which is affiliated with Los Angeles-based Pacific Charter School Development. First, they’ll remodel the existing building, and they’ve applied for a building permit to do that. The proposed additions (shown here a month ago) would be in a second phase. The school itself would be phased in anyway – Summit says it would start with 6th and 9th grades and add middle/high grades each year until fully enrolled as 6th through 12th.
CHURCH STAYING TFN: Summit Public Schools is still more than a year away from its proposed opening (and awaiting state approval, required because charter schools operate with public funding). So in the meantime, WCSD says, Freedom Church/Jesus Center is “renting back the building for the near future to allow the Church to continue providing its outstanding and award-winning community service in West Seattle while plans for the school are being finalized.” In addition to the church, the center also works with a variety of community programs and partners, including the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.
PUBLIC FORUM NEXT MONTH: According to the calendar for the Washington Charter School Commission – which will have to approve Summit’s application (linked here) before it can open the school – a public forum is planned at the site as part of the process (as mentioned in our previous update), 6 pm July 21st.
West Seattle Crime Watch, be-on-the-lookout edition: Small business hit by shoplifter; child saddened by bike thief
2:11 PM: Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports today, and your watchfulness is appreciated:
JUNCTION SHOPLIFTER: From Linda Sabee of Carmilia’s:
Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, June 21) around 4:00, a twenty-something woman shoplifted several items from my store, to the tune of about $325. As she shopped, she told a sad tale about her dying grandmother, proceeded to try on many things and when the store got busy and I was distracted with another customer, she bolted with the unpaid-for items.
She’s tan, athletic but large build, she was wearing a black ‘Fight Like a Girl’ tee with a skirt and tennis shoes. Her long hair was pulled back into a pony tail. She said she grew up around here, moved to San Diego and has been back for about a year to care for her grandmother. She also said she put on ten pounds over the past year. All of this could be untrue. Perhaps she’s a pathological liar as well as a thief.
CHILD’S BICYCLE STOLEN IN ADMIRAL: Maybe you’ll find Rafael‘s bike.
(That’s Rafael and his bike – added 3:11 pm)
Mom Cynthia messaged us:
My child’s bike was stolen from in front of our home last night. It’s a 16″ Tonka boys bike. Looks like (this pic) except no training wheels. If you see it grab it and let me know. Or if you have a 16″ bike we can borrow till we find a new one I would appreciate it. He was fighting back tears this morning trying to be strong. Sweet boy.
This happened near 46th and Stevens.
P.S. We’ll write more about this later but tomorrow night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting is the place to be for neighborhood crime-prevention info – 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct (Webster/Delridge). All welcome – you don’t have to be a BW captain or even a BW member (but if you’re interested in finding out more about how it works, come early and mingle – doors open at 6).
7:55 PM UPDATE: See the comments – Rafael’s bike has been found!
UPDATE: Small fire extinguished in 9400 block 16th SW
(WSB photo)
11:55 AM: Seattle Fire is responding to a “fire in building” call in the 9400 block of 16th SW. First crews are seeing “light smoke.”
12:02 PM: Most units are being dismissed.
12:09 PM: Our crew talked with SFD at the scene. The fire started in some bags of items in an apartment area inside the mixed-use Rozella Building. They’re not sure yet what sparked the fire, but it’s out; no one was hurt.
SATURDAY: 2015 Seafair Pirates Landing at Alki Beach, a little later this year – here’s the schedule
(2014 photo by David Hutchinson)
Just five days until the next big West Seattle summer event – the Seafair Pirates’ Landing on Alki this Saturday (June 27th). This year, they’re rampaging ashore a bit later than usual – around 2:15 pm. But the festival surrounding their arrival lasts all day – with vendors, kids’ activities, and more, starting at 10 am, by the Alki Bathhouse (60th SW/Alki Ave. SW) and on the boardwalk. Here are key times for what’s happening when (UPDATED FRIDAY 6/26):
Masters of Ceremony
Robert “Cockroach” Blair
Zacharia “Splinter” McCormick
Magician Just Sage as the Pirate “Mr Bustier”
Playing 11:00-11:40 – Pig Snout
Noon-12:40 pm: The Dead Letters
1:00-1:40 pm: Runt
2:15 pm: Pirate Landing (approximate)
2:30 pm: Knighting Ceremony
3:30-4 pm: The Fabulous Miss Wendy
4:20-5 pm: Harrison B
5:20 pm: The Echo Devils
Live Pirate Play by:
The Jade Dragon Pirates
Swordplay and carbide cannons
PDXYAR
Bullwhip demos, pirate fights and a living history display
And welcoming the Pirates on the beach:
Ten Man Brass Band
If you’ve never been – the beach gets crowded, to say the least, so don’t plan to just mosey on up at the last minute – check this aerial from our 2014 report:
(2014 photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
It’s also fun to watch what happens offshore, as the Pirates approach from a distance and at some point cannon fire ensues (warn the little ones!). The Seafair Pirates, by the way, are celebrating their 66th anniversary, and will also be seen, in their landlubbing “vessel” Moby Duck, in the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 18th.
Congratulations! West Seattle Baseball’s tournament sweep
Thanks to Kelly for the update on West Seattle Baseball‘s tournament achievements:
I wanted to let you know that last weekend, the West Seattle Baseball 9U All Star team and the 10U All Star team both won the Maltby Pony Baseball Invitational tournament in their age brackets, and (Sunday), the West Seattle Baseball 11U All Star team AND the 12U All Star team both won the Maltby tournament in THEIR age brackets. A clean sweep!
Attached is a picture of the 11Us, many of the 12Us, and their coaches. Go, West Seattle!!!
Thanks also to Sue for e-mailing to let us know.
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