West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
A local greenspace is a little greener tonight thanks to the hard work of dozens of student volunteers – and a man with a vision.
The site is Seola Pond, near 30th SW/SW 106th. The students who worked there this afternoon, getting native plants into the ground, were from nearby Explorer West Middle School and Westside School (both WSB sponsors). The man with a vision – Scott Dolfay.
On our partner site White Center Now, we’ve covered his updates at recent meetings of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council – the site is along the city-county line and Dolfay’s been talking with NHUAC about his work to restore the site, and working for many months to secure help, not just volunteers, but also donated materials.
He explained that the site, where he bought property in 2010, “acts as a de facto neighborhood park” and was historically a peat bog that would dry up in the summer, and held runoff because of all the construction around it. He has had help from EarthCorps and Nature Consortium, too. If you’re interested in future work at the site, you can reach him at satomiscott (at) q (dot) com.
(Photos by Leda Costa for WSB unless otherwise credited)
6:06 PM: Santa Claus is in The Junction! It’s a double-special night – the second-to-last Shop Late Thursday before Christmas, and the holiday edition of the West Seattle Art Walk. Also roaming The Junction right now – the Silver Belles carolers, who you might recall from the Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting celebration almost two weeks ago. We caught them here in the distance:
Lots of other highlights tonight – places to stop, things to see – check our preview from last night to find the Art Walk venue list and Shop Late highlights. And again, it’s not just The Junction – Art Walk venues are all over West Seattle, like Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor) in South Admiral:
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
ADDED LATE THURSDAY NIGHT: More photos! Eight artists’ work – including the Mug Show – at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor):
Next, CAPERS had a multi-artist show too, and Santa caught up with some of the artists (L-R below, Stephanie Hargrave, Christine Olson, Magdalena Cooney, Genna Draper, Amy Stone):
Meantime, the Silver Belles caroled on – below, outside Wild Rose Antiques:
Art at Virago Gallery:
Santa visited Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor) to get some ideas on how to spend the offseason:
(Photo courtesy of Emerald Water Anglers)
Merry Shop Late Thursday to all, and to all a good night!
The Easy Street Records marquee, by the way, reminds everyone that Caspar Babypants is live in-store Saturday at 6:30 pm – and right outside at the Farmers’ Market on Sunday, bring coats for the donation drive AND catch the Santa Trolley nearby – more on the Hometown Holidays page.
Thanks to Sonia for the photo of tonight’s featured lights – she says it’s just “a sneak peek” of “a holiday display worth seeing” in the 3400 block of 48th SW, noting that the same house has an “awesome Halloween display.” We’re featuring lights nightly through Christmas (and listing them in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide) – photos welcome or even just the location so we can go get a pic – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
Just in from SDOT – a road-closure alert for 9 pm Saturday until 1 am Sunday. The pergola for the Washington Street Boat Landing will be returned to its historic spot on the south end of the downtown waterfront, more than three years after it was removed, to be restored while the Waterfront Seattle project had work to do at its location. Here’s video from when it was moved out:
So East Marginal/surface Alaskan Way will be closed north of the West Seattle Bridge, between Spokane St. and Atlantic St., during those four hours this Saturday night/early Sunday for the move back.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The big decision has been made: The Washington State Ferries citizen advisory committee known as the Triangle Route Improvement Task Force will continue.
Its mission will change.
The decisionmaking opened the task force’s every-month-or-so meeting Wednesday afternoon/evening at Fauntleroy Church, near the easternmost terminal of the Triangle Route (Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth). It was entirely up to the members, most of whom – three from each community on the route – expressed willingness to continue on for at least another year, though a few admitted they had “gone back and forth,” mostly because the task force’s first round of work had drawn more scrutiny and controversy than had been expected.
West Seattle’s school communities have been talking for some time now about how to help each other – the West Seattle School Parent Collaborative is one way – and another is coming up with a chance to involve many people from around the community, including you: One big event to benefit five schools next Tuesday (December 19th). Between 11 am and 8 pm that day, dine at Marination ma kai (1660 Harbor SW) and part of the proceeds will go to help kids at this area’s five Title I schools – Concord International, Highland Park, Roxhill, Sanislo, West Seattle elementaries. (Here’s the menu if you don’t already have favorites there but want to plan ahead!)
That’s the video Caitlin Huertas made to promote her plan to open what would be West Seattle’s only “large indoor play space” as well as the only one with a space theme – it’ll be called Outer Space Seattle. Today is the final day of her IndieGogo crowdfunding campaign to clear the final financial hurdle before locking down their planned location.
(City-provided map from March 2017)
Back in March, we mentioned three West Seattle sidewalk projects were in the works for this year; the city-provided map above accompanied the announcement. With the year almost over, we found that two of them have slid to 2018: The city is currently seeking bids to build the sidewalk along 35th SW between SW 100th and SW 106th in Arbor Heights and a shorter stretch near Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge, plus a project outside West Seattle in the same solicitation. No word on the status of the third project, one block of SW 104th in Arbor Heights.
Highlight time! First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
HANUKKAH: Third night of the Festival of Lights. (Here’s the listing for tomorrow’s community celebration at West Seattle synagogue Kol HaNeshamah.)
WINTER BAKING DEMONSTRATION: At West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) with chef/author Kim O’Donnel. From gingerbread cutouts to sufganiyot (jelly donuts) for Hanukkah to benne seed biscuits for Kwanzaa. No signup required. 4:30-5:30 pm. (36th SW/SW Snoqualmie)
HOLIDAY ART WALK: All over West Seattle, “5 pm until late,” you are invited to West Seattle Art Walk venues! Here again is the map/venue list:
(Click to see larger image)
See tonight’s artist/venue highlights here, too! And enjoy the chance to sample local wine – Art Walk stops include Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW) and Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW), both WSB sponsors.
And while you’re out …
SHOP LATE THURSDAY IN THE JUNCTION WITH MUSIC & SANTA: 5-7 pm, Silver Belles are caroling in The Junction; Santa is roaming tonight too. Many shops are open late – here’s the newest list from the Junction Association, including WSB sponsors Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW), Emerald Water Anglers (42nd/Oregon – not just fishing, outdoor apparel/gear for all!), Menashe & Sons Jewelers (4532 California SW) and VAIN (4513 California SW) – shop your local indie businesses!
HOLIDAY ON THE PORCH: 5-7 pm at the Log House Museum: “Join us for cookies, drinks, and new exhibits!” (61st/Stevens)
DENNY POSADA: 6-9 pm, annual multicultural holiday celebration at Denny International Middle School. (2601 SW Kenyon)
CHRISTMAS SHIP RETURNS TO WEST SEATTLE: Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship back in West Seattle for this season’s final visit, with the Dickens Carolers on board, serenading passengers AND those gathered on shore. 9:10-9:30 pm at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. (1222 Harbor SW)
And from our year-round Event Calendar:
POWER OUTAGE FOLLOWUP MEETING: As previewed here Tuesday, tonight at 6:30 pm at Westside School (WSB sponsor), City Light will talk about the recent Arroyos/South Arbor Heights power outage and what it’s doing to upgrade the electricity infrastructure in the area. (10404 34th SW)
WEST SEATTLE HS CONCERT: 7 pm Concert Band and Orchestra concert at the WSHS Theater, 7 pm. All welcome! (3000 California SW)
OPEN MIC: For musicians and singers of all genres! At C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘Tis the season for holiday/winter concerts, especially this week, with many local school groups performing in the nights before winter break. Last night at Hope Lutheran School, it was a full house for the “Sounds of Winter” concert by groups from Hope and nearby Seattle Lutheran High School.
We stopped in toward the start of the concert. Above, the Hope Concert Band opened the night; our top photo and our video below feature the Hope Chapel Band/Choir:
Also performing, the SLHS Band and Hope’s Handbell Choir and Glee Club. We’re told some of the Hope musicians will also be performing at the Senior Center of West Seattle this afternoon.
P.S. See the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for more music (and other events/info)!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! We’ve just checked around and no incidents are reported in/from West Seattle.
NOTE: Today is the last full day of school before a two-week winter break for most local students (Seattle Public Schools and those who follow its calendar are out an hour early tomorrow, then off until the day after New Year’s Day).
7:32 AM: SDOT reports a crash at 26th/Barton.
8:48 AM: As noted in comments, Metro has had Routes 56/57 trouble today.
4:56 PM: … and Route 55 cancellations headed back the other way.
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