West Seattle Transportation Coalition hears what’s next for the bike-share program, Fauntleroy Boulevard $, more
(Two LimeBikes, photographed at Seacrest this week)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
You’ve seen them. Maybe you’ve even taken rides on them. Seattle’s bike-share bicycles were one big topic at this month’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting, which also included discussions of the money that’s not being spent (yet) on the on-hold Fauntleroy Boulevard project, and light-rail planning.
First, the bike-share briefing, with SDOT’s program manager Joel Miller, who started with some backstory, going back to the scrapped docked-bike program Pronto: “One of the big lessons learned from Pronto is that you don’t launch a bike-share system in Seattle in October.” So the new dockless bike-share program launched in July and is still in a pilot period, with three companies: LimeBike (green), Spin (orange), and oFo (yellow). You can take the bicycles door to door, or, for example, “door to transit.”
They started with 500 bikes and now have about 10,000 bikes on the street, according to Miller.
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VIDEO: Highland Park neighbors celebrate Martha Mallett’s milestone birthday
(WSB photos)
Big birthday party this afternoon at Highland Park Improvement Club for a longtime community mainstay – Martha Mallett celebrated her 90th birthday! After a few warm words for partygoers, led them in a cheer of sorts:
She’s been involved since the 1950s with the historic community center, which is getting close to its centennial.
Highland Park-residing City Councilmember Lisa Herbold was among those at HPIC to honor Martha.
The councilmember read a special city proclamation declaring today “Martha Mallett Day” and detailing Martha’s many accomplishments:
As the proclamation noted, Martha’s decades of involvement with HPIC date back into the 1950s! Memorabilia including photos were on display at the party:
She was also serenaded with “What a Wonderful World.”
P.S. Due in no small part to Martha’s efforts, collaborating with neighbors, HPIC remains a thriving community organization/center to this day, with a variety of weekly and monthly events you can browse here.
Which West Seattle schools will be in next year’s BEX V levy? Local meeting April 3
When voters passed Seattle Public Schools‘ BEX (Building Excellence) IV levy in 2013, it included money for the new Genesee Hill and Arbor Heights Elementaries. In 2007, BEX III funded the Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW). Before that, the school board gets a briefing this Wednesday (March 28th) on where the levy-planning process stands. Last public discussion of what might be in BEX V was back in December, at which time, we reported, six West Seattle school sites were being considered for “major projects” – Alki, Boren STEM K-8, Lafayette, Madison, Roxhill, and Schmitz Park. Here’s the district announcement of the April 3rd community meeting (6:30-8:15 pm), with info on how to comment if you can’t be there.
Delridge Neighborhoods District Council gets briefed on beef-solving Dispute Resolution Center of King County
Community-council meetings and district-council meetings are seldom “vote on something” type meetings. Far more often, the centerpieces are “did you know?” type presentations, as well as a chance for community advocates to share what they’re up to. And those were the components of this month’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting last Wednesday night at Highland Park Improvement Club.
Though the weather was better than the night of the February meeting – when snow was falling (remember?) – the turnout was lighter. Chair Mat McBride had booked one main guest, from an organization we hadn’t previously heard of, though it’s been active for some 30 years:
KING COUNTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER: Nilda Brooklyn visited to talk about the two main things this organization does: Direct mediation services (inside and outside the legal system), and training.
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See West Seattle Garden Tour’s winning 2018 art, ‘Garden Fantasia’!
(Images courtesy West Seattle Garden Tour)
Only three months until this year’s West Seattle Garden Tour – and today, the WSGT has just unveiled the art you’ll see on this year’s poster:
West Seattle Garden Tour announced today the artwork titled Garden Fantasia [photo above] by Edgewood artist Doreen Koch Allen [photo right] has been selected as the winner of this year’s annual art competition.
Ms. Allen is best known for her exuberant, color-infused paintings. Working primarily in watercolor and mixed media, inclusive of pastels and acrylics, her creations are often whimsical and playful. Ms. Allen’s deep love of nature and its offerings of detail, pattern, texture, and color are elements often found in her work. Frequently she listens to music while painting outdoors, surrounded by her extensive gardens, which will usually influence the direction of her artwork.
Her process for Garden Fantasia involved painting many successive layers to establish an interesting underpainting. From that point, she pulled out desired images through negative painting, bringing to the forefront the resulting positive shapes, blooms and botanical elements. The 40” high x 30” wide piece was painted in acrylics and uses a variety of found objects to imprint the canvas, replicating interesting textures found in nature.
Garden Fantasia will be featured on the 2018 Garden Tour’s official poster and ticket book. Ms. Allen will also receive a $500 cash prize. West Seattle Garden Tour will auction the artwork on the day of the tour, Sunday, June 24, 2018. Bids will be taken in one of the gardens from 9 am to 5 pm. Proceeds will benefit the year’s designated beneficiaries, which will be announced in early April.
BASEBALL: West Seattle High School’s win – plus, ‘Hiawatha Double’ explained
Thanks to Porter Hammer for the report and photos from the West Seattle High School baseball team’s most-recent win, including an explanation of a factor unique to WSHS home games:
West Seattle High School varsity baseball got the win versus Seattle Prep this past Friday March 23rd. They won 4-3 in a back-and-forth battle. Kai Osaka had a hit that looked like a home run, but the umps didn’t see it that way, so it was ruled a “Hiawatha Double”…but he later scored on a Jordan Berridge deep sacrifice fly.
Alex Pastrana [fielding in above photo] did hit a home run, and it was the go ahead run that won the game. Very solid pitching by Anthony Coats [top photo] and Jackson Sullivan closed it out. Sullivan got the team on the board with a RBI, and later Ulysses Hammer had an RBI “Hiawatha Double.” Jaquan Buchanan made a clutch catch in centerfield to end the game.
This was the first Metro League win that counts in the standings for new WSHS Head Baseball Coach Bryan Tupper. The team is now 3-1 on the year after dropping a heartbreaker at Garfield High School earlier in the week.
Note: A “Hiawatha Double” is the nickname for a ground rule for High School baseball games played at Hiawatha. Because there are no fences like a typical field, if the baseball is hit inside of the running track that circles the field and then rolls out, the team playing defense throws up their arms and the hitter/baserunner must stop at second base. The team is considering use of the temporary fences in the future, but for now they play without them until a decision is made.
The team’s next home game is tomorrow (Monday, March 26th) at Hiawatha (2700 California SW, just north of WSHS), vs. Franklin HS. See the full season schedule – including past results – here.
PLAYGROUND PROGRESS! Happening today at Highland Park Elementary
Not everyone is kicking back on this Sunday morning! Sam sends the photos from Highland Park Elementary, explaining what the people in the photo above were warming up for:
After 4 years of work, phase one is finally nearing completion on Highland Park elementary’s new playground plan. We are moving wood chips into place as we await the contractor to finish pouring concrete.
Those years of work that Sam mentioned have included volunteer work, community fundraising, and grant-seeking – all so the kids have a better place to play.
Morning to night, see what’s up for your West Seattle Sunday
(Barred owl in Fauntleroy Park, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
First Sunday of spring! From our calendar and inbox …
VIADUCT *NOT* CLOSING: As announced Saturday afternoon, the inspection is done and there’s NO closure today.
PALM SUNDAY SERVICES: Our West Seattle Easter Etc. guide includes listings from many local churches, today through Easter. (And we’re still adding – please e-mail info to editor@westseattleblog.com.)
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE: 9 am is the start of the second day of play for WSLL, and you’re invited to see the Minors and Majors teams as the Jamboree continues today until about 7:30 pm. Bar-S Fields are on Alki Point. (64th SW/SW Admiral Way)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: First market of spring, 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
INTERSECTIONS FESTIVAL – WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES: The final day of the first-ever Intersections Festival at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center includes workshops at 12:15 pm as well as two performances – noon and 1:15 pm. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
LANE NORBERG: His Under the Trees Spring Tour stops at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 3-5 pm today. (5612 California SW)
‘HIR’ FINALE – SOLD OUT: Just in case you were thinking of going to the closing performance of “Hir” at ArtsWest at 3 pm today, sorry, we checked and it’s sold out as most recent shows have been! (4711 California SW)
MEMORIAL BONFIRE: Dealing with the loss of a loved one? Providence Hospice of Seattle invites you “to gather for a Memorial Bonfire at Alki Beach Park to share stories and remember loved ones who have died.” 6-7:30 pm at the fire pits near the Bathhouse. (2701 Alki SW)
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE CHOIR CONCERT: Free concert at 7 pm at Olympic Hall on the south end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. Program details here. (6000 16th SW)
THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES: West Seattleites @ Saturday’s event
That’s a photo tweeted by Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best showing West Seattle resident Emilia Allard, co-coordinator of Saturday’s Seattle March For Our Lives, onstage at Cal Anderson Park. As you’ve probably heard, the march from Capitol Hill to Seattle Center was peaceful and uneventful. Other West Seattleites were there too – Kevin Callahan sent this photo:
Ebony Lee sent this photo of a group from Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge:
And this photo is from before she headed to the march, with a sign bearing a message many of the adult participants exhorted:
As for what the crowd was like, PNW Medium Format posted a time-lapse on YouTube, from video recorded at 4th and Pine; also via YT, aerial video from KING 5. The march in Seattle was one many coast to coast in support of the main march in Washington, D.C., which was led by students who survived last month’s massacre in Parkland, Florida; here’s a satellite photo of the D.C. event.
WHAT’S NEXT? The March 14 walkouts (WSB coverage here, with 13 local schools represented) and Saturday’s marches were the only events planned – now organizers and supporters vow to push for their legislative priorities, listed here.
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