West Seattle, Washington
14 Saturday
Some of the ideas were about safety … some were about fun … and now they all go into the mix for envisioning the future of the Delridge Triangle, the public space by a bus stop at Barton/Delridge. More than 20 people showed up for a community design workshop this morning at Highland Park Improvement Club. We dropped in during the final phase, as participants finished discussing their ideas at breakout tables and then shared to the wider group. While they had lots of leeway for brainstorming, they also had to keep the site’s conditions in mind:
Ideas ranged from playful features – treehouses or ziplines to take advantages of trees on the site – to lighting and other elements of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. One expert in that happened to be on hand – Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner – and at least one other participant with firsthand experience, Brendan Kolding, the former SPD lieutenant who’s running for City Council. Attendees also were invited to “vote” on what they might want to see the space feature in the future:
Have ideas to share but couldn’t be there? This survey on the Friends of Delridge Triangle website remains open. And stay tuned for “more … much more” ways to get involved, promised one of the community leadrers who’s been working on this for more than a year, Kim Barnes.
Thanks to Larry Murante for the photo. That’s Ladder 11 – based at Seattle Fire Station 32 in The Triangle – seen at Lincoln Park earlier today. No incidents logged to the park today, so we are fairly sure it was training (we’ll check on Monday) – SFD does a lot of in-service training, so sometimes you will see firefighters practicing in parks, by bridges, or even using houses/buildings that are set for demolition.
Among the sightings at this afternoon’s High Point Play Area celebration – Deborah Vandermar and Karen Berge representing the 7th annual West Seattle Bee Festival. They were helping kids decorate bicycles for the bike parade, and brought “The Big Bee” for the parade too. Karen tells us they’ve just finalized more details for the May 18th festival – including Laura Love (performing with Terry Hunt) 12 pm-2 pm. The festival stretching from the West Seattle Bee Garden (Lanham/Graham) to Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW) will also include “animal ambassadors” from Woodland Park Zoo, science and art activities, music/comedy for kids in the morning, bee and beekeeping demonstrations, and much more. It begins with the informal at-your-own-pace Honey Run 9 am and then the festival is in full flower 10 am-2 pm, including the 11:30 am “kids, pets, everybody!” parade. Just eight weeks from today!
As mentioned in our daily highlights, this was Scouting for Food pickup day for some local troops and packs. The photos and report are from Pack 799 parent Jason T:
Scouts from Pack 799 were out on foot this morning, with wagons and vehicles following, ‘scouting for food’ donations and collecting for the West Seattle Food Bank. They amassed 1,175 pounds of food and toiletry items from our Arbor and Arroyo Heights neighbors (pickup area). Enough to fill the floor of one parent’s Dodge Sprinter van.
Many residents greeted our Scouts, shared their own stories of past food drives or scouting adventures, and gave their support and encouragement. Weather turned wonderful. In summation, performing a valuable service in our community was fun and pleasantly, a success!
(WSB photos)
2;59 PM: Arrived at the High Point Play Area renovation dedication and found out it was even more of a party than announced! Along with the play area’s grand opening, 34th SW is closed between Myrtle and Willow for a mini-street party, with music, refreshments, and info-booth:
That’s in honor of the area being part of the in-progress West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway. And it’s why SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe was part of the dedication along with interim Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams and even Mayor Jenny Durkan.
Until 4 pm, you can stop by and enjoy the festivities – including a chance to vote on paint patterns for part of the street adjacent to the play area.
8:59 PM: As promised, more photos – including a couple more views of the new play area:
It’s larger than the one it replaced – here are the main points, from the project page:
This play area improvement project relocates the existing play area to the south open lawn area providing ADA access and increased safety by making the play area more visible from the street. The new play area size increases from 1,280 sf to 5,260 sf and upgrades it to our standard size for a community center. The new play equipment features swings, slides and many climbable features. The park features a rolling hill with net climber, and an overhead climbing structure. In addition to the play elements the project incorporates two new seating areas, one adjacent to the play area and another in the location of the old play area. … The location of the old play area will be restored to an informal open lawn as requested by the community.
Zimbabwe noted that this is one of six parks that the greenway will eventually connect to. Another number was cited by Williams: 94 percent of the city has a park within 10 minutes’ walking distance.
The mayor, meantime, declared it to be another reason “Seattle is thriving” despite its “challenges”:
The celebration featured steel-drum sounds by Jah Breeze:
The play area renovation cost $700,000.
Our video shows the “grand entrance” that was a highlight of last night’s sixth annual Niksokowaaks (“All My Children, All My Relatives”) Pow Wow at Highland Park Elementary.
As announced by organizers, the Head Man and Head Woman were nine-year-old jingle dancer Bria Calhoun (Chumash, Esselen-Rumsen) and ten-year-old chicken dancer Weston Sam (Upper Skagit, Blackfeet). The Pow Wow is for all ages, but organizers “saw a need in the community to help support the Native youth,” especially “Native foster children or ‘urban’ Native children” who are growing up “not knowing their culture or feeling the need to connect further with it. This Pow Wow allows them to dance, sing and further connect with the Native traditions.”
The celebration continued into the night. Missed it? Watch for next year’s announcement!
Family and friends will gather April 6th to celebrate the life of Edgar “Ed” Stuhlman. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Edgar ‘Ed’ Stuhlman passed away this past Sunday, March 17th, at the age of 57. He went into cardiac arrest and suffered a head injury, and after a three-week long battle, he passed away with family by his side. Ed was a loving and wise family man who enjoyed watching hockey and spending time with his family.
A Seattle area native, Ed grew up in Burien and graduated from Highline High School in 1980. Ed lived in West Seattle and was the Store Manager of the Advanced Auto Parts in the Alaska Junction. He greatly enjoyed helping his customers and took great pride in his work.
Anyone who interacted with him would attest to his caring, genuine, and loving nature. He deeply cared about family and friends. He loved taking friends and family out to dinner, cracking jokes over appetizers, or going to see a movie. He loved music and had an irreplaceable sense of humor. For many years he was a Seattle Thunderbirds season ticket holder and loved enjoying a beer and watching the game. From watching in person to watching on TV, or even playing hockey video games, he loved the sport in any form.
He is survived by his loving family: his mother, Carole Stuhlman, sisters Lynn Schmuck, Lori Stuhlman, and Julie Stuhlman, brother-in-law John Schmuck, and his step-daughter Chelsea Cole. Along with nieces and nephews Nikki and Jorge Contreras, Robert and Carissa Schmuck, Kevin Schmuck, Kylee Schmuck, Brittany Nelson and Brandon Carnahan, and Brianna Nelson. Also, by grand nieces and nephews Ara and Eli Contreras and August Schmuck. He also had a large group of loving family in Canada, as well as his Olsgaard family, whom he loved immensely. His father, Edgar Stuhlman, and wife Spring Stuhlman preceded him in death.
A celebration of life will be held at Seahurst Park in Burien on April 6th at Coral shelter from 1-3pm with remembrances at 2 pm. The family is raising money for medical and funeral expenses, and if you feel so inclined, you can donate to that fund here or consider a donation to the American Heart Association in his honor.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(House Finch, photographed by Robin Sinner, shared via the West Seattle Blog Flickr group)
Welcome to a busy Saturday, first one of spring! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
METRO SERVICE CHANGE: If you’re riding the bus, remember that this is the day various changes take effect. Here’s our original West Seattle preview.
SCOUTING FOR FOOD: Various local Scout troops and packs are picking up donations today in this annual door-to-door food drive, so if you got a doorhanger, be sure to leave food outside for them to collect!
FREE GROUP RUN: Meet up at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), 8 am. (2743 California SW)
WAGIN 2019, DAY 2: 8:15 am-4 pm, the second day of the Washington Global Issues Network conference is happening at Chief Sealth International High School. Here’s our coverage from the start of the first day. (2600 SW Thistle)
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE JAMBOREE, DAY 1: 9 am-6 pm, season starts with games at Bar-S on Alki Point. WSLL invites you to come cheer! (6425 SW Admiral Way)
YACHT RACE: If you notice the sailboats off West Seattle today – here’s what they’re doing.
DESIGN THE DELRIDGE TRIANGLE: 10 am-noon, be at Highland Park Improvement Club to help shape the future of this public space in South Delridge. From Friends of Delridge Triangle: “Doors will open at 9:45 a.m. Snacks, professional child care with guided activities, as well as interpreters, will be provided.” (1116 SW Holden)
LEARN DRYWALL REPAIR: 10 am workshop at the West Seattle Tool Library – details are in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE SELF-DEFENSE WORKSHOP: 11:30 am at Bikram Yoga in The Junction. (4747 California SW)
HIGH POINT PLAY AREA CELEBRATION: 2-4 pm, join the celebration at the newly renovated and expanded play area! Activities include a kids’ bicycle parade at 3 pm. Full event details here. (6920 34th SW)
GOT GREENWAY QUESTIONS? 2-4 pm, SDOT will be at the High Point Play Area event, with updates/answers about the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway project. (6920 34th SW)
CITIZEN COPE: Live acoustic in-store at Easy Street Records, 5 pm – details in our calendar listing. (California/Alaska)
DUWAMISH ROWING CLUB PARTY: 6 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, it’s a benefit bash for our area’s only rowing club. Chili dinner and silent auction! (1116 SW Holden)
MEET GRAMPA GUS: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall, Steve Marx’s show celebrating his celebrated lyricist grandfather, as explained here.. (7904 35th SW)
INTERSECTIONS FESTIVAL, DAY 3: 7 and 9 pm performances at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – see the lineups, with ticket info, here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Live music with Lady Krishna’s Cosmic Panties, Garden Chat, Ghost Power!!, and Dead Obvious, starting at 8 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AT THE PARLIAMENT: Buckets of Rain, Javelin, Jared Mitchell & The Wing Tips rock the Parliament Tavern starting at 9 pm. $6 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE THE REST OF THE HIGHLIGHTS … on our complete calendar!
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