West Seattle, Washington
17 Friday
(WSB44th/Oregon lot
West Seattle’s biggest community event this week will be on Thursday night (October 21st), when the West Seattle Junction Association hosts an open house about a vision for the future of the four parking-lot sites at 42nd/Oregon, 44th/Oregon, 44th/Alaska, and 44th north of Edmunds. As announced last month, the 6:30 pm online event will also include Community Roots Housing, which has made a $14 million city-backed offer to the lots’ owners, and architects Ankrom Moisan. The issue, says WSJA – which has long leased the lots – is not whether the lots will be redeveloped, but when, how, and by whom. They want community voices to be heard. You’ll find participation information for the meeting – videoconferencing or by phone – by going here.
Welcome to one of our periodic while-the-football-game’s-on galleries of West Seattle bird photos shared by WSB readers! First photo is from Jamie Kinney, who reports the Bald Eagles are back, and saw this one in the Me-Kwa-Mooks vicinity. Next, one of the ducks you can see year-round, as photographed by Machel Spence:
Marc Milrod noticed three cormorants drying their wings in unison off Constellation Park:
Two species of shorebirds photographed by Mark Wangerin – Black Turnstones:
And Sanderlings:
Linda Rackner caught the eye of a Crow at Lincoln Park while a Great Blue Heron took off in the background:
Another crow photo – Jerry Simmons saw one pursuing an Osprey:
And Michelle Laughlin was visited by a Cooper’s Hawk:
Big thanks to everyone who sent photos! westseattleblog@gmail.com is where to send yours – birds and more – or, if it’s breaking news, please text our hotline, 206-293-6302.
Visit C&P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) and you can help The Whale Trail‘s founder Donna Sandstrom celebrate publication of her book “Orca Rescue! The True Story of an Orphaned Orca Named Springer.” The youth-geared book recounts a memorable chapter in Pacific Northwest history, when a Northern Resident Orca got lost in Puget Sound and was successfully rescued and returned to home waters, where she thrives today. You can buy the book and get it signed while you’re there; the event’s on until 5 pm, in the C&P backyard.
Sent this afternoon by Amy:
Our neighbor and friend Joe Drake is running the six major marathons this fall. He has completed in person Berlin, London, Chicago, and Boston. He is running the Tokyo marathon virtually today with his route taking him along beach drive, Lincoln Park, back to Don Armeni. If you see a runner with long pink socks, cheer on his virtual Tokyo!
All the more impressive is, he is living with Parkinson’s. His last of the majors (not the last of his running) will be New York in three weeks. You can follow him at his blog:. joesgottarun.medium.com/about
This all started with Berlin just three weeks ago! (Toward the end of that post, we found links for Parkinson’s research fundraising Joe’s doing while running, too.)
Thanks to Ian for the tip! West Seattle’s newest mural is on the west side of Viva Arts (4421 Fauntleroy Way). One of the artists, 404Era, writes, “The composition was inspired by the fluid and powerful gestures of capoeira dance.” That’s a specialty at Viva Arts. The mural was a collaboration with John Horton (@hightech_lowlife).
This year’s West Seattle Monster Dash – supporting West Seattle Cooperative Preschools – is both a virtual 5K – happening right now! – and in-person kids’ dash/family-fun event next Saturday, and organizers have a new incentive:
The 10th annual Monster Dash 5K and fundraiser to support West Seattle Cooperative Preschools is in full swing, and we have prizes for you! We are so excited to announce the giveaway of a 2016 Jersey signed by Gustav Svensson, generously donated by the Seattle Sounders. Let us know what winning this jersey would mean to you or the special Sounders fan in your life. To be eligible to win
1.) email your story by October 31st to: westseattlemonsterdash@gmail.com AND 2.) support Monster Dash by participating in one of the following ways:
Virtual 5K: Register HERE and run anywhere! Be sure to come back and log your time by October 24th – top male and female finishers receive $50 gift cards to Super Jock ‘N Jill. Registration includes a 10th anniversary Monster Dash t-shirt.
Kids Dash and Family Fun Event: Held at White Center Co-op Preschool on October 23 from 10 am – 1 pm. Join us for a staggered-start dash (beginning roughly every 20 minutes), kids’ crafts, and a themed photo backdrop. Costumes encouraged! Price includes a 10th anniversary Monster Dash t-shirt. Event registration is limited to children 12 and under. Registrants of the Kids Dash will be put into a drawing to win a month of free classes courtesy of the Little Gym, four tickets to the Seattle Aquarium, and more!
Donate: You can donate directly to our event, or help boost our cause by setting up your own fundraising page. The top fundraiser wins a cocktail kit and a $50 gift card to The Westy. Raising $100 or more earns you a free 5K registration (note: must register for the 5K prior to setting up fundraising page.) Donations will be accepted through October 31st.
(Photo by Machel Spence)
Here’s what you need to know as Sunday begins:
TRANSPORTATION ALERTS: Second day for the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s modified 7-days-a-week schedule (no weekend shuttle buses) and Washington State Ferries‘ downsized schedule … Road work: 16th/Austin, concrete road-panel replacement in the northbound lanes is supposed to be curing today, so traffic will still be routed around it… Tree-trimming along southbound West Marginal Way near Puget Way, 7 am-3 pm. … (ADDED) Thanks to Mike for the tip: Road work is also under way, with a flagger, at 26th/Genesee.
CHURCHES: Most are still streaming, along with offering in-person services. Here are this week’s links for 20+ West Seattle churches’ services.
COVID VACCINATION POP-UP: 9:30 am-1:30 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle), as previewed here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm on California between Oregon and Alaska. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (The market is a WSB sponsor.)
FLU SHOTS: 10 am-4 pm at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle), all welcome. Registration information is in our preview.
WEST SEATTLE SKI SWAP: Second and final day for this big annual sale, 10 am-5 pm at VFW Post 2713 (3602 SW Alaska).
ULTIMATE FRISBEE: Join the weekly drop-in game at Walt Hundley Playfield (6920 34th SW), 10 am.
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER #1: 10:30 am-10 pm at MOD Pizza in The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW), mention Lafayette Elementary so the PTA will get a share of the proceeds.
FOOD & CLOTHING DONATION DRIVE: Drop off donations outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) 11 am-4 pm; see our calendar listing for specifics on what they need.
GLASS-BLOWING & PUMPKIN PATCH: Last day to catch live glass-blowing at Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way as part of Refract, and check out the art-glass pumpkin patch.
TIN CAN CAKES POP-UP: Seattle Yarn is hosting Tin Can Cakes for a tasty pop-up noon-5 pm. (5633 California SW)
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER #2: Noon-8 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), mention Lincoln Park Co-op Preschool so they’ll get a share of the proceeds.
BOOK LAUNCH: As previewed here, Donna Sandstrom‘s new book “Orca Rescue! The True Story of an Orphaned Orca Named Springer” will be celebrated at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm.
BOOK CLUB: Also at C&P at 3 pm, the Classic Novels (and Movies) Book Club will meet outdoors to talk about “Dracula” – details in our calendar listing.
NEED FOOD? White Center Community Dinner Church serves a free meal (take-away available) at 5 pm Sundays at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 8 pm to 1 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
Got an event for listing in our calendar and previews? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Seattle Police, with a K-9 team, are searching in South Delridge right now after a reported street robbery. The victim told police that a man robbed her at knifepoint, getting away with her purse. This is reported to have happened in the 8800 block of Delridge and the robber is reported to have left the scene northbound in an alley. That’s all we know so far.
If you used the west end of the West Seattle Bridge – technically the Fauntleroy Expressway – before the bridge closed, you know about the “Walking on Logs” sculptures on the slope along the southwestbound lanes. The award-winning sculptor who created “Walking on Logs,” Phillip Levine, has died at 90. Mr. Levine’s obituary, published Friday by The Seattle Times, was called to our attention by West Seattle historian/journalist Clay Eals, who interviewed Mr. Levine by the installation in 2014:
Later that year, we featured that video in coverage of the theft of one of the four sculptures (which to date has never been recovered). “Walking on Logs,” installed in 1996, was one of more than 30 public-art pieces Mr. Levine created. He was a resident of Burien.
Despite pandemic constraints, many West Seattleites have continued to give time and money to build a stronger community. That includes local service clubs like the Rotary Club of West Seattle, which shared this update on recent projects:
It’s been a busy fall for the Rotary Club of West Seattle. Even though we’re continuing to meet virtually due to COVID-19, we’re building in-person relationships together through our Community Service Projects.
Pencil Me In For Kids (PMIFK), in its 26th year, was a huge success again. It is a unique program where West Seattle public grade schools send in requests in June of what they will need for fall. Over $11,000 worth of school supplies purchased by the Rotary Club of West Seattle and items donated by Staples and Fauntleroy Church UCC were distributed in August.
Rotarians picked up several truckloads of supplies from Staples, an amazing partner in this program, and then gathered to sort the supplies by school. The next morning, they used their personal cars and trucks to deliver the supplies to each of the schools. The schools that benefitted this year are Louisa Boren STEM K-8, West Seattle Elementary, Sanislo Elementary, Alki Elementary, and Gatewood Elementary.
Another project for this fall was to gather new and gently used items for Transitional Resources. They are completing construction of 44 new studio apartments for residents here in West Seattle. The Rise at Yancy Street apartments will be home to adults living with serious mental illness as they exit homelessness, hospitalization, or residential-care facilities. The walls are up, and the furniture is in, but it takes much more to make a home feel warm and inviting. The folks moving in have little or nothing in the way of home goods and this may be their first experience living in an apartment of their own. Transitional Resources wants to make sure they have everything the need to succeed and feel secure when they move in.
The members of the Rotary Club of West Seattle chose this as a service project opportunity and purchased or donated items like new bath towels and mats, bed linens and comforters, shower curtains, kitchen items, artwork, and tchotchkes plus puzzles and games for the community room. It was a fun group of volunteers who collected all the items on a Saturday in September at the American Legion for pickup by Darcell Slovek-Walker, CEO of Transitional Resources (and a former West Seattle Rotarian) and her team.
Upcoming service projects include an Adopt-a-Street Cleanup through the City of Seattle program plus yard cleanup projects for local seniors. If you’re interested in helping or learning more about the Rotary Club of West Seattle, go to our website and plan to join us at one of our virtual lunch meetings.
Donations are always welcome in that we use the funding for our service projects locally and around the world. You can donate to the Rotary Club of West Seattle here.
We love sharing news of community giving – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!
6:01 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response to Lincoln Park, land and sea. SFD reports it’s for a “male swimming in possible distress.” Updates to come.
6:05 PM: One of the crews on scene reports they’ve located the person “15 yards out, standing in the water.” … And a moment later, they report he’s “walking out of the water,” so they’re downsizing the response.
6:21 PM: We talked to the incident commander on the scene, who confirmed that the person is fine and was just out swimming.
The only West Seattle forum scheduled for the only two City Council seats on the general-election ballot is this Monday, and you’re invited to watch in person or online. The Westside Interfaith Network and the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County are presenting the forum for citywide Positions 8 and 9 on Monday night at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center (35th/Myrtle). For Position 8, the candidates are incumbent Teresa Mosqueda (a West Seattle resident) and engineer Ken Wilson; for Position 9, there’s no incumbent because Lorena González is running instead for mayor; the candidates are brewery owner Sara Nelson and community organizer/artist/lawyer Nikkita Oliver. You can suggest topics to the organizers via this survey. If you’re going in person (masks required), doors open at 6:30 Monday; the forum (and livestream), moderated by West Seattle journalist Brian Callanan, starts at 7 pm.
We’re continuing to collect Halloween decorations/show info and will launch the annual WSB Halloween page tomorrow. First, news of a spooky show returning starting tonight:
The doorways of The Radiant Twilight have materialized, and the haunted echoes of Nightfall Orphanage return to West Seattle for the 2021 Halloween season.
Nightfall Orphanage is an Alki neighborhood Halloween garage haunt experience that is dedicated to aiding and promoting local and state charities that support the community and environment. Because scaring is caring!
For October 2021, Nightfall Orphanage Haunted House is accepting non-perishable food and monetary donations for West Seattle Food Bank, and raising funds for Washington’s National Park Fund. Admission is free.
Find out the haunted history & twisted lore of Nightfall (as well as dates, times and information) at NightfallOrphanage.com.
Open: (2130 Alki SW)
Saturday, October 16 (Soft Open)
October 22, 23, 29, 30 & 31st
7 pm – 10 pm
Rain or ShineCovid-19 Information:
– All guests who are of eligible age MUST BE VACCINATED against Covid-19 for the safety of the community, other guests and Nightfall Staff
– Please do not attend if you are experiencing flu- or cold-like symptoms
– All guests MUST WEAR MASKS inside and directly outside the event
– Maintain social distancing, even outside the event
– Hand sanitizer stations have been provided for convenience
– All hanging set dressings, effects and doors have been removed from pathwaysCheck the website as dates and times are subject to change.
Sponsored by Easy Street Records and Nightfall Imaginarium
Got (or seen) Halloween decorations and/or events? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Texted photos)
Thanks for the tips/pics! What had been the Highstrike Grill at West Seattle Bowl since 2010 is getting a new identity – a “tiki bar” called the Three 9 Lounge (it’s on the corner of 39th and Oregon). Last summer, a reader noticed the space was closed for remodeling, and management told us they were planning a “new concept” but not ready to go public with it. Now, the sign’s up, and the plan is for an October 28th opening.
Before its decade-plus as Highstrike Grill, the space held the Terrace West Chinese Restaurant.
If you have something to say about public safety beyond what the stats show, here’s your annual chance.
The announcement:
Seattle University is administering the 7th annual citywide Seattle Public Safety Survey, which is accessible at publicsafetysurvey.org from through November 30th and is available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, and Vietnamese. The purpose of the survey is to solicit feedback on public safety and security concerns from those who live and/or work in Seattle. A report on the survey results will be provided to the Seattle Police Department to help them better understand your neighborhood’s safety and security concerns. More information on the Seattle Public Safety Survey can be found here.
You can see past survey results here.
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
The weekend has arrived! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s happening!
TRANSPORTATION ALERTS: The West Seattle Water Taxi‘s modified 7-days-a-week schedule (no weekend shuttle buses) starts today … Washington State Ferries‘ downsized schedule (including 2 boats for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth) starts today … Road work: 16th/Austin, concrete road-panel replacement in the northbound lanes, 7 am-5 pm … Tree-trimming along southbound West Marginal Way near Puget Way, 7 am-3 pm … Duwamish Longhouse signal/crossing work, also on West Marginal Way, 6:30 am-4 pm … East Marginal Way between Spokane and Atlantic, replacement of missing delineator posts, 6 am-2 pm.
FUNDRAISER BAKE/BOOK SALE: 9 am-1 pm at 3711 42nd SW:
Fall is here and that means it’s the perfect time to stock up on some new reads to get you and your kiddos through the dark days to come. Scouts Akemi and Harper will be selling HUNDREDS of children’s books as well as their famous baked treats this Saturday 10/16 from 9 am-1 pm.
They are trying to raise funds to volunteer and learn about sea turtle conservation with Outward Bound in Costa Rica. They have almost hit their goal and have rallied to squeeze in one last bake (and book) sale before the end of the year. Saturday’s menu will feature fall favorites like pumpkin muffins, coffee cake, apple cider donut muffins, apple-butter snickerdoodles, warm cider, hot coffee, and more! We hope to see you there! Thank you WS!
Cash and Venmo accepted.
FLU SHOTS: 10 am-4 pm at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW), all welcome. Registration information is in our preview.
WEST SEATTLE SKI SWAP: Get ready for winter at this big annual sale, 10 am-5 pm at VFW Post 2713 (3602 SW Alaska).
ART/HISTORY/PHOTO EXHIBITS: “Spirit Returns 2.0: A Duwamish and Settler Story” continues at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center (4705 W. Marginal Way SW, 10 am-5 pm) and the Log House Museum (3003 61st SW, noon-4 pm) and for two companion Tom Reese photo exhibits at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW, noon-4 pm).
AT C & P COFFEE, MORNING: Live music with Marco de Carvalho, Hans Teuber, and Jeff Busch, 10:30 am-noon, outdoors. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)
FREE WRITERS’ GROUP: 10:30 am, in-person in West Seattle – for location and information, go here.
REMEMBERING ADAH CRUZEN: The West Seattle philanthropist’s memorial starts at 11 am at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) and will continue across the street at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
LIVE GLASS-BLOWING DEMO & ART-GLASS PUMPKIN PATCH: Two reasons to visit Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way), 11 am-4 pm.
AT C & P COFFEE, AFTERNOON: More live music qt the coffeehouse with Fairground, 3 pm-5 pm, outdoors.
From the musicians: “Fairground is a local West Seattle band playing original Americana, Soul, Folk Rock and Country music that will have you tapping your feet and leave you smiling.” (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)
‘RETURN THE LAND’ AUCTION/FUNDRAISER: 4-9 pm at The Heron’s Nest (here’s our report about the project), an outdoor (and livestreamed) event to raise money to buy the land and repatriate it to the Duwamish Tribe. (4818 Puget Way)
OPEN MIC: At The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), starting at 6 pm.
TRIPLE BILL AT THE SKYLARK: 7 pm doors, 8 pm music – triple bill at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), with The Lion & The Sloth, Rather Ordinary Dudes, City of Industry. $10 cover.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE BEACH: 8 pm at J&J Public House (2808 Alki SW), live music led by Grammy winner Andrew Gouché. $10 cover.
LIVE MUSIC AT DRUNKY’S: 8 pm tonight, it’s Besty Olson Band at Drunky Two Shoes’ BBQ (98th/16th in White Center) with Moon Palace and guests. $10 cover.
WEST SEATTLE DRAG SHOW: 9 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), it’s Dolly Madison and The DJ.
Something today/tonight we’re missing? Text us – 206-293-6302 – and if you have a listing for something further into the future, email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Continuing our coverage of home football games at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex – West Seattle High School lost a close one Friday night, 11-10, to Ingraham. The game was relatively tepid – and scoreless – until late in the first half, when the Rams got a field goal. Not long thereafter, a fit over a call led Ingraham’s head coach to get ejected. Then the Wildcats got a field goal with :20 to halftime. It was a busy night for #20, sophomore kicker Kalei Scott:
So it was a 3-3 tie at halftime. The WSHS Band put on an impressive show during the break:
Back to the football: The third quarter, like the first quarter, was scoreless. Then things got lively in the final minutes of the game. #6, senior Jaxton Helmstetler, scored the first touchdown at 3:29:
Two minutes later, an Ingraham TD was followed by a 2-point conversion, giving the Rams the edge, 11-10. In the final half-minute, West Seattle got close but couldn’t get the ball in, so they tried a field goal and missed. Their chances, and the clock, ran out, and the Wildcats got the loss. Next Friday at 7:45 pm, they’re scheduled to face Roosevelt at Memorial Stadium downtown.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Repair work to reopen the 19-months-closed West Seattle Bridge is now just weeks from starting.
That’s part of what the bridge’s Community Task Force heard during its monthly meeting, held online Thursday evening. Here’s how it unfolded:
BRIDGE-TOUR THOUGHTS: Since the advisory group’s last meeting, members had been invited to tour the bridge – in visits similar to the media tour we covered last month – and CTF co-chair Paulina López of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition invited members to offer their thoughts.
(SDOT photos)
Quick reminder of four opportunities to get vaccinated in the next four days – two for COVID, two for flu:
COVID VACCINATIONS AT OLG: As previously reported, Our Lady of Guadalupe is hosting a clinic on Sunday, 9:30 am-1:30 pm. Our story includes the link for making an appointment. Pfizer and Moderna available, first, second, and (Pfizer) boosters.
COVID VACCINATION IN SOUTH PARK: No appointment needed at the South Park Senior Center (8201 10th Ave. S.) 9 am-1 pm Tuesday (October 19th), where all three vaccines are available, including Pfizer boosters. (Here’s the flyer.)
FLU SHOTS THIS WEEKEND: All community members are welcome at the flu-shot clinics 10 am-4 pm Saturday at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW) and 10 am-4 pm Sunday at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle). Details and the registration link are in our original report.
New this Halloween: Alki Beach businesses are launching a trick-or-treat event!
Outer Space Seattle proprietor Caitlin Huertas says it’s happening 10 am-noon the day before Halloween – Saturday, October 30th. Her business is one of at least six that will be participate – they’ve set up a website with the map of who’s in so far.
(WSB file photo)
Seattle Public Schools has had transportation trouble since the start of the year. Now school-bus service is about to be slashed. The district announced today that 142 bus routes around the city – almost a quarter of its 600 routes – will be suspended as of Monday. The district says that on top of the ongoing driver shortage that its bus provider First Student has been experiencing, “More driver shortages are expected on October 18 when Washington state law requires all school district employees – including third-party contractors – to be vaccinated against COVID-19.” Here are the only students the district guarantees will continue to get transportation:
*Students receiving special education services whose IEPs specify transportation as a related service.
*McKinney Vento (families experiencing homelessness) and foster students.
*Students with a 504 plan that includes transportation services.
*Schools that serve large numbers or high proportions of historically underserved students.
*Schools at interim sites.
(That last point would include West Seattle Elementary, whose students are at the former Schmitz Park Elementary this year while an addition is built at WSES.) The district so far has not released a list of which specific routes are affected but says more than 6,700 students will be affected, and that families of students who use bus services will get an email before day’s end with information on their student’s route status. (Thanks for the tip on this!)
(HPIC photos unless otherwise credited)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Three and a half months after the heartbreaking early-morning fire that heavily damaged the century-old Highland Park Improvement Club building, it’s time to start shaping the site’s future.
HPIC’s all-volunteer board took a big step down that path by leading an online community “town hall” Wednesday night. Now that they’ve maneuvered through some of the most arduous immediate tasks such as dealing with insurance, it’s clear that they can do more than simply rebuild all or part of the historic building at 12th/Holden: They could re-envision the site’s future by answering the question “What does the community need this building for?”
The June 25th fire came toward the end of major renovations – we reported on the project just a month before the fire – but as trustee Kay Kirkpatrick showed in an HPIC-history presentation during the Wednesday night meeting, HPIC was building on what it inherited. The building itself dates to 1924, five years after the club started; its evolution over the years has included additions, changes, even alterations to expand its dance-floor space in post-war years.
Kirkpatrick’s presentation also shone a spotlight on other evolving needs and priorities over the years – first showing the community work parties to pave the parking lot in the 1970s …
… and then the “de-paving” that created the front patio and stormwater features in the 2010s:
Even without structural/site alteration, HPIC’s mission has pivoted over the years – most recently, as a community mutual-aid center in the first year of the pandemic, when it became a center for getting food to families in need, especially during the early months when Seattle Public Schools campuses were closed and the district hadn’t figured out how to resume meal distribution for students.
Along with revisiting the club’s history, the meeting, led by HPIC board president Nicole Mazza, also recapped what’s known about the fire – more about where it started than how or why it started:
And that brought the discussion to where HPIC stands in working with its insurer – which has determined that up to $750,000 would be available for rebuilding, treasurer Shannon Harris said.
The questions they’re asking include: What does the next building look like? Do they save part of the building or rebuild it from the ground up? The dilemma presents what was termed “an opportunity to build with intention and create a unified vision for the neighborhood.” To fulfill that, the question that must be answered: “What does the community need this building for?”
The board will not answer that question alone. They’re inviting community members to be part of the process in the months ahead, leading to a final design for the project by spring. when they can seek permits and hire a contractor.
But this is about more than a building. It’s about people. Even in the post-fire months, HPIC has worked to keep serving the community.
They’ve repurposed city grant money – with the city’s permission – to obtain what’s needed for outdoor events, including portable restrooms and storage. That helped them go ahead with some events such as the three summertime Giant Garage Sales.
(WSB photo, August)
The more people involved, the more creative and innovative the ideas will be, the more they can do. So, Mazza explained, HPIC is also using this time to “revisit the board structure.” They want to be sure it’s “diverse and sustainable.” Years ago, 501 Commons helped them move from a membership organization to a charitable organization, so they’ll help now with the board reinvention.
Getting involved with the board’s future is one way community members can help with “HPIC 2.0.” Other ways: Join in the upcoming discussions. Donate to the rebuilding fund. Become a club member – increasing revenue from dues would help HPIC stabilize their operational funding (especially until they can regularly host events, which along with rentals were a major source of money pre-fire). Members get to join in club decisions. And – volunteer! Email hpic1919@gmail.com to find out what you can do, offer an idea, or ask a question.
12:38 PM: The report and photo are from Juan:
I had my car stolen yesterday, 10/14, from the parking lot of the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex at 2600 SW Thistle St (across the street from Chief Sealth HS) around 5:15 pm. The car is a black 2008 Cadillac CTS, Washington license # AHN6141.
The car had been parked in the parking lot next to the temporary COVID testing center for less than 30 minutes before it was stolen. According to a witness, the car was towed away by a white tow truck by an older white male. The car was parked legally and there are no private tow signs in the lot.
Calls to the local tow services (that I could find) had no information on the vehicle being transported or impounded, so I have reported the car stolen to the police.
If you see Juan’s car, call 911.
1:47 PM: Juan says his car was found. It had been “mistakenly towed.” (added) We asked Juan how that happened: “They were supposed to tow another car with the same make and model that was in the lot. The person who had the car towed to their house called me and let me know they had my car.”
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