West Seattle, Washington
04 Wednesday
With no guests or presentations, the Alki Community Council only convened for about 35 minutes on Thursday night. We have three notes from the in-person-and-online meeting:
(WSB file photo)
ALKI BEACH PETITION: This online petition is not an ACC project, but it voices a sentiment that comes up at many ACC meetings – the need for more Seattle Parks TLC at Alki Beach. It begins: “This is a call to action for our parks department and the city of Seattle to make the necessary repairs and improvements prior to the busy season of Alki Beach Park.” The petition also calls for more education to ensure people are mindful of the wildlife with which they share “this precious piece of paradise,” noting, “This beach is also the home to 200 species of fish, 100 species of sea birds, 26 kinds of marine mammals, and 3,000 species of invertebrates.” If you want to sign it, go here.
(WSB photo, last Saturday)
STONE COTTAGE: The ACC has already donated money to the rescue effort for the beloved bungalow, currently in storage, and now is deciding whether to endorse the idea of permanently siting it between the Alki Bathhouse and Statue of Liberty Plaza, an idea that Save The Stone Cottage is continuing to pursue with Seattle Parks. (We reported on this in our update last weekend.) Attendees decided they weren’t ready to take a vote, though, and are hoping to get a Save The Stone Cottage representative to their next meeting.
WEBSITE: The group also talked briefly about its new website, which currently features a spotlight story about a nonprofit whose volunteers are often seen at Alki, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. You can see the spotlight here.
NEXT MEETING: The ACC meets at 7 pm on third Thursdays, so that’ll be April 21st, likely also “hybrid” – online as well as in-person at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) – watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
College-bound student in the household? The Rotary Club of West Seattle wants to be sure you know about two scholarships, with the application deadline just two weeks away:
The Rotary Club of West Seattle has two different college scholarships that qualified students can apply for now: The Gambriell Scholarship and the Past Presidents’ Scholarship,
The Gambriell Scholarship can be awarded to any student in Seattle, but preference is given to those who reside in West Seattle and those who would not be able to attend college or further their education without the scholarship. Financial need is a major element in awarding the Gambriell Scholarship. Variable amounts are awarded each year, depending on how many students apply.
The Past Presidents’ Scholarship is available to students who are not Rotarians or members of a Rotarian’s immediate family. Awardees must either reside in the West Seattle area or be graduating this year from a West Seattle-area school. This $6,000 scholarship may be used to obtain a 4-year degree or an advanced degree.
Go to our website at westseattlerotary.org/scholarships to apply.
If you’re a runner – at any level – you might be interested in this limited-space workshop, announced by Lake Washington Physical Therapy West Seattle (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Mark Bouma:
I’d like to share a learning opportunity for the West Seattle Community on Saturday, April 23rd from 3-5 pm. We will be hosting a Running Workshop for beginning, intermediate, and competitive runners.
Chris Johnson, PT is a nationally recognized clinician, speaker, and educator. We are very fortunate to have him spend a few hours with us and the running community to share his expertise and answer questions.
The registration fee is only $10, which will be fully donated to our charity of the month, WestSide Baby.
Register and pay here: lakewpt.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay
During registration, be sure to include RUNWORKSHOP as the Invoice number. Attendees will need to bring their emailed registration receipt for entry. Due to space limitations, this event will be limited to the first 30 registrations.
If there are any questions, please email: frontofficewestseattle@lakewashingtonpt.com
(WSB photo, spring sunset watch 2018)
Spring arrives at the equinox moment of 8:33 am Sunday, but if you want to welcome the new season in West Seattle tradition style, be at Solstice Park (uphill from the tennis courts at 7400 Fauntleroy Way SW) 10 hours later for the quarterly sunset watch with Alice Enevoldsen. If you’re new to the area, Alice is an educator and volunteer NASA Solar System Ambassador who’s led sunset-watch events for more than a decade to explain what the equinox/solstice really means. Solstice Park, with stone slabs aligning with the sunset at each of the four season changes, is the perfect place to gather. She’ll be at the park ~6:30-7:30 pm Sunday; though the official sunset time is (corrected) 7:22 pm, as Alice points out, the sun’s actual moment of vanishing behind the Olympics is about 15 minutes earlier. Even if the sun’s not visible, her events are still on (barring only heavy rain). All ages welcome; full details here.
(WSB photo, Thursday afternoon)
Two days after another fire ravaged the shed at Longfellow Creek P-Patch, the gardeners are grateful – to the community, for donations that will enable them to keep growing in a garden that also gives back, with food-bank donations. Here’s the update from Christina:
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the West Seattle community, we now have all the tools and equipment we need for the upcoming season. West Seattle Blog readers are truly amazing! We are still accepting monetary donations to help us rebuild our shed. If readers want to help us rebuild, they can donate online at grownorthwest.org and designate that the donation is for “Longfellow Creek” P-Patch. We are also working with Seattle Police to help prevent future incidents of arson.
They’re storing tools and equipment offsite in the meantime.
1:52 PM: Reported to us via text, another stolen vehicle to watch for:
Stolen van. Last seen 3/17/22 on 34th Ave SW and Cloverdale. License 710XSG. Contact 206-714-4543.
4:53 PM: Update – it’s been found, thanks to a WSB reader.
(Photos courtesy The Skylark)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
West Seattle’s longest-running live-music venue, The Skylark in North Delridge, is still standing as pandemic restrictions recede, despite many eventless months. But the challenging times aren’t in the rear-view mirror yet, and tomorrow night (Saturday, March 19th), the band Bent Not Broken is playing a benefit show at, and for, the venue (here’s the flyer).
As with many West Seattle businesses, the challenges have come from not only the pandemic but also the West Seattle Bridge closure – The Skylark sits right next to the bridge. So how has The Skylark managed to make it through? Here’s what proprietor Matt Larson, who’s in his 10th year as Skylark owner, told us in an email interview.
“We worked our asses off to hold it together,” Larson says. Pivoting The Skylark’s food operations was a big factor in the early going: “When things shut down at the very beginning, we decided to strip down our menu and sell our house-made meats, growlers, ready to heat meals, and pantry goods, as we couldn’t have any customers in house and our to-go business wasn’t consistent enough to warrant serving our full menu and staffing for it. We offered pick-up and free delivery in West Seattle for a good chunk of that time.”
Here’s what’s happening as Friday continues:
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, LUNA PARK CAFE: 33rd anniversary today for Luna Park Café (2918 SW Avalon Way) – go have a birthday-cake milkshake (thanks to proprietor John Bennett for sending the photo). Read the café’s history here. Open until 9 pm.
AUCTIONS: The online bidding continues for two local fundraising auctions – The Bridge School (WSB sponsor), info here, and Fauntleroy Children’s Center, info here.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: This is the last weekend for cookie booths – find the times/locations by using this quick lookup.
SPORTS: One home game today, in softball – West Seattle HS hosts Kentridge, 4 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
IN-STORE AT EASY STREET: Thee Deception performs at Easy Street (California/Alaska), 7 pm, free/all ages.
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: 6-7:30 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Halcyon the Mermaid sings and plays Irish harp, free/all ages.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE SKYLARK: Doors at 7, music at 8, for Nurse Ratchett, RED Classic Rock Trio, Lesser Disciples. 21+. $10. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
THEATER: ArtsWest‘s new play “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” continues tonight, 7:30 pm, in the theater at 4711 California SW. Tickets available here.
Before we get to today’s highlights, last reminder about a big event tomorrow (Saturday, March 19th) – the year’s first West Seattle recycle/reuse event, including free shredding (4-box limit), 9 am-noon in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Our previous reminder includes the list of what they’ll be accepting until the trucks fill up. This is a drive-up/ride-up/walk-up event. The event is co-presented by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the West Seattle Junction Association
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Friday, March 18th. It’s also Transit Operator Appreciation Day.
WEATHER
Cloudy, high in the 50s.
ROAD WORK, TODAY + THIS WEEKEND:
Today – The 35th/Findlay sewer work is expected to continue.
This weekend – Two alerts from SDOT:
Paving on Marine View Dr between SW 104th St and SW 106th St
On Saturday and Sunday, we’ll be paving Marine View Dr between SW 104th St and SW 106th St. We’ll start this paving around 7:30 a.m. and expect to be done by 3:30 p.m. each day. During this work, we may need to reduce traffic to a single lane. If you are driving in the area, please follow posted detour signs during this work
Installing cameras at intersections for monitoring traffic
On Saturday, we’re installing traffic-monitoring cameras at the 2nd Ave SW and Highland Park Way SW intersection and the West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way SW intersection. We’ll complete this work from about 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. We do not anticipate a detour or major impacts during the work.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES TODAY
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of reroutes/cancellations. (NOTE: Saturday is Metro’s next “service change”; here’s our story with West Seattle changes, plus there’s an addition since then.)
Water Taxi‘s on its regular schedule.
Ferries: WSF continues the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
724th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are also tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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