West Seattle, Washington
20 Tuesday
(WSB photo, October 3)
Just in, the final tally of what got recycled at a big event two-plus weeks ago – Judy Pickens sent this report:
During the October 3 Recycle Roundup hosted by Fauntleroy Church, 527 households and businesses brought 14.5 tons of recyclables for zero-waste 1 Green Planet to return to the resource stream. Since 2010, these twice-yearly free events have collected a total of 414 tons. The spring 2027 roundup is on the calendar for Saturday, May 1.
If you saw the cones and crews on SW Wildwood Place this morning, no, they’re not installing the protected bicycle lane yet – but this work is related. WSB contributor Anne Higuera stopped to ask. With rechannelization coming because of the bike lane/safety changes, she learned, they needed to find out how buses would navigate.
In particular, they wanted to find out what might happen if two buses had to pass. For one bus that went by while Anne was there, it was close.
Mayor Wilson signed a safety order in August including the mandate for the bike lane here – on the street where bicycist Maridee Bonadea was killed – by year’s end, and the SDOT crew said they’re still on that timeline.
(WSB photos)
1:26 PM: If you’ve been to the Fauntleroy Fall Festival in past years, you’ll notice the Fauntleroy Church lot looks different from past years. It’s a new layout because this year it’s all on the church/Y side – and some of what you’ll remember from inside The Hall at Fauntleroy is happening in the church’s Fellowship Hall – right now, participants in the Cake Trot get a chance to win decorated donated cakes:
Back out in the lot, look for the Fauntleroy Community Association’s Great Pumpkin Search booth – this year it’s part of the festival:
Lots more happening and we have more photos to add – see the schedule on the festival website – it’s on until 4 pm at 9140 California SW.
2:09 PM: The festival classics are going full force, like birdhouse-building and pumpkin-painting:
Volunteers like Deb are on hand to joyfully assist you:
And you can again this year get up-close views of birds and bunnies:
Performances are both outdoors and indoors (here again are the schedule and map) – the West Seattle Big Band is playing inside the Fellowship Hall. More coverage to come!
3:27 PM: The Big Band is playing all the way until the festival ends at 4 pm, so if yu’re here, don’t miss them.
Outside, another sizable band – the West Seattle Ukulele Players (video later).
And if someone in your family is still in the mood for pumpkin searching, the FCA says there’s still time – get to their table and get the info! They hid more than 400 and don’t know how many have been found yet, but certainly not all of them. We went to see some of the painted pumpkins, too:
This is all free thanks to donations and volunteering – if you didn’t donate while festival-going, you can find the link on the festival website.
Can you help? The Fauntleroy Fall Festival is happening 1-4 pm tomorrow (Sunday, October 18) and we just got word they need a few more volunteers to help make it happen! If you can spare a few hours Sunday afternoon, go here, see the roles that are available, and sign up! Organizers – and festivalgoers – will thank you!
Sunday brings the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival, and as we’ve been reporting, there are some major changes this year, so we’re publishing the map and schedule early to help you plan. One change: It’s earlier this year, 1-4 pm. Here’s what you’ll find and when:
And festival activities are happening almost entirely on the east side of the 9100 block of California SW – the church/Y side – rather than both sides:
But the most important things haven’t changed – free fun for the community, by the community. See you there this Sunday (October 18)!
By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Fauntleroy Community Association board gathered for their October meeting on Tuesday night at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, chaired by FCA president Frank Immel. Here are the key topics discussed:
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: The area’s biggest family party of the season is coming up this weekend, Sunday, October 18 from 1-4 pm at 9140 California SW. Find more information at the festival website. As we previewed earlier this month, organizers say there are some logistical changes this year:
The Fauntleroy Fall Festival will be on October 18th this year, with a little bit of a different twist. This year the festival’s primary space will be at the Fauntleroy Church and YMCA. The Fauntleroy Children’s Center will be open for a quiet space for festival goers to move away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd, and will also serve as a diaper-changing room.
All 3 levels of the parking lot will be open and all the fun attractions you have come to love will be on one side of the street. Pumpkin-painting, birdhouse-building, live music, and so much more!
This decision was made for several reasons. One of them was safety- With less going on across the street, we hope there will be less bodies crossing, but our crossing guards will still be there! There is a private event going on at The Hall at Fauntleroy in the afternoon, so the back parking lot will not be available for parking. We highly encourage attendees of the festival to walk or use public transit.
We are looking forward to another wonderful Festival. See you on October 18th!
And some changes to the popular pumpkin hunt as well:
There’s quite a change-up for the Great Pumpkin Search this year. The search will be run from the FCA table at the Fall Festival, and it will begin at the same time as the festival opens, at 1:00. There will be new hiding places, which will be described when Searchers sign in. As in past pumpkin searches, in addition to pumpkins, there will be prizes hidden, the most special one being a beautiful glass pumpkin from Avalon Glassworks.
NEW SAFETY FEATURES AT FAUNTLEROY / WILDWOOD: Board members reviewed and discussed the city’s informational handout (online version here) describing the ongoing construction work happening at Fauntleroy/Wildwood, also tracked and summarized on SDOT’s website, to prepare for the installation of bike lanes and related safety features and parking/loading modifications (recent WSB coverage here and here, and posted on FCA’s website).
As we reported previously, Mayor Katie Wilson signed an executive order earlier this fall that – along with other things – mandated the construction of a protected bicycle lane by the end of 2026 on SW Wildwood Place, which is the street where bicyclist Maridee Bonadea was killed in June near the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
Members of the public are encouraged to send feedback about the project to SDOT at FauntleroyPBL@seattle.gov or via phone at (206) 900-8734. FCA board members said they also planned to share the project handout with impacted local businesses in the area, for awareness.
EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI READINESS: As we mentioned earlier this week, the Great Washington Shakeout drill is coming up today at 10:15am, and preparedness for earthquakes and tsunamis has been a hot topic as of late, with a presentation at the Delridge Library earlier this month and a planned tsunami-prep briefing at tonight’s Alki Community Council meeting at 7pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
The Fauntleroy Community Association will be doing their part as well, hosting a presentation on October 27th from 6-8 pm at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse called “The Talked About Earthquake and Tsunami – How It Will Affect Our Area and How to Prepare.” For details, check out this PDF info sheet. The featured presenter will be Mac Macdonald, a longtime West Seattleite and emergency response strategist and trainer who specializes in “What If” scenarios and was a guest at last month’s FCA meeting as well. Members of the public and from all neighboring community groups are welcome and encouraged to attend.
BOARD MEMBER RECRUITMENT: As noted at the September FCA meeting, the group is looking for new board members (especially secretary and treasurer). On Tuesday night, two neighbors were in attendance who had expressed interest in potentially joining the board, and they were in attendance to observe and learn. Anyone interested in serving on the board should contact FCA via their website.
OTHER BUSINESS:
WHAT’S NEXT: The FCA board meets on second Tuesdays, 6 pm, at historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, with the next meeting scheduled for November 10. As mentioned above, the groups plans to have guests present to provide updates on various construction/improvement projects impacting the area.
It’s prime time for pumpkins! Two notes:
TONY’S PUMPKIN PATCH: The photo is from Anthony Morella, who’s bringing back the seasonal spirit of the former Tony’s Market at 35th/Barton, selling fresh Washington-grown pumpkins starting this Friday, October 9. Anthony is a relative of Tony’s two generations of proprietors, the late Tony Genzale and his son Joey Genzale, and says they’ll be open daily 9 am-7 pm through Halloween: “We will be selling many kinds of pumpkins and other fall goodies.” He’s also planning to sell Christmas trees again this year.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S PUMPKIN SEARCH: This year, a new plan for this fall favorite:
There’s quite a change-up for the Great Pumpkin Search this year. The search will be run from the Fauntleroy Community Association table at the Fall Festival [Sunday, October 18], and it will begin at the same time as the festival opens, at 1:00. There will be new hiding places, which will be described when searchers sign in. As in past pumpkin searches, in addition to pumpkins, there will be prizes hidden, the most special one being a beautiful glass pumpkin from Avalon Glassworks.
As reported here Sunday, the Fall Festival has some changes this year too, including activities centering on the church/Y campus at 9140 California rather than both sides of the street.
(WSB photo – birdhouse-building at 2025 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
As mentioned here a few months back, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival will be earlier in the afternoon this year – 1 pm to 4 pm. It’s now just two weeks away, Sunday, October 18, and organizers asked us to share this with you:
The Fauntleroy Fall Festival will be on October 18th this year, with a little bit of a different twist. This year the festival’s primary space will be at the Fauntleroy Church and YMCA. The Fauntleroy Children’s Center will be open for a quiet space for festival goers to move away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd, and will also serve as a diaper-changing room.
All 3 levels of the parking lot will be open and all the fun attractions you have come to love will be on one side of the street. Pumpkin-painting, birdhouse-building, live music, and so much more!
This decision was made for several reasons. One of them was safety- With less going on across the street, we hope there will be less bodies crossing, but our crossing guards will still be there! There is a private event going on at The Hall at Fauntleroy in the afternoon, so the back parking lot will not be available for parking. We highly encourage attendees of the festival to walk or use public transit.
We are looking forward to another wonderful Festival. See you on October 18th!
The festival site is at 9140 California SW.
Thanks to Don Brubeck for the photo and tip. Unannounced, the work to get Wildwood Place in Fauntleroy ready for a protected bike lane – begun last Saturday – is continuing today. That might lead to delays, so plan accordingly.
The crew from 1 Green Planet, Fauntleroy Church‘s partner in the twice-annual Recycle Roundup, has been busy already in the early going, with about 75 households dropping off items to recycle by 9:15.
Coordinator Joel tells us that was actually about half an hour in, because they opened early, with a line of vehicles waiting. You don’t have to rush over, though – they’re open until 3 pm (just don’t wait until the last minute unless that’s truly the soonest you can get there).
Here’s the official list of what they will and won’t take this time – again, this is a free service, though volunteers will be happy to accept montary donations to support the work, if you are so moved. The church is at 9140 California SW.
Two days away from your next chance to drive up, ride up, walk up to the Fauntleroy Church lot (9140 California SW) for the fall Recycle Roundup – here again is the official list of what you can and can’t drop off:
Recycle Roundup is happening from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, October 3, in collaboration with recycler 1 Green Planet. Free (though volunteers will be happy to accept donations to support this twice-yearly event).
Next Saturday’s the day – drive up, ride up, walk up to the Fauntleroy Church lot (9140 California SW) for the fall Recycle Roundup – free dropoffs of numerous types of recyclable items, as shown on the official list:
Recycle Roundup runs 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, October 3, but the volunteers who organize it (in collaboration with recycler 1 Green Planet) advise not waiting till the last minute so they aren’t dealing with a long line at the end – the six-hour window gives lots of time to show up and drop off items without much of a wait.
One month ago, we reported on an executive order by Mayor Katie Wilson that – among other things – mandated a protected bicycle lane by year’s end on SW Wildwood Place, the street near the Fauntleroy ferry dock where bicyclist Maridee Bonadea was killed in June. After seeing a Metro advisory for a stop closure because of “construction” this weekend, we checked in with SDOT, which tells us this is what’s scheduled to be done:
… Before we can install the bike lanes … we need to improve the condition of the riding surface:
-Repairing the pavement with asphalt patches on Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Wildwood Pl. To do this we will need to temporarily close parts of the street
Saturday, September 26 from 9 am until 6 pm
***We may reschedule this work if there is rain in the weather forecast.The street must be smooth before we can install bike lanes. Doing this work beforehand will make the street safer and our installation easier. We will come back later to seal cracks with a flexible sealant that will withstand rain and heat.
While the asphalt cools and hardens, the eastbound bus stop at SW Wildwood and 46th Ave SW will be temporarily closed.
The project’s webpage and fact sheet says they’re still deciding between an uphill bike lane only or bike lanes both uphill and downhill.
If you couldn’t get to this weekend’s biggest rummage sale on Saturday, you have another chance, until 3 pm today – and the deals are even bigger, because everything is half-price! We just stopped by Fauntleroy Church‘s Second-Time Sale for photos of what remains available. This curated sale raising money for church programs (such as the popular Recycle Roundup, which returns on October 3) has a wide variety of items in good shape – toys, housewares, furniture, games, clothing, jewelry, tools, sports gear, more.
It’s in (and outside) the church Fellowship Hall, 9140 California SW.
Another two-day event to consider for your weekend plans – the Fauntleroy Church Second-Time Sale! Here’s the preview sent to us to share with you:
Another huge Second-Time Sale at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California Ave. SW) will open at 9:00 am tomorrow (9/19) with just about anything you might need or simply fall in love with, at a bargain price.
(Above, the ‘stuffie menagerie’ is part of the toy section)
Since 1992, the congregation has welcomed donations throughout the year to make this much more than a rummage sale. Items have been curated, cleaned, tested, and organized for easy browsing. The sale will have housewares, jewelry, furniture, craft supplies, sports gear, tools, and more, including a bake sale with treats to take home or nibble while shopping.
Hours are 9 am-4 pm Saturday and 11:30 am-3:00 pm Sunday. The church has off-street parking and elevator access to all sale level.
Photos were taken by Ana Del Claro as volunteers were finishing setting up earlier today.
(Added: SFD on site, reader photo)
6:33 PM: Thanks for the many tips on this. Avoid the Fauntleroy ferry dock area on Fauntleroy Way for a while – there’s an emergency response for an injured man. Nobody who tipped us seemed to know exactly what happened until we got a call just now from someone who said that they were a witness and that the injured man was on a bicycle and collided with a driver. The witness says they and others jumped into action to treat the man’s injuries, SFD also responded and we’re checking with them on his condition.
8:48 PM: This was actually an “isolated bicycle collision,” according to SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo, who says firefighters “treated an approx. 50-year-old male who was in stable condition. The patient declined transportation to a hospital.”
(Photos by Dave Gershgorn: Volunteers Bob Maughan, Lilia Matual, Diana Spence, Gerry Coit, and Mark Sears took on a thicket of invasive beach grass)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
On Saturday, 10 volunteers convened in Cove Park to open a pathway for coho spawners to access Fauntleroy Creek this fall.
Using a permit from State Fish and Wildlife, lead volunteer Mark Sears led the crew in relocating a few drift logs jammed into the sand but the task this year was mostly to clear a path for spawners through invasive beach grass.
(Gerry Coit worked his way through tenacious beach grass so spawners won’t have to)
The Fauntleroy Watershed Council will kick off the 2026 salmon watch with the annual drumming to call in spawners on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4 pm, near SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW. Watchers will check the lower creek daily after high tide and, if and when they begin to see spawners, they will host a weekend open creek for the general public.
“Spawners will need at least 11-foot tides to boost them into the creek,” explained veteran watcher Dennis Hinton. “When tides are that high in late September, we will watch for spawners circling in the cove in anticipation of coming in, usually between Halloween and Thanksgiving.”
Last year, watchers documented nine fish and one spawning pair, a low count, but it has fluctuated, with the count well into triple digits some years.
(Reader photo, Thursday)
After a week of two-boat service on Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth “Triangle Route,” it’s going back to three boats tomorrow. M/V Sealth – shown above in sea trials we noted Thursday – is done with maintenance and repairs and is joining the route as the #3 vessel (M/V Kittitas is #1, M/V Kitsap is #2). But full three-boat service will just last a few weeks; WSF reminds riders that the Kittitas’s scheduled maintenance starts in early October – no specific date – and while it’s out, the Triangle Route will be on “two-boat service with a third, unscheduled vessel.”
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A wide-ranging Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting just wrapped up, facilitated by FCA president Frank Immel. Here are the major topics:
REMEMBERING ALAN GRAINGER: “He was a very interesting man … He will be missed,” said Immel of the FCA board member who died in July at age 77 (here’s the remembrance we published). His high-profile architecture career inspired reminiscences, too. Vice president Catherine Bailey added that she’ll miss his sense of humor. His talent as a treasurer was also appreciated. Susan Lantz-Dey recalled the colorful decor of Mr. Grainger’s home; Bailey noted he was apparently preparing to participate in an upcoming West Seattle Garden Tour. He was also remembered for his outspoken nature, even if it meant challenging the consensus or status quo.
POLICE UPDATES: Southwest Precinct “Sgt. Joe”, making his first FCA appearance, said things are still trending down, aside from theft, though auto theft is half what it was a year earlier. Asked about the Roxhill Park encampment-clearance aftermath, he acknowledged, “They’re back.” (He didn’t have any updates on the stabbing investigation, though.) The return of the SW Barton Place RVs also was noted, and Sgt. Machak said that years ago, officers themselves used to be able to get RVs towed, but now they aren’t empowered to do that because outreach has to be done first. Asked about staffing, he said Southwest Precinct has “two or three new officers.”
EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS: Emergency-preparedness strategist Mac MacDonald, a West Seattleite, said a big quake in the Cascadia Subduction Zone is not an “if” but a “when.” His But people in Seattle are generally not prepared. We’re the only place on the Ring of Fire that hasn’t had a 9.0 quake in the past 300 to 500 years – so we’re in the window right now. “It could happen tomorrow, or not in your lifetime, but it’s going to happen” – a nearly 40 percent chance in the next 50 years, he said. That said: “Fear is inevitable, panic is an option,” but training and preparation can help you avoid panic, a state in which “your IQ drops to near zero.” It’s not just the quake, it’s the tsunami, he warned. Not just one – it could hit in nine waves, he said. A coastal quake would give Seattle two hours to escape the tsunami, he said. And though it might be only a four-foot wave, “it’s relentless.” This is different from a Seattle Fault quake – which could generate a tsunami 40 feet high on the downtown waterfront. West Seattle would be battered too – and streets would be impassable because of fissures. His presentation was meant to be a preview of a full community presentation he was pitching the FCA to organize. (He did hint at a few classic preparedness tips – don’t let your car get below a half-tank of gas; always have shoes in your bedroom so if you have to escape in the middle of the night you’re not walking barefoot on glass shards; have a tent because “you’re going to be living in one” for a while. Bottom line: Complacency is the “true killer.” As local preparedness volunteers have long evangelized, you’ll need to take care of yourself TFN – overwhelmed authorities and responders will not be able to get to you for a while, if ever. Discussion ensued about how and when MacDonald’s full-length presentation could be offered; stay tuned for future info – they talked about sooner rather than later, before the holiday season. “I think this is an important topic, because (the big quake) is GOING to happen,” Immel summarized.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: October 18 is this year’s date, with a new time, 1-4 pm. There’ll be some logistics changes, too – stand by for news on that – all your favorite features, just in different venues around the Fauntleroy Church/Y/etc. campus. Fundraising is going well; a benefit is coming up at The Birdhouse on September 29, with 20 percent of the proceeds that day going to the FFF.
BICYCLING SAFETY FORUM FOLLOWUP: FCA was pleased by how last month’s forum went and the fast action by SDOT afterward. VP Bailey said the question now is, what next? And what’s next for the Fauntleroy/Rose crossing project? New drawings are due out in mid-October, according to SDOT, she said. As for how things are going with Fauntleroy and Wildwood since the parking removal, it was mentioned that ferry-dock dropoff and pickup traffic for Vashon Island School District “commuter” students is fairly substantial. The question was raised about whether a followup meeting was in order, to discuss various issues such as whether SDOT is or isn’t looking into whether stop signs might be involved at Fauntleroy/Wildwood. There was also discussion about adding sharrows on the pavement.
BOARD RECRUITMENT: The FCA needs new board members, and needs to fill the positions of secretary and treasurer, but those might have to be “new people” – so where do they cast a net to find them? They’re considering starting the search with a letter to FCA members asking if anyone has interest in joining the board. Remaining board members also discussed when they should aim to have those new board officers in place, whether 15 is the optimal number of board members, and even whether the FCA’s community role is evolving, given the number of special-topic meetings they’ve organized in recent months.
PLANTERS: Board member Lantz-Dey had updates on the Endolyne-area flower boxes and said a fall work party will be organized.
WHAT’S NEXT: The FCA board meets on second Tuesdays, 6 pm, at historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. Among the guests at the October 13 meeting will be a rep from Washington State Ferries to talk about the dock project, particularly the soon-to-be-installed signal
Looking for something to do as the holiday weekend winds down? You can sort your no-longer-needed stuff for the fall Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church, coming up Saturday, October 3. Here’s the official list:
It’s happening 9 am-3 pm in the church’s main parking lot (9140 California SW). Volunteers and the crew from 1 Green Planet will be there to take your recyclables from home, office, or school – drive up, ride up, or walk up. The church has been offering these events since 2010, and reported last spring that more than 400 tons of recyclables have been collected over the years!
With all the recent reports of car prowling, this sounds more “stolen and dumped” than just “lost.” From Shay:
I live in upper Fauntleroy and found papers in the street outside my house today. Turns out it’s not trash but it’s the registration certificate and insurance card for a 1999 red Toyota 4Runner, as well as an “America the Beautiful” National Parks pass.
There isn’t car in the neighborhood that fits this description, so I’m planning on bringing these to the Southwest Precinct police station. Hoping they can reunite these papers with the owner!
So if these items are yours, contact SPD.
(WSF rendering of intersection with signal)
Washington State Ferries just sent an update on the first component of the Fauntleroy terminal project, the traffic signal planned for the dock entrance/exit on Fauntleroy Way. Here’s the heart of it:
… We’re starting work later than planned as we work with the contractor and City of Seattle to develop a plan to safely and efficiently move traffic through the intersection during construction. The goal is to minimize impacts for our customers and the traveling public as much as possible.
We expect the signal to become operational around mid-2027. Once we finalize a traffic control plan, we will notify riders and the surrounding community before starting work.
Drivers should expect some lane restrictions and possible detours for large vehicles. Ferry service will continue as usual. Customers may experience some delays leaving the dock through the work zone
Though “later than planned,” WSF says they expect to start work “this fall.” (Last spring, they were projecting work would start in early September.) Here’s the WSF schematic of how traffic is supposed to flow once the signal is operational:
Sent late tonight by Dan:
Tonight while walking home between 36th Ave SW and 37th Ave SW on Trenton, an owl attacked me twice around 9:30 pm. No serious injury, but thought other nearby residents should know.
You can learn more about this owl behavior by checking out this Department of Fish and Wildlife fact sheet, choosing “Preventing Conflicts,” and scrolling down to “Dive-Bombing Owls.”
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