West Seattle, Washington
04 Tuesday
That was the request when we talked with cleanup organizer Nancy Driver after tonight’s JuNO meeting (more on the main topics, development, later). We’ve told you before about the plan for a huge community cleanup from Walking on Logs to Fauntleroy/35th on September 13th, including the recent details that it’ll be 9 am-3 pm, and volunteers 14 and up can sign up for 2-hour shifts. Nancy explains that she needs signups now because this is a major organizational effort – everything from loaner orange vests to donated treats – and she has to have a rough head count. No obligation if you have to change your plans later, but if you think there’s even a remote chance you’ll be able to help out on September 13th, please e-mail Nancy right now: ndriver@quidnunc.net
What’s missing in that picture? Kids enjoying a city wading pool on a sunny Sunday afternoon — according to people who live near that pool, which is in the park next to Delridge Community Center. It’s always closed on Sundays – as are the two other wading pools in eastern West Seattle (Hughes and Highland Park), as well as not-too-distant South Park wading pool, while the two wading pools in western West Seattle (Lincoln Park and Hiawatha) are open seven days a week. In correspondence with the concerned neighbors, as well as in a response to a WSB inquiry, the Parks Department says the wading-pool schedule is carefully considered by geography. More on that ahead – but first, we took a look at the online citywide schedule and made this map, with blue markers showing the 7-day-a-week pools/spray features and red markers showing the ones closed Sundays (most of those are closed both weekend days, with a few exceptions; Delridge is open Saturdays):
The schedules aren’t new but the Sunday closures became particularly glaring for neighbors in the 90-degree heat a week ago, when the pool had a “rogue opening” as one neighbor described it, after somebody figured out how to turn on the water – and now they are trying to get the Parks Department to make a change – read on:Read More
CLOSURES: Southwest Community Center, all week (maybe a little longer), related to the renovations at adjacent Southwest Pool … West Seattle Driver Licensing office, reopening Wednesday.
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETINGS: Big night on Tuesday, highlighted by Junction Neighborhood Association with guests including BlueStar reps to discuss the latest design for Fauntleroy Place (received and published here hours before the June 12 groundbreaking ceremony), 6:30 pm @ Ginomai; also Tuesday, Westwood Neighborhood Council gets a Denny/Sealth update and discusses the neighborhood vision for the Denny site’s future, 7 pm @ Southwest Precinct (location changed because of SWCC closure); Admiral Neighborhood Association meets @ 7 pm Tuesday, Admiral UCC Church, and Fauntleroy Community Association meets @ 7 pm at the schoolhouse.
EVENTS: The BizJam Seattle entrepreneur/small-business conference takes over Youngstown Arts Center on Wednesday and Thursday (your editor here is among the presenters, 2:30 pm Wednesday); it’s the West Seattle Second Thursday Art Walk 6-9 pm Thursday; and Friday is the first of 3 days/nights for West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction (come see us at the Information Booth!).
NOT IN WEST SEATTLE BUT IT’LL AFFECT YOU: The City Council‘s public hearing on the proposed foam ban and bag tax is 7 pm Tuesday at City Hall downtown.
TONS MORE GOING ON … check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar page for the full list.
A party’s under way celebrating the official opening of High Point’s Commons Park; we went up the knoll on its southwest side for these views that show how sweeping the park is:
The mini-amphitheater on the south side of the knoll had live entertainment – we were there for the end of a jazz combo and the start of these young performers:
Commons Park is most easily reached from Graham, at 31st (map).
Jam-packed agenda last night for the Southwest District Council (representatives from neighborhood groups and other key organizations in the area of West Seattle that the city defines as the “Southwest District”; you can see the map here), with a Spokane Street Viaduct project update, the latest from Seattle City Light on street lights, and more – read on:Read More
This morning, we mentioned tonight’s Neighborhood Center volunteer event in High Point. Also in the hours ahead: Youngstown Arts Center is offering free events for youth Wednesdays at 4 pm, starting with All-Access Open Studio for young artists, 4 pm today. Heading south from there, North Delridge Neighborhood Council invites everybody with an interest in ND to join its nonthly meeting @ Delridge Library (excellent a/c there, we hear), 6:30 pm. At South Seattle Community College, the Southwest District Council — representatives from neighborhood groups and other key organizations in the part of West Seattle that the city considers the “Southwest District” — meets in the board room at 7 pm; City Light and Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle have spots on the agenda. Also at 7, at C & P Coffee south of The Junction, West Seattle Cool Moms are having their July get-together, with a presentation including ways to live a less-toxic lifestyle.
That’s nationally renowned activist Van Jones, talking about how High Point’s new Neighborhood Center is going to set a national precedent, during his Seattle appearance in May. (That’s actually the third of three videos from his speech; part 1 is here, part 2 is here.) Tonight is your next chance to get involved with the Neighborhood Center and its “green revolution,” looking ahead to its groundbreaking next month – tonight there’s an orientation/training session for volunteers. First, find out more about what’s happening with the project — read the article sent to us by Cathy Cooper, then check out several different ways to help with NH:Read More
New info today about the new pedestrian flags at 3 West Seattle spots, including replacement of stolen ones:Read More
As mentioned in our preceding post, this community event is happening right now — prayers and hopes for a safe summer. We stopped by toward the start of it for the clip you see above. If you are not stuck in, oh, say, an office outside West Seattle, it is a spectacular day and High Point Pond Park (30th/Juneau; map) is in an amazingly panoramic spot. “Food, games, music, and fun” are promised too.
The jail forum (much more to come) was tonight’s biggest event but not tonight’s only event. At Youngstown Arts Center, area Democrats gathered to help West Seattle’s three state legislators kick off their re-election campaigns: left to right, it’s State Sen. Joe McDermott, State. Reps. Sharon Nelson and Eileen Cody.
And on the other end of Delridge, at Cafe Rozella, that’s Branden Born and Alon Bassok from the University of Washington, who will be there for the next few Thursday nights to chat with anyone and everyone about how the Delridge and White Center areas could be even more livable, framed in the issues central to the King County Food and Fitness Initiative. (6:30 pm next Thursday, join ’em there!)
We’re at the Machinists’ Union Lodge in South Park for the first of two city-organized public forums on the two proposed West Seattle sites in the running for a possible city misdemeanor jail. The Highland Park Action Committee has a big presence here, of course – that’s HPAC’s Dina Johnson above, in the lodge hall with one of the signs group members have brought (cameraphone photo, sorry it’s not clearer). We’re NOT currently planning to liveblog the meeting – but if you are interested in occasional updates, follow us on Twitter, where we probably will post a few updates (twitter.com, and sign up to follow westseattleblog) if the wireless signal holds – a little spotty so far. The actual meeting doesn’t start till 6:30 – right now folks are milling about chatting; some citywide media crews are here. The agenda will include a “brief background presentation” at 6:40, small-group sessions to gather public comments and report back to the full group; at 8:40, it’s “city responses to issues raised,” closing comments at 8:55, meeting scheduled to end at 9 pm. (If you missed this one, the second city-organized public forum is July 26 at South Seattle Community College, 9 am, and HPAC will meet again 7 pm July 21.) 7:39 PM UPDATE: Highland Park Elementary teacher Laura Drake brought down the house with a speech full of fury and heartfelt emotion – some people are actually crying – we have it on video and will post it as soon as we get home when this is over; we can guarantee you’ll see part of it on the 11 pm news (though tv self-limits to about 20 seconds – we’ll show you the whole 2 to 3 minutes).
TONIGHT: The Highland Park Action Committee meets tonight (7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club, 11th and Holden) to continue strategizing opposition to the two HP-vicinity sites (map) on the city’s “final four” list of potential jail locations. THURSDAY: The first of two city-organized public meetings focusing on those two sites — this one’s in neighboring South Park (6 pm @ 9125 15th Place S., map here); the second meeting is July 26 at South Seattle Community College. More on all planned city forums here; city info page on jail-site search here; HPAC jail-sites info page here; all WSB coverage on the jail-sites issue is archived here.
Feet First, which helps make our area more walkable, is close to kicking off The Cart Project – distributing carts like the one shown above, for a nominal price – and that means two things for people in West Seattle. First, the carts will be initially offered to Westwood-area residents. Second, volunteers are needed to help match carts with takers. Here’s what Ellie Taylor from Feet First sent us to share with you:
Meet new people, and give neighborhood residents a reason to get out and walk! This is a volunteer opportunity for Feet First’s new Cart Project, which aims to make it easier for people to do their everyday shopping on foot with personal hand-carts.
Location: The pilot project is in Westwood Village, West Seattle. Volunteers would help distribute carts to neighborhood residents who come through the QFC in Westwood Village.
Times: Throughout the day; evening availability (5-7) is especially appreciated.
Tasks: Volunteers will ask people if they are within the target area, describe the project, administer a short survey, and collect some money.
To find out more, e-mail Ellie at ellie@feetfirst.info
Belated report on last night’s monthly meeting of the Delridge District Council, one of two “district councils” in West Seattle (as per the city’s “district” map) – Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle is getting ready for the second year of its program to harvest fruit from residents’ trees; City Councilmember Sally Clark talked about the latest changes in the process for reviewing neighborhood plans (and got to hear about some hot local issues since she arrived early, including the jail-sites fight); details ahead:Read More
Want to hear from/meet the city councilmember whose committee has a stack of development/neighborhood issues on its plate — issues that could affect the livability of our neighborhoods for decades to come? Councilmember Sally Clark speaks at the Delridge District Council‘s monthly meeting tonight, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct community room, all welcome, agenda here. (WSB coverage of her recent townhouse-design forum is here; we also covered her recent Junction walking tour.)
From Bob and Bruce:
Overnight, about 3:45 a.m., coyotes were heard yipping and yodeling in the Eddy St. ravine JUST west of California Ave. (Basically behind the soon to be Morgan Junction Park. Owners of outdoor pets need to be aware that this is still a “shared environment” and quite near Lincoln Park’s wild spaces.
That would likely be not far from where this coyote photo/video report originated.
From Kay McMillan, who says kids are on the waiting list for the Summer Reading Program at High Point – you can help make that list shorter:
The Youth Tutoring Program is looking for tutors in West Seattle for our Summer Reading Program!
The Summer Reading Program is a seven-week literacy-intensive program for students in grades 1-6 who are below grade level in reading. Trainings for new tutors will be held the week of June 16th. Tutoring starts June 23rd and runs through July 31st.
YTP is a non-profit tutoring program that provides one-on-one academic support to students living in low-income housing. We operate five tutoring centers throughout the city. We are in great need of volunteer tutors at our High Point tutoring center located on 35th Ave. SW in West Seattle.
Tutors commit to one evening per week for two hours and work with one student at a time on reading and writing. Available sessions are Monday through Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 pm
Many of our students cannot get the literacy help they need at home and depend on our tutors for academic support!
Tutoring starts June 23rd so apply today at www.ccsww.org/ytp or call 206-328-5659.
Two notes: First, Chas Redmond says a few more spots have the new West Seattle Trails walking map, if you’re looking for a (free!) copy — Alki Kayak Tours at Seacrest, Atomic Boys in Admiral, and the city’s Delridge Neighborhood Office. Full distribution list is online at westseattlewalks.org. Second, you probably heard about a new website scoring Seattle neighborhoods by walkability; if you haven’t already seen the WSB Forums discussion about it, here’s the topic we opened this morning.
Also from last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting: The board agreed to support a proposal by members Sherry and Ron Richardson, to request signage along Fauntleroy Way asking drivers to turn off their engines while waiting, to reduce fuel use, noise, and pollution.
Three quick updates in the fight over where the city might build a potential new jail for misdemeanor offenders (it’s announced 4 sites as finalists, and 2 of them are in southeast West Seattle): First, the city’s added another page to its informational web site — the new Frequently Asked Questions page features its answers to some of the questions it’s received. Second, two more neighborhood groups discussed their positions on the issue last night; the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s board “voiced its opposition to the siting of jails in residential areas on the basis of land-use planning policy and the unnecessary costs and logistics of inmate transfers and lack of access to services needed by inmates (legal, bail, and city services),” according to Lynn Olson; meantime, we were at the Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting as members considered whether to sign on to a letter officially opposing the sites, and it’s decided to abstain for now. Third, the 34th District Democrats will discuss the jail-sites fight at their regular monthly meeting tonight, 7 pm, The Hall @ Fauntleroy.
#1: Delridge Library is a “homework help” hotspot all school year long. 5:30 tonight, you’re invited to go thank the volunteers who’ve provided that help, and celebrate the impending end of the school year.
#2: Westwood Neighborhood Council gets a Denny/Sealth project update tonight, 7 pm, Southwest Community Center, and also plans to take up the issue of those two city-jail sites proposed for southeast West Seattle.
#3: Admiral Neighborhood Association gets updates on projects including a potential playground proposal, 7 pm, Admiral UCC.
#4: Fauntleroy Community Association — monthly meeting night for FCA too, 7 pm, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
Many more West Seattle events, stretching from tonight well into next year, are on our frequently updated Events page.
In late April, we showed you those early designs for “wayfinding kiosks” as part of the West Seattle Trails project; it’s been about a week since distribution started for the walking map that’s also part of the project. This weekend, Chas Redmond confirmed to WSB that he’s just received a letter from city Department of Neighborhoods director Stella Chao with notification that the first phase of the project “has been recommended for an award of $99,916” from the Neighborhood Matching Fund – the full amount that was being sought for the first round of kiosks. The City Neighborhood Council will review that recommendation at a meeting down a week from tomorrow; the mayor’s office then review it before forwarding it to the City Council for approval, which should happen by the end of September. Redmond says this “is a very big plus for the project.” (More background here.)
After we mentioned Wednesday night that the date has been set for the long-awaited cleanup along Fauntleroy from Walking on Logs to 35th, people started asking how to sign up. Nancy Driver, who announced the date at that night’s Southwest District Council meeting, has posted this followup comment, and we’re highlighting it here in case you didn’t check back on the original report:
The Fairmount Community Association, in conjunction with the West Seattle Neighborhood Service Center (Dept. of Neighborhoods) is organizing a major clean up of the green area from the Walking on Logs sculptures up to the intersection of Fauntleroy and 35th. The date for the clean up is SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th. The City of Seattle will be providing equipment, tools and assistance but this clean up is a substantial project and we will need lots of volunteers. Additional details will be posted on the WS Blog in the coming weeks. If you are interested in helping out with this project, please email your name, email address and phone number to ndriver@quidnunc.net. This will be a fun event and a chance to help beautify your community so get your name on the volunteer list and mark your calendar.
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