West Seattle, Washington
03 Wednesday
(Added: WSB photo)
Thanks to Mike for the tip! The south lot at Lincoln Park is open again (we haven’t been able to check yet on the north lot), after almost 7 months. Though as we had reported previously, the announced reopening date is next Monday (October 19th), Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin explains, “We started reopening on Monday, and we’ll be finished with all the lots across the city by Monday, October 19 (we can’t do them all in a day).”
(WSJA recording of Tuesday’s online meeting)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The “hygiene station” blamed as a trouble magnet at Junction Plaza Park won’t be there forever.
That’s the only bit of news that emerged from Tuesday afternoon’s online community meeting with city reps, who refused to acknowledge that safety concerns in the area have escalated since its installation in May, and did not promise solutions.
There were repeated mentions that the city Navigation Team had visited the park – without any mention that Mayor Jenny Durkan has suspended the team, after the City Council‘s vote to cut its funding.
The meeting was organized and hosted by Lora Radford, executive director of the West Seattle Junction Association (which helped raise money for the park’s completion a decade ago).
“This is not a discussion about criminalizing homelessness,” Radford clarified at the start – it was meant to be a discussion about what’s happened since the hygiene station went in at Junction Plaza Park in xx.
As reported here last Thursday, a public meeting is planned Tuesday afternoon (online) to discuss safety issues at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska). In addition to the panelists mentioned Thursday, more city reps will participate – City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, Mayor’s Office senior adviser Tess Colby, Department of Neighborhoods’ Tom Van Bronkhorst, Seattle Public Utilities’ Bill Benzer. Q&A is planned during the 2 pm meeting, and advance questions are also welcome (comment below). Connection information for attending the meeting is on the WSJA’s webpage about the ongoing park problems.
(WSB photo, September)
Three weeks ago, we reported on the West Seattle Junction Association‘s plea to the city regarding escalating concerns at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska). Days later, WSJA received a reply from the city (scroll down this page to read it) that noted cleanup crews and outreach services but did not address public-safety concerns. So next Tuesday (October 13th), at 2 pm, WSJA takes the next step, with a community meeting (online) including city participants. You are invited to watch and/or participate. Panelists confirmed so far include Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Sina Ebinger, Precinct Liaison (City Attorney’s Office) Joe Everett, and Aaron Burkhalter, project manager with LEAD, which will be expanding into parts of West Seattle including The Junction. Connection information is on the WSJA’s webpage about the ongoing park problems.
Three notes from the City Council‘s weekly briefing meeting, just concluded, when councilmembers share quick updates:
(Photo from Lincoln Park, sent by Carolyn in March)
PARKS REOPENINGS: City Councilmember Debora Juarez, who chairs the Parks Committee, had some big news. She said that Parks will reopen play areas tomorrow and parking lots October 19th. We’re inquiring with Parks for details. (Play and fitness equipment at parks were first taped off in the early weeks of the pandemic, more than 6 months ago.) ADDED 11:23 AM: Confirmed by Parks – here’s the update, with the rules.
BUDGET COMMENTS TOMORROW: What do you think the city should – and/or shouldn’t – be spending money on? Tuesday night is the first major public hearing in the budget process. This is an all-public-comment event, online, starting at 5:30 pm. Signups for commenting start two hours earlier; the agenda explains how you can do that beginning at 3:30 pm Tuesday.
TOWN HALL FOLLOWUP: West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold told her colleagues that more than 500 people signed up to attend her Town Hall last Wednesday, with 88 questions submitted. (Our coverage, including links to the video, is in two parts – the first hour-plus, focused on public safety, here; the second part, focused on the West Seattle Bridge, here.)
When the remaining seawall is removed at Lowman Beach Park, the tennis court will be too. Though there’s no replacement in the plan, a community group has been pursuing a proposal to build a sport court – not necessarily tennis, or just tennis – elsewhere in the park. In a grant-funded planning process, that group has conducted a survey and a community meeting (WSB coverage here), and has now announced the next step:
You are invited to participate in our 2nd virtual open house to see the results of the survey and the concept alternatives. Previously, the 1st virtual open house presented the challenges and opportunities in locating a new racket court at Lowman Beach Park.
Lowman Beach Racket Court New Design Virtual Open House #2
Monday, October 19, 2020, 6:30 pm
Meeting number: 146 733 7298
Password: lowmanbeach
(Link here)Join by phone – 206-207-1700
See the meeting flyer here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Junction Plaza Park just passed its 10th anniversary. In those 10 years, it’s been the site of many celebrations and gatherings, including the annual community Christmas tree lighting.
Right now, it’s a source of concern.
Since the city installed a “hygiene station” there four months ago, though it already maintains a public porta-potty a block west, the West Seattle Junction Association has been receiving reports of what it summarizes as “escalating violence and drug use in the park.”
Out of “the continued frustration of our citizens, coupled with the escalating violence, compounded by zero response (or accountability) from Human Services,” WSJA executive director Lora Radford has just launched a webpage meant to call public attention to some of those concerns and ask for community support in seeking a city response.
One example of the escalation of trouble in and near the park: The recent rampage at the QFC across the street, for which a suspect has been charged and remains in jail. But that’s just one incident mentioned in some of the anecdotes and observations posted on the page so far. While trash and discarded needles are mentioned, so are concerns about personal safety:
“… while I was sitting on a bench in the park trying to comb my dog, a young man approached me and accused me of staring at his girlfriend, then promptly flashed a large knife at me and told me to leave the park.”
“… There was a police response as a belligerent and violent man was accosting his fellow transients but also two innocent men who were literally just walking by on the sidewalk.”
“… We have had instances of our tenants being verbally accosted while trying to cross the street at that location and an instance where a colleague was chased by one of person s congregating in the park.”
The WSJA’s page makes it clear that it’s fully aware that the big picture involves “significant health, economic, and social challenges” and services are needed. But in the meantime, it’s concerned about safety – of the vulnerable people in the park as well as others in the area. It is asking all those with concerns to contact the Human Services Department (info). So far, after previous contacts, the only response from the city is a reply that just acknowledged the concerns and added:
You are correct that providing mental health and drug addiction counseling services is a broader question that needs to be addressed city-wide.
The Hygiene Station program team includes representatives from the Human Services Department (HSD), Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), Office of the Mayor, Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) and Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Many team members are also working on COVID-19 and homelessness response issues and policies.
Aside from that acknowledgment a week ago, nothing, says Radford. So here’s how you can help if you have concerns too:
When you observe illegal behavior or see drug and mental illness issues in the park – first and foremost, please call 911. Please do not engage with the persons.
Send an email to Human Services. Together, we can work to elevate the need for more mental and drug counselors at the park. Let’s get people to the services they need, and support accountability:
Copy/paste into the send line of your email
Tom.VanBronkhorst3@seattle.gov; Frank.Coulter@seattle.gov; Bill.Benzer@seattle.gov; Tess.Colby@seattle.gov; Lisa.Gustaveson@seattle.gov; Donna.Waters@seattle.gov
cc: Lora@wsjunction.org
Or Call Human Services
Tom Van Bronkhorst
Office: 206.233.3954
Other business districts in the city have similar concerns; WSJA recently joined with some of its counterparts in this letter to the city. An excerpt:
We ask you take small businesses and the owners, employees, customers, and adjacent residents into consideration when assessing the public safety needs for the constituents of this city. Seattle is at a crossroads and is choosing its path forward. It’s time for us to ask our leaders, both legislative and executive, to find a way to work together to achieve what they essentially agree on: a reimagined municipal social contract—especially around public safety—that protects and lifts up all of us. Confronting and dismantling systemic racism and providing a safe environment for our neighborhood business districts are not mutually exclusive; indeed, they rely on each other completely.
For the Junction Association, the bottom line is at the end of its new page: “Join us. It’s time for action.”
In case you didn’t get to watch it live – starting at 3 minutes into the video, that’s the noontime event that announced 3 finalists for each of the six Port of Seattle Duwamish River parks that are up for renaming. After the map of the parks is the official announcement, with the finalists and what you can do next:
The Port of Seattle announced the top three names chosen for each of the six Port-owned parks and shoreline access sites along the Duwamish River to new names that reflect their cultural, historical and environmental significance. The Port partnered with Seattle Parks Foundation, a well-recognized public parks and greenspace non-profit, to design and implement the re-naming campaign with transparency, equity and community involvement. The names were announced on a press conference call joined by dozens of community members.
“Speaking on behalf of the Seattle Port Commission, we are delighted by the strong tribal and community participation in this effort,” said Fred Felleman, Port of Seattle Commission Vice President and tribal liaison. “It’s important these public parks have names that reflect their location and cultural significance.”
The top name nominations for the six parks are:Terminal 105 Park [in West Seattle]
Hermoso Park & Habitat Area
(er-mo-so: Beautiful)
t̓uʔəlaltxʷ Village Park & Habitat Area
(Toolalt[w], t-oo-ah-lal-too-wx: Herring’s House / Name of an old village site on the west bank of the Duwamish River / A description of where herring live/spawn)
t̕uʔəlaltxʷ Memorial Park & Habitat Area
(Toolalt[w], t-oo-ah-lal-too-wx: Herring’s House / Name of an old village site on the west bank of the Duwamish River / A description of where herring live/spawn)Terminal 107 Park [in West Seattle]
Duwamish Bend Park & Habitat Area
həʔapus Village Park & Habitat Area
(haapoos, ha-ah-poos: Name of a small stream draining across a flat on the west side of Duwamish River)
yilə’qʷud Park & Habitat Area
(yillaqwud, yil-a-qwud: Name of an old village site on the west bank of the Duwamish River)Terminal 108 Park
c̓əqas Park & Habitat Area
(tsaqahs, ts-a-kahs: Muddy, a word used to describe a beach/shoreline)
sbəq̓waʔ Park & Habitat Area
(sbaqwah, s-bah-qwah: Great Blue Heron)
čəbčəbid Park & Habitat Area
(chabchabeed, chab-chab-eed: Drybark / Description of location on the east side of the Duwamish River for gathering fir bark for fires)8th Avenue South Street End Park
Gear Park and Habitat Area
t̓ałt̓ałucid Park and Habitat Area
(tathtathootseed, t-ahth-t-ahth-oots-eed: Where there is something overhead, across the path / A description of logs or branches located above a path or trail)
De Colores Park & Habitat Area
(ko-lo-res: Colors)Terminal 117
South Park Shores Park & Habitat Area
Duwamish River People’s Park & Habitat Area
qiyawa’lapsəb Park & Habitat Area
(qeeyahwahlapsub, ki-yah-wa-lap-sab: A descriptive word referencing the Duwamish River route to Elliott Bay / eel’s throat)Turning Basin #3
Restoration Park & Habitat Area
Salmon Cove Park & Habitat Area
t̓at̓łqid Park & Habitat Area
(tatthkid, t-a-t-th-kid: A descriptive word referencing a short cut when traveling upstream during high tide at the mouth of the Duwamish River)“There are great opportunities here for our communities to select names that honor the heritage of the Duwamish River and elevate the indigenous history and culture of the region of the land we occupy,” said Rosario-Maria Medina, a community member involved in the naming process.
Community members submitted more than 3,000 responses during the ‘Incredible Parks Want Incredible Names’ nomination phase. After an eligibility check, park name nominations went through multiple rounds of scoring and evaluation by a review committee.
The shortlisted names announced today represent the diversity of people and their experiences with each park – finalist names range from English, Spanish, and Lushootseed languages. A video of the press conference will be made available, here.
“The Seattle Parks Foundation would like to thank the Port of Seattle and the community members along the Duwamish River who have worked countless hours over the past several months to bring us one step closer to renaming these great public spaces that will provide great use for people to enjoy for generations to come,” said George Lee of the Seattle Parks Foundation.
Choose Your Favorite Park Names Now!
The public has until 11:59 p.m. on September 30 to rank each name nomination, here. After September 30, the review committee will review results and select the final park names. The final park names will be announced on October 27th at the Port’s Commission meeting.
One of the finalists for T-107 – həʔapus Village Park & Habitat Area – is the one the Duwamish Tribe is officially supporting, as we first reported here.
(Monday morning photo by Stewart L.)
10:12 AM: Monday morning and still smoky. Two notes for starters, and we’ll add anything else of note related to the smoke in the hours ahead:
SEATTLE PARKS: As first reported here last night, parks, playfields, boat ramps, golf courses remain closed today because of the unhealthy air. (Added: The closures have now been extended through Wednesday.)
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY: Curbside service is suspended again today.
(added) CITY-RUN COVID-19 TESTING SITES: Closed today, including the one at Southwest Athletic Complex.
(added) MADISON MS TEXTBOOK/MATERIALS PICKUP: Canceled for today.
Other closures/cancellations? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
ADDED 11:36 AM: Though the air-quality alert has expired for now, an update from AlertSeattle notes, “Wildfire smoke making air quality ‘very unhealthy’ to ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ is expected to remain in the area through the middle of this week.”
1:50 PM: The expiration didn’t last long. There’s a new air-quality alert in effect through noon Thursday.
Thanks to Mindi for the photos and tip. Not that it’s a great day for a walk/run/ride in Lincoln Park anyway, given the air quality, but – the north side included a temporary obstacle this morning: A fallen tree. Mindi says a crew’s already handling it:
Just two days ago, a tree fell by the park’s north entrance, at the south end of Beach Drive. No injuries reported in either incident.
Thanks for the tips and photos (the one above is from Shelley). A construction fence is up at Lincoln Park for the Beach Comfort Station Renovation Project, which is about to begin, Seattle Parks tells WSB. JEM Contractors will be handling this project and the 57th SW comfort-station project at Alki. For Lincoln Park, the city says, “This project updates the interiors of the comfort station to meet the accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The exterior area around the comfort station will be regraded to provide accessible routes to the entrances of the building.”
P.S. Wondering when – if – the Lincoln Park South Play Area project is ever going to get going? Parks now says construction is planned this winter. It’s been three years since Parks closed the play area for safety concerns.
An incident in West Seattle today serves as a reminder that thieves will take things on spec. Katherine reports her car window was broken at Westcrest Park, north lot, and the culprit(s) made off with … a diaper bag.
Seattle Parks has just changed the closing time for “major parks” again. Now those parks – including Alki Beach Park, Lincoln Park, and West Seattle Stadium – are supposed to close at 8 pm. The full citywide list is here.
(WSB photo, Beach Drive “Keep Moving Street” in May)
While the city has long since declared that most of its “Stay Healthy Streets”.- closed to vehicle through traffic – would remain that way permanently, the status of a few similar stretches dubbed “Keep Moving Streets” because of their proximity to parks remained unsettled. Late today, that changed. The Alki Point “Keep Moving Street” – Alki SW west of 63rd SW and Beach Drive SW west of 63rd [map] – has an end date of sorts, for now:
This Keep Moving Street will remain through Phase 3 of reopening in King County. We hear you asking us to consider permanent closure and sharing your associated concerns, and we’ll be reaching out over the next few months with more conversation on possible future configurations.
(If you’ve forgotten, we’re still in Phase 2.) The announcement was made in conjunction with more-firm end dates for two of the three other “Keep Moving Streets” in other parts of the city. SDOT’s post also summarizes feedback it’s received, including this regarding the Alki Point stretch:
What we heard:
=A desire for permanent closure! Over 1,000 of you signed a petition to keep this Keep Moving Street open permanently
-This street was especially helpful for wheelchair users, because the sidewalks are too narrow for wheelchairs
-Concern about “privatization” of the beach by limiting car and parking access
-Concern that the Keep Moving Street limits the capacity of people who cannot walk, bike, or roll to enjoy the view by driving by
-Concern about the shifting of speeding/noise south between Mee Kwa Mooks Park and Jacobsen Drive
On this “Keep Moving Street,” SDOT says, “We’ve seen an average of 415 cars per day, with a median speed of 17.5 MPH.” It was closed to through traffic four months ago.
Every few years, we get a report about a divebombing owl attacking someone. Last night, Kate sent this:
(Sunday) around 8 pm, I got attacked by an owl (probably barred owl). I think my high, very floppy bun was to blame. (Map of Lincoln Park location) This is exactly where I saw owls hang out in trees before. Anyway, just wanted to warn people to watch out when they run on that trail. I am all good, just a scratch on my ear.
This 2011 reader report is from the same time of year, same area of the park. This state Fish and Wildlife info sheet explains (though we’re not quite to winter yet), “In winter owls establish territories, build nests, and rear young. During this period, adult birds may engage in belligerent behavior, such as attacking creatures many times their size. In this case, the owls are simply trying to protect their homes, their mates, or their young.”
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When the crumbling seawall is removed at Lowman Beach Park, the tennis court that’s a few steps east of it will be taken out too.
But a community effort to replace it elsewhere in the park is proceeding – and the big question, as discussed at an online meeting Wednesday night, is what exactly that replacement could/should offer – maybe more than racket sports.
More than 40 people attended.
One month ago, we reported on the Port of Seattle’s search for new names for some of its parks – and now just a few days are left until the August 31 deadline. Six Port-owned parks and shoreline access sites along the Duwamish River need new names “that reflect the cultural and environmental history of the area.”
The parks to be renamed are:
Terminal 117 Park
Terminal 107 Park
8th Avenue Street End
Turning Basin #3
Terminal 105 Park
Terminal 108 Park
(T-105 and T-107 are in West Seattle.) You can suggest names three ways:
–Online
-By voice mail – 206-385-9064
-Write on a postcard and text a photo to that same number
The port will choose three finalists for each and open a “public scoring period” in September.
As we mentioned last month, the Duwamish Tribe is asking for support to rename T-107 Park as Ha-ah-poos Duwamish Village Park. This video explains the history:
You can support their request by nominating that name, and supporting it in September.
Interested in what’s planned for the play-area move at Hiawatha Playfield/Community Center? You can see a briefing during tomorrow morning’s meeting of the city Landmarks Preservation Board‘s Architectural Review Committee. The project is in the board’s jurisdiction because Hiawatha is a landmark, one of the city’s historic Olmsted parks. You can preview the briefing packet here; the meeting, which starts with a public-comment period, is at 8:30 am Friday (August 28th), online – here’s the link. If you plan to comment, register here, or email your comment to erin.doherty@seattle.gov and/or sarah.sodt@seattle.gov. You can also listen to the meeting by calling 206-207-1700 and entering meeting access code 146 522 0524. (Thanks to Deb Barker, who recently completed two terms on the Landmarks Board, for the tip!)
One more reminder since we didn’t publish a daily-preview list today – if you’re interested in a racket court at Lowman Beach Park, once the seawall-removal project takes out the existing tennis court, don’t miss tonight’s online meeting – 6:30 pm. Our preview has info on how to view/participate.
(2012 Lowman Beach aerial photo – pre-Murray CSO Project – by Long Bach Nguyen
Reminder that tomorrow night is when you can find out about, and comment on, plans for a racket court at Lowman Beach Park. In case you missed the first announcement, this one’s from Parks:
While we cannot meet in person right now, your input is important to us! Seattle Parks and Recreation(SPR), Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, and Seattle Sports Complex Foundation invite the community to participate in an online meeting on August 26, 2020 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to learn about the challenges and opportunities of locating a new racket court at Lowman Beach Park. (Here’s the link – password lowmanbeach – or call 206-207-1700; for both, the access code is 146 008 1942.)
At Lowman Beach Park, 7017 Beach Dr. SW, the existing court will be removed as part of the Shoreline Restoration and Seawall Replacement project. A new racket court will provide recreation experience for all ages and will be ADA accessible. The community has come together to explore options to install a racket court because the existing one needs to be removed as part of the restoration project. Funding for the planning and design of the racket court is provided by the Department of Neighborhood Matching Fund.
The Lowman Beach Park seawall began to fail in 2015 and needs to be addressed. As visitors to the park have seen, the existing seawall is slowly falling over/sliding towards the water. SPR’s goal is to remove the existing seawall and continue the shoreline restoration work that began when the south half of the seawall failed in the mid-1990s and was removed.
(WSB photo, Thursday night)
9:46 AM: You’ll recall that last week, the Southwest Precinct‘s commander announced that Seattle Parks would cover the costs of having three officers on overtime be at Alki Thursdays through Saturdays to help enforce the 9:30 pm closing time. After one night – last Thursday – this was suspended, because, Capt. Kevin Grossman said, transferring money between departments would need council approval. We went immediately to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s office to find out what was being done about this; Friday afternoon, her legislative assistant Newell Aldrich told us they were awaiting more information from Parks because the situation was “complicated.” This morning, Aldrich has just updated us: “We heard from the City Budget Office that Parks will contract with off-duty officers hired through Seattle’s Finest to do the closing of Alki Beach and Don Armeni boat ramp at night. Parks has the resources and appropriation authority to pay for this work.” We are inquiring with Parks to find out how soon this will start.
10:14 AM: Seattle’s Finest, as noted in comments, is one of multiple companies through which off-duty officers freelance; here’s a link. Meantime, we just heard back from Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin, who says details, such as when this will start, are still being worked out.
As reported last year, the project to remove the failing seawall on the north side of Lowman Beach Park will also remove the park’s tennis court.
As noted at July’s Morgan Community Association meeting, community members are proposing a new racket-sport court elsewhere in the park, and they have announced a “virtual open house” for later this month. It’ll be at 6:30 pm Wednesday, August 26th.
Details for participating in the meeting are on this flyer.
1:18 PM: Even before last Sunday’s double shooting, Alki Beach residents say the nighttime state of things at the beach has been getting worse – the video above was sent by one reader just hours before the shooting, around midnight Saturday night. Among the problems, illegal beach fires have continued and seem to have grown in number many nights since Parks removed the fire rings (which had been locked anyway) two weeks ago, drawing SFD responses, as we noted last week. Another beach resident sent this photo showing some of the fires on Saturday night:
Fireworks are reported nightly, too.
Alki Beach Park is supposed to be closed at 9:30 pm; residents say a Parks crew makes that announcement but it’s inevitably ignored.
After the shooting last weekend, Southwest Precinct commander Capt.Kevin Grossman explained that SPD no longer has money for the “emphasis patrols” that had been sent to the beach in the past. But today, he announced an update: “The Parks Department has generously agreed to fund a three-officer detail to support Parks staff in closing Alki Beach and the Don Armeni Boat Ramp at night, starting tomorrow (Thursday), August 6th. The officers will work three hours, from 8-11 pm, every Thursday through Sunday night for the remainder of the summer, until Sunday, September 27th. We hope that this partnership between SPD and Parks will address some of the issues neighbors have been experiencing with noise, fires, alcohol use, and other parks violations at Alki and Don Armeni.” However, he added, don’t assume this detail will see everything, so keep calling 911 for emergencies.
On followup, he confirmed to WSB that the three officers will be on overtime (as were past “emphasis” patrols), with Parks footing the bill. We have a question out to Parks regarding how much money it’s providing, and whether that department has any other changes planned for Alki.
ADDED 12:37 PM THURSDAY: Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin replied, “Parks and Recreation is paying by shift but the amount will not exceed $27,000 for the remainder of the summer, the funds are coming from our Partnerships Division.”
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