West Seattle, Washington
07 Sunday
Two closure alerts from Seattle Parks: First, all of its community centers, pools, and teen life centers will be closed on Thursday, September 13th – one week from today – for staff training. The announcement adds, “The only programs that will be operating will be Preschool and School Aged Care; all other programs, lessons and activities will be canceled for the day.” September 13th also will be the start of a monthlong closure for Southwest Pool; it’s scheduled to shut down for a month of upgrades/renovations, primarily to improve accessibility, reopening October 15th.
1:13 AM: If you’ve got Shelter 4 on the Lincoln Park shore booked for a Labor Day picnic – be forewarned. Kevin sent the photo late Sunday night:
We were down there walking this evening around 10 pm and came across one of the most disgusting messes that we’ve ever seen. It’s quite heartbreaking to see a public space in our neighborhood treated with so little care.
We made some attempt at cleaning up, but it was very dark and my phone was about to die and it provided the only light. We made a dent, but the size of the mess was quite overwhelming. I’ve called Seattle Parks about it also, but safe to say they won’t get the message until Tuesday – hopefully there’s some recourse from them to whoever had the reservation. Words can’t do the mess justice. … I can only imagine the poor folks who show up tomorrow for a Labor Day picnic and have to deal with that before they can have their own day – at least it will be light.
I’m sure people leave picnic sites in an untidy state quite often, sadly… but the absolute magnitude of this mess and the disrespect to others left us dismayed and angry.
MONDAY AFTERNOON: Commenters who’ve since been to the park say this has been cleaned up. Given that so many unused items were among what was left behind, some wondered if what happened was an abrupt emergency departure. The archived real-time 911 log shows a medical response at the park at 4:42 pm, but there’s no way to tell whether it was related.
(Schurman Rock photo courtesy Seattle Parks)
Just one week until the next Mountain Fest at Camp Long! Here’s the reminder from Seattle Parks:
Join Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Friends of Camp Long for Camp Long Mountain Fest, a celebration of Seattle’s vibrant outdoor community and Camp Long’s place in mountaineering history. This free, family-friendly event will take place at the Camp Long Environmental Learning Center (5200 35th Ave. SW) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 8, 2018.
All participants of Mountain Fest will enjoy a day of free access to rock climbing, rappelling, mountain-themed games and activities, and opportunities for nature-based learning. Event participants can develop outdoor living skills and experience an array of programs offered by Camp Long and other local organizations.
Mountain Fest activities will be made accessible to all people, regardless of their experience level, allowing beginners, intermediate, and advanced climbers and adventurers of all ages to enjoy the event*.
The goal of Mountain Fest is to continue the tradition started by Judge William G. Long and Clark Schurman, two of the founders of Camp Long, of providing access to outdoor recreation and education to all people, particularly underserved youth.
For more information about the event, please call 206-684-7415. Camp Long Mountain Fest is sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation, Associated Recreation Council, Mountain Madness, Vertical World, 4-H, and the Falconer.
*Space for climbing and ropes course is limited, so we encourage early arrival to the festival and sign-up. Waivers are required for all climbing activities and will be available at the lodge. Participants need to wear closed-toed shoes. High ropes course is limited to height and weight that fit harnesses and to those who have the physical ability to participate safely.
(Colman Pool, photographed last year by Long Bach Nguyen)
Just announced by Seattle Parks via Twitter: “Colman Pool will be opening today for regularly scheduled programming. Thanks to our Facilities staff for their work fixing the broken pump.” The historic outdoor saltwater pool on the Lincoln Park shore has been closed since Monday afternoon because of the breakdown. Its 7-day-a-week season runs through Labor Day, and then the pool will close except for one postseason weekend, Saturday-Sunday, September 8-9. You can see the pool schedule here.
(Closure-alert sign at south Lincoln Park lot – thanks to Venkat for the photo)
Thanks for the tips! The phone recording for Colman Pool now says it will be closed again Wednesday. The outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore has been closed since Monday afternoon because of mechanical trouble. This is the last week of the pool’s short summer 7-days-a-week schedule; after Labor Day, it’s scheduled to close until one last post-season weekend, September 8-9.
7:30 PM WEDNESDAY NOTE: Just checked web, Twitter, phone and not seeing/hearing anything yet on status for Thursday.
12:01 AM THURSDAY NOTE: We checked again, no update yet for the day ahead.
6:06 PM: Thanks to Barbara for the tip: Colman Pool closed early today because of a problem. Seattle Parks says they hope to be able to reopen tomorrow. We’ll check in the a.m. and include the info in our daily highlight list. This is the last full week of operation this year at the outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore; after Labor Day, it’ll be closed except for one postseason weekend September 8th-9th.
8:21 PM: Parks now says swim lessons are canceled at Colman tomorrow because of the pump problem. No official call yet on the pool status beyond that.
9:12 AM TUESDAY: Closed today.
Photos by Leda Costa for West Seattle Blog
Joining a breakdance workshop with the DogPound Crew – above are Dan, Robert, and Sammy – was one of the many ways to spend the second and final day of the 2018 Arts In Nature Festival, presented at Camp Long by the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. The dancers were inside the park’s historic lodge, but much more was happening outside – especially at the cabins:
Above, at Cabin 1, Degenerate Art Ensemble‘s “Skeleton Flower Seed Ceremony” invited people to anonymously share their stories of dealing with challenges. Below, at Cabin 7, Paul Kikuchi presented an interactive sound installation in collaboration with his brother Joel Kikuchi:
Visitors at “Robotic Ensemble” played traditional Japanese instruments remotely using low-fi robotic hands, blending with pre-recorded soundscapes. Meantime, at Cabin 8:
That’s part of Celeste Cooning‘s “Cut Paper Meets Digital Media.” All around Camp Long, art was happening, including Angelina Villalobos creating a painting:
This is the third year that DNDA has presented the festival, whose founding organization Nature Consortium became part of DNDA in 2016.
Thanks to Carey Drewes-Moore for the photos and report – including a Sunday morning offer for you!
Muriel, Lauren, and Kassidy from Girl Scout Troop 45120 came up with a fantastic idea for their Silver Award Project of replacing the signs at both entrances to Schmitz Preserve Park in hopes that hikers will be able to have a better understanding of the trails system.
They also offered historic information and information on some of the plants to stay away from while in the park on their signs. Because the park is a preserve, signs on the trails are not allowed, to preserve the natural environment. They each spent close to fifty hours researching and revising their plan, communicating with the city, and bringing together all their information to create the new signs. (On Friday), the girls installed both signs.
They are hosting a map handout for those looking for an awesome West Seattle hike on Sunday morning from 8-10 am at the Admiral entrance of Schmitz Preserve Park. We will have coffee, donuts, and maps to hand out!
Another first tonight – the first family-movie night for Roxhill Park Champions, community volunteers working on a brighter future for the park. “Wall-E” is on the big screen right now; everybody there got free treats:
Also sponsoring the event: The Seattle Park Commons program, which is explained here along with how you can get involved with future community planning for Roxhill Park.
4:39 PM: Just announced by Seattle Parks: Because of the unhealthy air, it’s closing its outdoor pools as well as the remaining still-in-operation wading pools, through tomorrow. Colman Pool is closing at 4:45 pm, and wading pools (including Lincoln Park) were to begin draining an hour ago. (Sprayparks weren’t mentioned, so we’re checking on their status.)
5:06 PM: Parks’ Christina Hirsch replied that sprayparks are staying open. (West Seattle’s lone spraypark is in Highland Park at 1100 SW Cloverdale.)
(WSB photo from 2017 Arts in Nature Festival)
By this weekend, the air is expected to be clearer, and that’s a good thing given the number of big outdoor events on the schedule! Among them: The 19th annual Arts in Nature Festival at Camp Long, presented by Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. The festival spans both Saturday and Sunday, with visual and performing artists all around the sprawling, forest-and-meadow West Seattle park. You can see the full schedule here; find out more about the artists here. As explained here, this isn’t just a festival where you go to watch and listen – it’s also a festival where you experience and create. (And don’t miss what’s happening in and around the cabins!) You will be inspired and stirred on Saturday night by musical headliners Total Experience Gospel Choir, led by Rev. Pat Wright, who’s talking about retirement, so this might be one of your last chances to see and hear her! Festival hours are noon-9 pm Saturday and noon-6 pm Sunday; tickets are discounted when you buy online in advance, so do that here ASAP! (WSB is a co-sponsor of this year’s festival.)
Thanks to Erin for the tip: The High Point Play Area relocation/renovation project is starting work. It’s been more than a year since the Seattle Parks open houses on this playground project – one of several in the works – so it fell off our radar. The project website has full details, noting that the $700,000 project will more than quadruple the playground’s size while also improving safety and accessibility. The contractor is LW Sundstrom.
We’ve been reporting on the community members and neighbors working to bring more events to Roxhill Park. The next one is the first Family Movie Night in the park, this Friday (August 24th)! The movie is the animated classic “Wall-E.” If you haven’t already seen it in our calendar, here’s the invitation from Roxhill Park Champions:
Bring blankets and low chairs to the central lawn in Roxhill Park starting at 7:30 pm.
Show starts at dusk just after 8:15 pm. Children must be with an adult to watch the film.Popcorn, sweets, and bottled water will be provided to the first 100 attendees.
The film screening and refreshments are being brought to you by the community-led Roxhill Park Champions in partnership with the Seattle Parks Commons Program.
The park is at 29th/Barton.
(WSB photo)
Someone texted us at sunset wondering if that was another movie crew at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, with bright lights and a luxury motor home nearby. Nope – just the setup for an “installation” by three “influencers,” to be open for viewing 8 am-8 pm tomorrow in honor of National Thrift Shop Day. Backstory’s in the preview we published after a PR person pinged us Tuesday.
(WSB photo from 2017 Camp Momentia at Camp Long)
If someone in your family is living with memory loss – you might want to sign up for Camp Momentia, happening next month in West Seattle! Here’s the announcement:
Camp Momentia: A day-camp experience for people living with memory loss and family and friends. Explore, create, and connect at historic Camp Long in West Seattle. Enjoy nature, art-making, storytelling, s’mores, singing around the campfire, and more!
Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16*, 10 am – 3 pm
Registration: Required. One-day registration only. $20 to register, includes lunch. One care partner per participant is welcome free of charge.
Space is limited. Contact Cayce Cheairs by Wednesday, August 29: 206-615-0100, cayce.cheairs@seattle.gov
*Sunday is a family-friendly day, welcoming youth over 9 years old free of charge.
Transportation: Optional van transportation is available from Northgate and Rainier CC.
Offered in partnership: Seattle Parks and Recreation, PNA-Greenwood Senior Center, Providence Mount St. Vincent, Senior Center of West Seattle. Sponsored by: Aegis Living on Madison, Aegis Living of West Seattle, and Quail Park Memory Care Residences of West Seattle
Momentia is a grassroots movement empowering people with memory loss and their loved ones to remain connected and active in the community. www.momentiaseattle.org
The city has announced the winning projects in this year’s round of “participatory budgeting.” From the announcement:
The results are in! More than 7200 community members voted for their favorite park and street projects and 51 projects have been selected. It’s all part of the city’s Your Voice, Your Choice: Parks & Streets, a participatory budgeting program in which community members democratically decide how to spend a portion of the City’s budget. …
The projects were selected from more than 1,000 ideas submitted in February by community members across Seattle. These ideas were evaluated and honed by more than 500 volunteers who participated on Project Development Teams that met in each Council District. This spring, Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle Parks and Recreation provided cost estimates for the proposals. Then beginning in June, community members ages 11 and above voted by Council District for their favorite projects online and at in-person polling stations at Seattle libraries.
With $3 million available, a maximum of $285,000 was allocated for each City Council District. The remaining $1 million was designated for funding projects in the City’s Equity and Environment Initiative Focus Areas—geographic areas where communities of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, Native peoples, and limited-English proficiency individuals tend to live. Overall, 20 projects located in these Focus Areas received awards.
Many communities embraced the voting process, especially Districts 1 and 2 whose residents cast nearly 40% of the total votes received. “Programs like Your Voice, Your Choice are important,” observed Kim Schwarzkopf, District 1 resident and Your Voice Your Choice Steering Committee member. “It is a simple way for people to get involved, connect with their neighbors, and make a positive impact in their community.”
Here are the winning projects in West Seattle and South Park:
DISTRICT 1
Riverview/Puget Ridge: Pedestrian Lighting Improvements at SW Morgan St bus stop near South Seattle College (Cost: $90,000, Total Votes: 287)
South Park: Intersection Improvements at Dallas Ave S, 12th Ave S, and Thistle St (Cost: $3,500, Total Votes: 290)*
South Park: Walkway Improvements on S Cloverdale St under SR-99 overpass (Cost: $90,000, 60% design only, Total Votes: 364)*
South Park: Signage Improvements at S Henderson St and 12th Ave S. (Cost $2,000, Total Votes: 208)*
North Admiral: Crossing Improvements on California Ave SW and SW College St (Cost: $90,000, Total Votes: 277)
North Delridge: Improvements to basketball courts at Delridge Community Center (Cost: $7,000, Total Votes: 367)
North Delridge: Equipment Refurbishment at Puget Boulevard Commons/Cottage Grove Park (Cost: $90,000, Total Votes: 271)
Fauntleroy: Benches in Lincoln Park (Cost: $15,330, Total Votes: 355)
Roxhill/South Delridge: Trail Improvements at Roxhill Park (Cost: $88,800, Total Votes: 305)*
Those 9 projects were among 11 that went up for a vote in our area back in June. (Our June story also linked to individual infosheets on each proposal, if you’re looking for more details on any of them.)
That’s a rendering of what you’ll see on the lawn at Don Armeni Boat Ramp this Friday in honor of National Thrift Shop Day, according to an announcement we received today from a public-relations firm on behalf of Value Village. The announcement says the company has partnered “with three Seattle influencers to spark thrift-spiration and celebrate secondhand style. The influencers … have been tasked to style a distinct space in the same reused shipping container – using thrifted items, of course. … The event illustrates how thrift lets any shopper express their unique point of view, stand out from the crowd and celebrate their individuality — no matter their design aesthetic, life stage or price point.” The “influencers” are Joanna Hawley, Emma Cortes, and Charles Koh. No sales/shopping involved, but you’re welcome to visit, 8 am-8 pm Friday (August 17th).
(WSB file photo, Delridge wading pool)
If you and your little one(s) have been enjoying the Seattle Parks wading pools this summer – here’s a reminder: Except for Lincoln Park wading pool, open daily (weather permitting) through Labor Day (September 3rd), this is the last week for the city’s wading pools. In our area:
SOUTH PARK’S LAST DAY: Thursday (August 16th)
EC HUGHES’S LAST DAY: Friday (August 17th)
HIAWATHA’S LAST DAY: Saturday (August 18th)
DELRIDGE’S LAST DAY: Sunday (August 19th)
P.S. West Seattle’s only spraypark, Highland Park, will – like the Lincoln Park wading pool – be open daily, 11 am-8 pm, through Labor Day.
Quick followup on the city’s planned purchase of a parcel expanding the Orchard Street Ravine “passive park” in Gatewood – the $235,000 purchase, to be funded by Park District levy money, just got unanimous final approval from the full Council. The 5600-square-foot parcel at 7137 38th SW, on a slope past a dead end (shown on this map), currently holds a dilapidated house that will be demolished, with an additional ~$125,000 to be spent on that and other costs. Full backstory is in our two previous reports – here and here.
(Slide from presentation to committee)
The vote was 4-0 minutes ago as the City Council’s Civic Development, Public Assets, and Native Communities Committee gave their approval to buying a 5,600-square-foot parcel for expansion of the Orchard Street Ravine. We previewed the proposal in this story; if the full Council gives final approval next Monday, the site at 7137 38th SW (shown on this map)will be bought with $235,000 in Park District levy money. The presentation at today’s meeting was relatively short; earlier, as expected, several neighbors and community advocates spoke in favor of the purchase. (4:59 PM UPDATE: Here’s the Seattle Channel video – this is the last item, 46 minutes in.) The councilmembers present and voting yes today were committee chair Debora Juarez, Lorena González, Sally Bagshaw, and Lisa Herbold, who said as the meeting wrapped up that she’d heard another OSR neighbor is interested in donating/selling land, and Seattle Parks reps confirmed they’re looking into that.
Back in June, we covered Seattle Parks visiting Puget Ridge to show the draft plan for overhauling the neighborhood playground. Now, with the feedback gathered during that meeting and a gathering in April, there’s a “preferred design” – you can see it above (or here). The announcement explains that it is “based on the public input, accessible standards, other park design standards, and budget limitations. The intent of the preferred design is to maintain the bones of the existing park, include new play structures that are accessible to all abilities – focused on young kids, and improve seating and gathering.” Got feedback? Parks will take comments until August 13th – email project planner Libby Hubson at libby.hudson@seattle.gov. The project team told us in June they hope to start work this fall on the overhaul, budgeted at $300,000.
The Gatewood park known as Orchard Street Ravine might soon be a little bigger. Tomorrow, a City Council committee will consider the proposed purchase of a parcel adjacent to OSR, 7137 38th SW, a 5,600-square-foot parcel north of park boundaries (as shown on this map), currently holding the dilapidated century-plus-old house shown in the King County Assessor’s Office photo above. The purchase price would be $235,000, and it would come from Park District levy funds. Documents for tomorrow’s meeting of the Civic Development, Public Assets, and Native Communities Committee show the city expects to spend an additional $25,000 on “staff time, title insurance, and closing cost,” plus “up to $100,000 for demolition of the house.” We’re told that local residents plan to speak in favor of the purchase at tomorrow’s committee meeting, which includes a public-comment period. They will include members of the Friends of Orchard Street Ravine and Morgan Community Association, says MoCA president Deb Barker, who shared a letter that park steward Carol Schultz sent to the committee, saying in part:
We’re excited to hear that the proposal is coming before the committee for review tomorrow. I wanted to contact you and let you know that there are many supporters and users of Orchard Street Ravine. After many years of volunteer work it is now a beautiful green space with a stairway and trails connecting neighborhoods and nature.
With the increasing density of West Seattle the proposed park expansion will be a real benefit to the community and natural habitat. Orchard Street Ravine is an important green spaces connector as well as a beautiful natural area. A stairway built as part of the 2006 bond connects upper and lower parts of the neighborhood. It is a link in the Green Crescent or Morgan Junction Loop trail. The trail connects Morgan Junction, Orchard Street Ravine, Solstice Park, Lincoln Park, and Lowman Beach Park helping to create a total of a 2.5 mile walk. It is listed in the King County West Seattle Trails map.
The 2006 bond also set up a Vegetation Management Plan for reforestation with native plantings that we’ve been following since then. We’ve gradually reforesting what used to be a jungle of blackberries, ivy and clematis vine. We plant hundreds of new native plants every year and it’s now filled with NW native plants and wildlife and birds have returned. … Approving the proposed expansion would be a real benefit to the community and environment.
You can see the slide deck prepared for tomorrow’s meeting (2 pm Wednesday) here. If the committee approves the purchase, it would move on to a final vote by the full City Council.
7:54 PM: As guessed by WSB commenters last month when we published word of a somewhat mysterious private event set for Don Armeni Boat Ramp tonight, it’s indeed Diner en Blanc – Seattle, the latest local event in which hundreds of people pay for the privilege of dressing in white and bringing a picnic to a location that’s kept secret until they’re bused there.
Thanks for the texted video and photo! We expect to add more later. The event is scheduled to continue until about 11 pm.
ADDED 8:24 PM: Another photo we’ve received:
(Thanks to Craig Baerwaldt for that photo and this next one:)
Participants had to bring their own tables and chairs as well as providing their own picnic!
9:52 PM: Another photo from Craig, after sunset:
Side note: We checked yesterday and this morning and noticed there were no “No Parking” signs for this event at or near Don Armeni, just the NP signage for a film shoot tomorrow. Then a reader e-mailed us this afternoon to say they encountered someone amending the signs to kick in at 4 pm today instead, with just hours’ advance. Let us know if you got a ticket as a result.
ADDED EARLY FRIDAY: Thanks to West Seattle videographer Mark Jaroslaw for putting together and sharing this look at the evening’s festivities – including music, dancing, and candlelight:
Mark says 1,200 people were there.
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