Followup: Why the “Viaduct Closed” lights weren’t on Saturday

If you didn’t see it Saturday — either via WSB or via being stuck in it in person — Creighton sent that photo of the eastbound bridge backup during the Alaskan Way Viaduct‘s shutdown for the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon (compounded by other road changes/closures). SDOT did send out lots of advance warning, as noted here and elsewhere, but on Saturday, numerous WSBers reported that the “Viaduct Closed” warning lights in West Seattle and on The Bridge weren’t on. Marybeth Turner from SDOT acknowledges it was human error, not a mechanical problem:

SDOT’s procedure for using the warning lights that alert motorists that the Viaduct is closed is clear: in coordination with the Seattle Police Department, if the Viaduct is closed, the lights should be on. This weekend, the policy was not followed. We have re-acquainted and re-focused key staff on our procedure.

Something similar happened last October. The lights were installed in late 2007. ADDED 12:51 PM: So if it DOES happen again, whether a human or mechanical failure, is there a hotline to call? we asked. Turner’s reply:

People may call (206) 386-1218 and report the lights are not functioning. There is someone on hand to answer this phone 24-hours a day.

That’s the same number you’d call about emergency road problems “after hours.”

The WSB West Seattle 4th of July info page

June 30, 2009 10:12 am
|    Comments Off on The WSB West Seattle 4th of July info page
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

We’ve collected event listings, fireworks/travel/transportation/etc. information and other holiday notes on one page as in years past. See the 4th of July page here – and please let us know if you see something missing or have a holiday-related question it doesn’t answer. Thanks!

Townhouse talk tonight: City Council committee in West Seattle

Will Seattle’s future townhouses transcend the dominant design critiqued in that city photo/graphic? City Councilmember Sally Clark hopes so. Tonight — almost one full year after she, Mayor Nickels and West Seattle architect Brandon Nicholson stood together at the Capitol Hill announcement (July 2008 WSB coverage here) of the proposal to change the Multi-Family Code, particularly as it affects townhouse design, the committee Clark chairs brings the topic to West Seattle. At 6 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, her Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee convenes a “review and discussion of issues surrounding townhouses and other low-rise housing.” Those issues are detailed in this 12-page memo, if you have time for a little advance studying – after which, if you have something to say, tonight’s agenda has room for it, with a full hour set aside for public comment. (And if you want to check on the status of the entire Multi-Family Code proposal, that’s all here.)

West Seattle Hi-Yu: 2 awards; Junior Court call; reception tonight

June 30, 2009 6:03 am
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 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle news

Before you see it in the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 18, you should know the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float “How Sweet It Is” has been racking up awards elsewhere on the summertime community-parade circuit around Western Washington: Tim and Carol Winston from Hi-Yu just shared these photos from last weekend’s Port Orchard Fathoms O’Fun Parade, where it won the award displayed here by current Hi-Yu Queen Margo Femiano:

(The weekend before, the float won an award in the Marysville Strawberry Festival parade.) Margo’s close to the end of her reign, as are the rest of the Senior and Junior Court – here are two of the latter, Queen Zoe and Princess Elyse:

That brings us to two more items of Hi-Yu news: First, applications are still being taken for this year’s Junior Court. July 14 is the deadline; interviews and coronation are July 17. Download the official application form here. And you can meet current Junior and Senior Court members, as well as the Senior Court candidates tonight at the Hi-Yu White Rose Reception – a women-only event, Fauntleroy Church, 7 pm.

Newest look at a West Seattle semi-secret: Walker Rock Garden

Have to confess we STILL have not been there. But here’s the next best thing – Mary T tells the story of a Walker Rock Garden visit with words and pictures on her site Shelterrific. (The “garden” is also featured here on WSB in the West Seattle 101 section.)

2 days till closed West Seattle school reopens for summer session


View Larger Map

Thanks to a neighbor’s tip, we broke the news back in April that, two years after the district closed it, Fairmount Park Elementary would reopen for summer school this year. Now, we’ve now from the summer session site coordinator (principal), Angela Sheffey, who says teachers arrive Wednesday and students start next Monday – she wanted to share some data points with the community:

1. Summer school will be in session daily from July 1st to July 30th.
2. The school hours will be 8 AM to 1 PM.
3. We will have approx. 350 students attending summer school.
4. The faculty will need all of the (small) parking lot parking, as well as the street parking.
5. Please report any and all suspicious activity to the police @ 911

Sheffey says the students who will be at Fairmount Park are all grade-schoolers – second, third and fifth grade, to be specific. As for what’ll happen to the building – hit recently by break-ins – in the future: We reported last week that the city has provided opinions regarding possible uses of this closed school and 7 others citywide (including Genesee Hill and E.C. Hughes in West Seattle). The School Board, incidentally, meets Wednesday, with an agenda including a final vote on the sale of Jefferson Square “air rights” to the company that had been leasing them for the apartments over the shopping center.

Unconscious man on Metro bus in Fauntleroy

June 29, 2009 6:38 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

(photo added 7:11 pm)
First we heard the aid call for an unconscious (but responsive) man aboard a Metro bus at Fauntleroy/Fontanelle (map) … then Duyen sent a photo (which we’re not using) showing the same man, who had appeared to be asleep under a seat on the bus, a 54 express, as far back as downtown. We’re reporting this in case you passed the fire/medic units with the stopped bus along busy Fauntleroy and wondered what’s going on; as we finish writing this, the medics reported they’re doing CPR. More units are being called in. 7:12 PM UPDATE: No word on the man’s condition – because of medical privacy laws, we may not be able to find out. In addition to the fire/medical crews, Metro sent a supervisor, as you can see in the photo we just added.

Update: Basement fire at house in the 4100 block of 48th SW

(Photos by Christopher Boffoli, this one added 5:26 pm)
ORIGINAL 5:15 PM REPORT: Fire in a house – we’re on our way. According to the scanner, crews are searching the house (in the 4100 block of 48th – map) to make sure nobody’s inside. Also per the scanner – The fire’s in the basement and is now “tapped.” 5:24 PM UPDATE: WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is on the scene and reports “lots of smoke” before the fire was tapped. (photo added 6:11 pm)

The response has been scaled back but several engines remain on the scene, working to fully extinguish the basement fire. 5:42 PM UPDATE: Christopher spoke with the Fire Department’s incident commander, who confirms that nobody was hurt, and adds that investigators are on the way to figure out how the fire started.

West Seattle Crime Watch: “Just one time” = enough for theft

June 29, 2009 4:30 pm
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 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Car prowlers remain the most prolific criminals in West Seattle – striking at least three times a day in the past two months, per Southwest Precinct property-crime stats – and here’s another case. From the east side of Morgan Junction, Pamela and Andrew sent that photo; as he reports: “My car was broken into on Saturday night/Sunday morning close to 35th and Morgan [map]. The culprit smashed the back window of my car. The car alarm did not go off, or didn’t wake us. They took a bunch of computer hardware that was in the car. It’s all replaceable of course, but very annoying. I would encourage all W. Seattle residents to not leave stuff in your car around here, especially during the summer months. I normally take everything out of my car, but forgot just one time and suffered the consequences as a result.” Pamela added, “This is the first break-in/car break-in we have had in 11 years at the same home.”

Deadline extended: Delridge art project, skatepark “companion”

June 29, 2009 3:07 pm
|    Comments Off on Deadline extended: Delridge art project, skatepark “companion”
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts


View Larger Map

The deadline’s just been extended for artists to propose a project for the Delridge Community Center park (shown in clickable Google Street View above), explained by North Delridge’s Nancy Folsom as “a separate, companion project to the planned Delridge Skatepark. … Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is shepherding this community-driven project.” You have till July 31st to apply; as the application says in part,

The artist will consider the structure’s access and location to the skate park and accommodate its possible use by skateboarders, spectators, visitors, and neighbors. Design and placement of the artwork will focus on its relationship with the skate park and the social environment by serving as a gateway to the Delridge neighborhood.

Get the application here – and get it in by the end of July!

Another SODO traffic alert: 4th Avenue South repaving

From the city’s traffic-alert list for the SODO area (you can sign up for the list from the bottom of this page):

Repaving 4th Ave S between S Royal Brougham Way and Airport Way S begins tonight, Monday, June 29, and will continue through the end of July. In order to minimize traffic interruptions, most work will occur during the evening hours between 6 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

11 days till West Seattle Summer Fest: New web site, more info

Counting down now till the summer’s biggest West Seattle event, Summer Fest in The Junction (WSB sponsor) July 10-11-12, and we just got word its brand-new website is up, with even more details on the music, art, vendors, family fun, food, and other features we’ve been telling you about. Here’s the home page; vendors (with maps to their individual locations) here; music here; other entertainment here – and even more to explore.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Beach Drive boat stolen, recovered

We heard most of this play out on the scanner early this morning but didn’t get quite enough information to write about it till verifying with police – which now we’ve done: On Beach Drive around 4:30 this morning, police arrested two men who were caught with a stolen Zodiac watercraft. Neighbors noticed police had guns drawn as they made the stop – which we heard on the scanner, too – and Seattle Police media unit Officer Renee Witt explains that’s standard procedure for a “felony stop” (and theft of a large item qualifies). The theft had happened in the 3500 block of Beach Drive (map); the alleged thieves were stopped in the 6700 block, where the Zodiac was recovered. Officer Witt says the two suspects were booked into jail. (Thanks also to Denise and Leonard for e-mailing to ask about this.) One note about police activity in the middle of the night – often if we’re monitoring something but there’s not enough information yet for a report here on WSB, we publish a short note on Twitter (like this one regarding this incident), so check there too if you see/hear something going on – you don’t have to have an account to see our updates – twitter.com/westseattleblog.

Hiawatha Playfield work intensifies – including tree-cutting

As the Hiawatha Playfield renovation work intensifies, with dirt-moving having begun late last week, Dave e-mailed this morning to say the century-old elm tree by the field has just been cut down (same tree shown in the city photo at left). This has been in the plans for a long time, according to the story we published after a public meeting in December 2007, at which time the Parks Department said 14 trees in all – including that elm – would be coming down. Some things have since changed, though – like the timetable for the project, which was then expected to be built last year, but is just getting started now, and the price tag for the project, with bids that came in so low, Parks was able to move half a million dollars out of the budget to cover about 2/3 of the Delridge Skatepark project. There’s also a new project manager, and we’re working to get an official update from him on the timetable and what’ll be happening over the summer, as well as the latest on the tree-cutting that will be involved. (Parks had said at that 2007 meeting that the elm tree had suffered serious damage in an ice storm several years ago – note the uneven sides in the photo.) When the project’s done late this year, Hiawatha will have new lighting and new turf for full-size baseball, soccer and football fields (details here). 1:17 PM UPDATE: Stopped by Hiawatha for photos of what’s happening, including what’s left of the elm tree:

We also got a quick status report from project manager Garrett Farrell:

The contractor has removed the existing batting cages, backstop, bleachers and field lighting. Stripping of the old field surface is underway. The new underground irrigation and electrical work will follow.

Farrell notes the tree removal is also explained on the Hiawatha project’s webpage – it’s still expected to total 14 trees including this one; the other 13 are smaller/younger. ADDED 5:10 PM: Thanks to Forest for pointing out that the city’s been vigilant about elm-tree disease for months now — here’s info about the Elm Protection Program.

Looking ahead: Friday’s a holiday “too,” with changes/closures

Since July 4th is on Saturday this year, Friday is also a holiday for many – particularly government agencies. We’re still finalizing the 4th of July list of events and FYIs, but in the meantime, the FRIDAY changes include: Most government offices are closed; Metro buses will be on a Sunday schedule; the King County Water Taxi and shuttles are on a Saturday schedule; the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry will be on a holiday (Sat-Sun) schedule; most post offices will close at noon but there WILL be mail delivery service Friday (not on Saturday); note that trash/recycling/yard-waste service will be normal Friday AND Saturday. (And if you’re looking for July 3rd fireworks shows – none in West Seattle but there are a few in this statewide list of summer fireworks statewide.)

Camp Long announces July programs – including Shakespeare!

June 28, 2009 11:57 pm
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 |   Announcements

From Camp Long, its July program announcement:

Yoga in Nature

Sarah teaches with enthusiasm for personal growth and expression. She has studied Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga styles and from these roots, creates a unique blend of her own. She lives for her time outdoors; whether climbing, skiing, cycling, practicing yoga, or just being; she feels communion with nature is essential to contentment. “It is a very special opportunity to teach in such a beautiful setting as Camp Long. It is like escaping from the city, and treating yourself with the gift of mindfulness.” Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.
July 8 Wed 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Course #46363 Activity Fee $12

July 15 Wed 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Course #46364 Activity Fee $12

Water Calling: Mater Matrix Mother and Medium FREE
Artist Mandy Greer is creating a temporary artwork this summer at Camp Long in West Seattle. Titled Mater Matrix Mother and Medium celebrates the splendor of Seattle’s urban creeks and encourages stewardship of essential watersheds. This artwork commissioned with Seattle Public Utilities 1% for Art Funds administered by the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs in partnership with Restoring our Waters.

Meet the artist and witness the creation of the artwork. Greer will be installing her artwork near the Polliwog Pond.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, June 15-July 9 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Watch performance at Polliwog Pond July 16 at 6:30 p.m.
The project includes a performance produced by Greer in collaboration with choreographer and dancer Zoe Scofield.

View the art by Polliwog Pond June 15 thru July 31
Camp Long is open Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
For more information about ways to protect and improve Seattle’s urban waterway, visit the
Restore Our Waters webpage at http://www.seattle.gov/util/restorourwaters/

Camp Long Owls
Ages 5 and older
Will the juvenile Barred Owls be begging for food by hissing? Or will they be missing? Join us for some Barred Owl nightlife! Bring a flashlight. Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.
July 18 Sat 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Course #43268 Activity Fee $7

Family Butterfly and Bug Hunt
Ages 3 and older
Use butterfly nets to gently catch a variety of insects, then use magnifiers and bug boxes to look at them up close. Smaller students and scientists alike will learn from and enjoy this program. Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.
July 18 Sat 1 – 3 p.m.
Course #43276 Activity Fee $7

Shakespeare in the Park
Camp Long hosts Shakespeare this summer. FREE
The Life and Death of King John. This historical piece dramatizes the reign of King John of England (ruled 1199-1216). He is the son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and the father of Henry III. The play opens with a plea from the French King Phillip for King John to abdicate in favor of his nephew and includes dizzying changes of alliances, a Papal excommunication and a subsequent reconciliation. In the end… well, I don’t want to ruin it for you.
Camp Long July 24 Fri 7 p.m.

The Comedy of Errors. This is light, frothy entertainment, driven by coincidence and slapstick
humor all in a single day. The story centers around two sets of identical twins accidentally separated at birth. When Antipholus and his servant, Dromio, of Syracuse travel to Ephesus, they do not know about Antipholus and his servant Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusan twins encounter the friends and families of the Ephesus twins, there is a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities.
Camp Long July 25 Sat 7 p.m.

Beavers
All ages
Baffled by beavers? Come and learn about the dynamic life of these master builders and the very important ecological role they play. Join us in exploring the life, lodges, behaviors and physical adaptations of these industrious, fascinating and busy mammals. Also learn how we can live together with beavers in our backyards! Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.
Instructor: Sue Johnson
Location: Trailhead at 25th Ave SW and Brandon St.
July 25 Sat 1 – 3 p.m.
Course #43261 Activity Fee $7

Herbal Salve Making
Ages 12 and older
Jayne Simmons, farmer and owner of Sister Sage Herbs and Good Food Gardens, will teach this introductory herb class. Learn to identify the healing plants that are growing near your doorstep. See them prepared into a healing salve for cuts and burns. We will discuss the entire process of making the salve, from choosing the right plants for your situation, harvesting, drying, storage, and infusing herbs in oil. You’ll leave with a small container of salve and recipes for lip balm and other salves. We may have time to walk about and find some of the plants we discuss. Register by calling 684-7434
July 25 Sat 10 a.m. – Noon
Course #43296 Activity Fee $18

First Saturday Free Walks
Please register by calling 206-684-7434.

Longfellow Creek Yancy Street FREE
Dragonfly Pavilion
This is by far the coolest art you will ever find on a trail, unless you’re trekking the Southwest where petro glyphs are as common as cacti. Explore the north reaches of Longfellow Creek and Puget Park, both natural areas in the Delridge neighborhood. Find out about this great wildlife corridor. Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.

Location: SW Dakota and 28th Ave. SW – just south of Allstar Fitness
July 11 Sat 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Course #43277

Pritchard Beach FREE
This wonderful piece of property would never have undergone the most dramatic facelift had it not been for a small group of committed citizens who saw the potential of returning the property to its “natural” state. Bring you binoculars – there’s great birding at Pritchard! Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434
Location: Pritchard Beach – 8400 55th Ave S
July 11 Sat 2 – 5 p.m
Course #43285

Mee-Kwa-Mooks Beach Safari FREE
Ages 3 and older
Rejuvenate at the end of your week and enjoy some of the best low tides of the year. Find amazing marine animals and intertidal plant life, and discover the fascinating interrelationships within the tidal zone! Dress for possible windy weather and wear shoes that can get wet and handle slippery surfaces. Register no later than one day prior to class by calling 684-7434.

Location: Me-Kwa-Mooks Park
July 18 Sat 9 – 11 a.m.
Course #43301

Tot Treks and Tyke Hikes

Tot Treks
Ages 2 – 3
Adults – share nature with your children! In a local park where the grass and ferns grow, beneath the tall, old trees, is a special place for you and a child to explore. Learn effective and fun outdoor activities and ideas for other times and places. Please arrive 10 minutes before class time and wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Up to two children can be registered with each adult. Sorry, no strollers.
Activity Fee: $7 per adult/child pair. $3.50 for each additional person

Flower Fun!
Please register by July 4
July 7 Tue 10 – 11 a.m.
Course #43308

Beach Fun!
Please register by July 18
Location: Me-Kwa-Mooks Park
July 21 Tue 10 – 11 a.m.
Course #43309

Camp Long is at 5200 35th SW (map).

Charlestown Café changes and challenges, 1 year later

This Tuesday will mark 1 year since West Seattle’s Charlestown Cafe reopened after repairs from a fire that came on the heels of a long fight over its site’s future. Seemed like the time to check in to see how things are going – and we found out some surprises:

Story and photos by Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The one-year anniversary of the re-opening of Webster’s Charlestown Street Café is a bittersweet celebration for Ron Hanlon, owner of the West Seattle fixture.

A fire in the stove hood in February 2008 closed the Charlestown Café for months while Hanlon, the café property owner and the insurance company haggled over details. The restaurant with the something-for-everyone menu finally reopened June 30 last year. Just in time for what some have nicknamed the Great Recession.

Hanlon’s longtime business partner Larry Mellum moved on earlier this year, expanding Pike Place Chowder to Pacific Place downtown. But Hanlon is staying put at Charlestown, and in West Seattle, where he has owned restaurants for 30 years.

“I’m going to ride this to the end,” he said this week.

Read More

West Seattle Crime Watch notes: Stolen car? plus, car break-in

First, from Betsy in North Delridge:

If you are missing your gray Toyota Camry with license plates 817 xv-, it is sitting on 26th Ave SW just north of Graham SW, missing some parts.

Meantime, a separate note out of the WSB inbox included the following photo and report:

From the accompanying e-mail:

I just wanted to inform neighbors of West Seattle Alki of my car that was broken into on the night of Thursday June 25th. I was staying at my friend’s house who lives on Alki Beach drive across from Jacobson street … My car was securely locked and my alarm was on when a burglar had broken in. My passenger side window had been punched in and the my pink bag filled with clothes, an orange makeup bag and lotions were taken. Nobody in the house had been awaken by my car alarm we think it happened around the time frame of 2:00-4:00 AM. … I have heard of many other cases like this happening in the past couple weeks and I hope they find the thief soon. I have reported this case to the police and so far nobody has been caught.

Video: Kitten adopt-a-thon happening now on Alki

Quick Flip clip of a few of the 11 kittens who were up for adoption when we stopped by All the Best Pet Care (next to Cactus) on Alki a little while ago. (We shot through a tent net – a few others are in a cage with quite the Puget Sound view.) The adopt-a-thon in connection with Feral Care continues till 5 pm. (Animal communicator Joy Turner is there too, as per the original announcement – her fees today are benefiting Feral Care.)

West Seattle Farmers Market updates & Skillet surprise

(photos added just after 2 pm)

Out in The Junction for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market‘s 10th anniversary bash – huge crowd – but a couple things you might want to know if you haven’t been yet: The free berry mini-sundaes just ran out, after – according to the servers – they gave out about 600 in the first two hours of the market. There are unannounced freebies here and there – be sure to stop by the West Seattle Junction Association booth at the southwest entrance, where you’ll find free kids’ T-shirts (adults’ T-shirts with The Junction logo are $10) — Linda from Clementine was on duty when we stopped by:

And you can get your first look at the cool poster for West Seattle Outdoor Summer Movies on the Wall (co-sponsored by WSB):

We also discovered a surprise to the south – Skillet IS here in West Seattle today after all, though their schedule and Twitter feed said they’d be at the Sounders game:

The folks at the trailer told us it’s a mix-up (as was finally tweeted – though we tweeted the discovery first) – they got here and then found out they were supposed to be at the game, but it’s too late to pack up and move, so they’re here for the usual duration (till about 2). Westside Dermatology (WSB sponsor) parking lot. Also at the Market, the 34th District Democrats are at the northeast entrance, registering voters (if you need to change your address, you can do that at their table too) – just a month till primary ballots go out (in the photo, added later, Jackie and Helen) –

And much more is happening, including the Square 1 Books (WSB sponsor) tent sale near the 34th DDs (alley entrance by KeyBank):

That’s proprietor Gretchen and son Jasper. Also sighted, the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) Piecemakers selling raffle tickets for this quilt:

The Piecemakers meet Wednesdays at 1 pm; raffle proceeds will benefit Y kids’ programs and Fauntleroy Church – and you’ve got plenty of time to get a ticket, since the raffle’s not till November.

From West Seattle to the world: Hams wrap up “Field Day”

June 28, 2009 11:23 am
|    Comments Off on From West Seattle to the world: Hams wrap up “Field Day”
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

24 hours of talking to the world – and it’s just wrapping up now on the south side of the South Seattle Community College campus atop West Seattle’s Puget Ridge. Amateur-radio operators (“hams”) all over the world join in Field Day, including the locals we checked in with this morning, who’d been at it since 11 am Saturday (here’s the preview we published Friday) – the picture above was taken inside the yurt they set up on SCCC’s open field. Joel Ware told WSB they’ve talked with folks as far away as Sweden and Japan. And they’re particularly proud of their off-the-grid power setup:

Note, that’s wind AND solar. The event, by the way, was sponsored by the Seattle Auxiliary Communication Service, which has other exercises throughout the year to make sure they’re ready to assist in case of catastrophe (we covered one — also at SSCC, but indoors — last October). In addition to that weblink on their name, you can also find Seattle ACS on Twitter (@SeattleACS).

Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza: Time-capsule, brick-search updates

June 28, 2009 10:48 am
|    Comments Off on Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza: Time-capsule, brick-search updates
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty | West Seattle history | West Seattle parks

This morning, we have a photo and update from David Hutchinson with the Seattle (Alki) Statue of Liberty Project, as “Phase 2” of brick installation winds up and they look ahead to installation of the new time capsule:

We stopped by the Log House Museum today and Andrea Mercado gave us a look at the lid that will seal the Time Capsule for the next 50 years. The bronze plaque that will be mounted in the landing at the top of the steps has also arrived at the Museum. Installation specs have be sent to Seattle Parks & Recreation and planning is moving ahead for the burial of the Capsule at the site.

All bricks have been installed and the few that had engraving errors are being completed by Kenadar and should arrive at the Parks Project Manager’s office on Monday, June 29th. They will then be placed in the Plaza. We have had a number of e-mails and calls from donors requesting help in finding their bricks. An index of the new bricks has been completed and will be posted on the Sealady website shortly – www.sealady.org . If you’re looking for your brick it’s helpful to know that over half of the 852 new bricks were installed in the landing at the top of the steps. Approximately 100 were installed in each of the two paths to the sides of the main Plaza and only about 200 were used in the floor of Plaza itself to fill out the original spiral design. Be sure to check the upper landing and paths and if you still can’t locate you brick, contact Eilene at sslpp@msn.com or 206-933-8352, and we will give you an approximate location.

Your West Seattle Sunday: Some of the highlights

KITTEN, ANYONE? Noon-5 pm, it’s an adopt-a-thon at All the Best Pet Care on Alki.

E-CYCLING AT THE WELLNESS FAIR: Happening again today, 11 am-6 pm, Metropolitan Market. Find out here what’s free and what’s not.

WHAT’S FRESH AT THE FARMERS’ MARKET? We previewed today’s 10th anniversary “Berry Spectacular” here. And of course, there’s the regular yummy goodness at the 10 am-2 pm market – here’s this week’s Ripe ‘n’ Ready rundown – and don’t forget the Square 1 Books (WSB sponsor) “no-tax” tent sale at the WSFM.

BUCKETS OF BERRIES FOR SALE: Also noted last night – 11 am-1 pm, the Rotary Club of West Seattle has about two dozen buckets of strawberries left to sell, south parking lot of Admiral Safeway.