An announcement from the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council reminds us of one other event tonight – the citywide public hearing on how the next round of Opportunity Fund dollars from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy should be spent. The levy’s Oversight Committee – with two members from West Seattle, chair Pete Spalding and Dorsol Plants – is having the hearing 6-9 pm at Miller Community Center (330 19th Ave. E.; map) on Capitol Hill (here’s the Parks announcement), and it’s a chance for people to speak out in support of projects that didn’t make the tentative cut as well as those that did. (Here’s a Parks FAQ about how the hearing’s supposed to work.)

Currently, the two projects in our region that are on the committee’s draft list for funding (see it here) are at Camp Long and in South Park – but the committee hasn’t drawn up its final list yet, and even once it has, there’s the possibility of funding from other related sources. Ahead, the GSNC’s pitch for why it’s hoping for a show of support tonight regarding the projects in its area:

Although our projects did not make the first round of funding, there is some remaining funding available and we very much want to indicate our continued support for the two proposals below. Some of the proposals from other parts of the city have had large groups of supporters at the hearings, while our group has been very small so far. We would love to have a similarly large group to show support for our proposals. Please come support one project or both at a single meeting, your choice!

Genesee Hill Site
Your voice is needed to make the new school at Genesee Hill a green space that is welcoming to students and families in the neighborhood. The Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council has requested $850,000 from the Parks Department for funds to complement the new school, to include such features as enhanced open spaces, outdoor study area, amphitheater, water feature/rain garden, student gardens, a meandering trail and preschool play area. Please come to the Parks Department Meeting at the Miller Community Center on Capitol Hill (330 19th Ave. E.) on Monday, April 22nd, 6:00 to 9:00, to show your support and to tell the Parks Dept. why the new school and neighborhood need open green space for recreation and nature.

48th & Charlestown Green Space Acquisition
You can make a difference in the neighborhood. The Parks Dept. is considering purchasing the empty lot at 48th Ave. SW & SW Charlestown Street for a future park. Please come and join members of the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council to support a new park. We need community members who care about open green spaces to come to the Parks Department Meeting at the Miller Community Center on Capitol Hill (330 19th Ave. E.) on Monday, April 22nd, 6:00 to 9:00, to show your support and to tell the Parks Dept. why the neighborhood needs open green space for recreation, gardening, and nature.