West Seattle, Washington
14 Saturday
Thanks to Nancy Folsom for the photo and word that the Delridge wading pool is open after all – we got a note about that yesterday but hadn’t gotten time yet today to check – as we noted earlier in the week, the Parks Department website had pushed back the opening date to next Monday, but looks like they got it going in time for this warm, sunny weekend. Hours are scheduled to be noon-7 pm; it’s the second West Seattle wading pool to open this season – later than usual because of mandatory safety upgrades. So now Lincoln Park and Delridge are open; Hiawatha is scheduled to open July 27, but neighbors might check sooner, in case it happens earlier, as it has done in Delridge.
That was the scene one sunny afternoon last August, as the Southwest Precinct‘s annual Picnic at the Precinct took over SW Webster west of Delridge for an afternoon of fun, free food and community mingling. The city’s Delridge District Service Coordinator Ron Angeles has just circulated this note inviting community groups to participate:
The Southwest Police Precinct is having their annual “Picnic at the Precinct” community BBQ on Saturday, August 15th. Community groups are now being recruited to have a free information table at the event. It’s a great way for organizations to reach a huge cross-section of the West Seattle community. To reserve a table, please contact Pete Spalding at bayouwonder@comcast.net
And even if you’re not interested in tabling – mark your calendar for the afternoon of August 15th! (Speaking of crimefighting-related block parties: Registration continues for the annual Night Out – if you register in advance, you get to close your non-arterial street to traffic that night, August 4 – here’s where to go to sign up and get more info – deadline 7/31.)
Even if you’re not in the area, you may have heard a lot of sirens within the past hour – here’s what it was about: A crash at Andover/Delridge (map) originally went out as a “heavy rescue” call – it closed before too long, but North Delridge’s Nancy Folsom (who provided the photo) says the crash involved a car and a truck from nearby Nucor, and blocked the intersection for a while. We’ll be checking to see if anyone was seriously hurt. 1:40 PM UPDATE: No serious injuries, according to fire department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen.
First update from tonight’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting (another to come): NDNC co-vice-chair Betsy Hoffmeister announced that they’ve secured commitments for all the volunteer help needed on Friday, July 17th, 
the day the new Delridge Community Center playground will be built – but other types of help are still needed: For one, they need more food to keep all those volunteers fed, and/or money to buy food. For two, they need tents – “awning-style tents,” Betsy explained, mostly to be used to shelter a child-care area that’ll be set up on the tennis courts, since they’re expecting some of the participants that day to bring their kids. “Everybody in the community needs to bring their tents, or else we’re going to be roasty-toasty,” she said cheerily tonight. And one last loose end: There will be a fundraising raffle, with tickets sold at the upcoming West Seattle Summer Fest, to raise a few hundred dollars needed to cover some remaining expenses. (The playground itself is costing very little thanks to donations including the umbrella organization KaBoom!, which builds playgrounds nationwide, and the Bank of America Foundation.) 
Betsy also shared an update on what’s happened to the old equipment (May photo at right) taken from the playground site (as reported last weekend, the site’s been cleared) – aside from the merry-go-round, which is in storage until it’s decided whether a grant might be pursued to get safety upgrades so it could be reinstalled, the other equipment was taken to the town of Cathlamet on the Columbia River (map), where Betsy says it was greeted with great enthusiasm. “I feel like we have a sister city there,” she said. If you can help with the food, tent and/or money needs for the July 17th playground installation, e-mail helpdelridgeplay@gmail.com – and in addition to that day, also mark July 23rd on your calendar, when the new playground will be officially celebrated.
First Wednesday night of the month is the regular meeting night for two West Seattle community organizations. 
One, the Southwest District Council, does NOT meet tonight, but the other does: If you live or work in the North Delridge area, join the North Delridge Neighborhood Council at 6:30 tonight at the Delridge Library. This group has a LOT going on, including the Delridge Community Center playground-in-a-day project on July 17th (a few dozen volunteers still needed at last report – have you signed up yet? E-mail helpdelridgeplay@gmail.com ASAP!).
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.)
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!
In three weeks, volunteers will swarm that site at the Delridge Community Center to build a brand-new playground in one day. Thanks to Holli Margell for e-mailing photos and the announcement that the old playground’s been removed, site prep has begun, and now one big task remains before playground-building day: 60 more volunteers are needed to sign up ASAP —
Help build a playground!
When: JULY 17th, 8 AM – 2:30 PM, Rain or Shine!
Where: Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge WayWe need 60 more volunteers to build a new playground for our neighborhood! Volunteers MUST register by July 2nd by sending e-mail to helpdelridgeplay@gmail.com or by calling Chris at 206.499.3733. Playground sponsored by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation with help from Seattle Parks and Recreation and the North Delridge Neighborhood Council.
Some kids just can’t wait – like Holli’s son Cooper, shown here watching the site-prep work:
To catch up on how the playground project has progressed over the past two-plus months, check our coverage archive here, newest to oldest.
Just published at White Center Now, our roundup from Thursday night’s South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meeting. The headlines: Crime’s not the same on both sides of the line; White Center’s getting a walking map; and the group bids one of its leaders goodbye. Story and photos here.
For months now, Galena White and volunteers have toiled to get the Delridge Produce Cooperative off the ground. As reported previously, they’ve received a city grant for what was first billed as a “mobile produce market” but is really a trial run of a “community-supported produce stand” – which will be handing out free, fresh, healthy produce at various locations this summer. However, that takes people power – as Galena explains:
We’re a group of volunteers in the Delridge Neighborhood of West Seattle who want to open a community-run produce store to provide affordable, sustainably-grown freshfruits and vegetables to the people of Delridge by 2010. Delridge is a healthy food “desert,” and our goal is to increase the health of the residents by increasing the quality of food. This spring, we applied for and received an award of $15,000 from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods to put on a series of demonstration booths this summer.
The goal of these demonstrations is to show the residents of Delridge what it would be like to have a community-supported produce stand, to hand out free produce and information about the importance of eating locally and staying healthy, and to build the foundations for improvement of local food systems. Please visit the project page to learn more about the project. We need help to make this project happen. … Please refer anyone who wishes to know to this list of available volunteer positions.
ORIGINAL 8:39 PM REPORT: Robin e-mailed to share this information:
In the interest of alerting our neighbors: our car (in our driveway, in the back yard – but fence gate was open) was rifled through sometime between 3 pm Monday and 10 am Tuesday (today). I think it must have been kids, or at least a “kind” burglar, because they took maps, our tire warranty, hand sanitizer, and a wind up cell phone charger; as well as the case only to my GPS – which they tossed in the alley at the end of the driveway, but left the satellite radio ???? I noticed the passenger door was ajar so I looked in and saw napkins, salt pkgs, and straws on the floor. Our dogs didn’t even bark, or if they did we were bad dog owners and told them “It’s OK.” Anyway, no real harm, just an FYI to folks near Thistle, 22nd, and Delridge [map]. We did file a report with the police.
Worth noting here that the South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meets this Thursday night – both Seattle Police and King County Sheriff’s Office law enforcers are usually on hand, since this group’s coverage area is on both sides of the line – 6 pm Thursday, St. James Place, 9421 18th SW (map).
ADDED 8:50 PM: We just got word from Justin of a home break-in at 32nd/Trenton (map) that he says police are investigating right now. The burglar/s broke in through the kitchen window and stole items including a laptop.
The Delridge Skatepark — one year in the making, so far — gets ever closer to reality, 
and last night’s third and final design meeting was one more step in that direction. Led by Dan Johnson from Seattle Parks, subbing for ailing project manager Kelly Davidson, attendees heard project updates and offered their thoughts on the “schematic design” (first shown to the Seattle Design Commission a month ago – then fleshed out further in the version presented last night, which you can see at SeattleSkateparks.org). First: The skatepark might get to be as big as 15,000 square feet, a third bigger than originally envisioned in the design, if it gets all the funding that’s being sought. As reported here in recent weeks, Parks has gathered $750,000, from Hiawatha Playfield low-bid savings and the Parks Levy money once proposed for a Myrtle Reservoir skatespot; now, a $75,000 King County Youth Sports grant is being sought as well. 
What can and can’t be done within that space has some limitations, designer Micah Johnson from Grindline (right) stressed at the meeting, because of site challenges such as a large drainage pipe and sloping on the site. Overriding desire so far: Two separate skating bowls; many were concerned that the large bowl area in the schematic design wouldn’t work for beginners or intermediate skaters, but having two bowls would enable them to skate while advanced skaters had their own space too. Also discussed, what had been suggested at last winter’s second design meeting; West Seattle skating advocate Matthew Lee Johnston and others recalled the request that the park “reflect West Seattle” and wondered how that would be done. Micah Johnson noted the overall design is unique, and the stamped-stone look would be unique as well, but thought that the art proposed separately for the site could truly reflect its location. A community group has been working on that part of the project. Next steps: Final city approval is still needed for the basic $750,000 funding, and a decision on the county grant application is expected within about six weeks. Dan Johnson said that the ideas suggested at this meeting will go to the planners, and it’s hoped that the design can be finalized and approved in time to go to bid before year’s end.
Both previewed here in recent days: 6:30 pm @ Youngstown, the third/final Delridge Skatepark design meeting (WSB preview); 7 pm @ Highland Park Improvement Club, Highland Park Action Committee‘s Westcrest Park “mini-summit” (WSB preview), with guests including City Council president Richard Conlin. Be heard – be there!
We got that sneak peek at the Delridge Skatepark‘s schematic design by going downtown for a Seattle Design Commission presentation last month (that’s designer Micah Shapiro from Grindline). Tomorrow (Monday) night, you can see it, and offer comments, and ask questions, right here in West Seattle, by going to the third and final “design meeting” at Youngstown Arts Center, 6:30 pm. The skatepark (planned for the northeast corner of the parkland at Delridge Community Center/Playfield/Wading Pool) is much closer to reality than it was during the first two design meetings, now that the Parks Department has mustered about three-quarters of a million dollars to replace the funding cut from the city budget — about half a million from the Hiawatha Playfield project – where work is just starting – since its bids came in under budget, and a quarter-million that’s being moved (pending final approval) from a Parks and Green Spaces Levy allotment for a “skate spot” at the future Myrtle Reservoir park site.
(WSB photo from May meeting of Delridge Neighborhoods District Council)
That group from Chief Sealth High School is one of three groups that pitched eastern West Seattle projects’ Neighborhood Matching Fund applications at the May meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council – all described as “remarkable projects” (WSB coverage here). When the council met again last night, Neighborhood Services Coordinator Ron Angeles shared the word that all three projects got some of the money they were seeking. The Chief Sealth group proposed an online news network for underserved local ethnic communities; the other two were Youngstown Arts Center‘s All-Access seeking money for its popular but understaffed afterschool programs and the West Seattle Trails/Feet First wayfinding project seeking money to do in eastern West Seattle what it’s already got on tap on the peninsula’s west side. We don’t have the specific amounts of partial funding granted for two of the projects, but Chas Redmond, on behalf of West Seattle Trails, tells WSB the $54,000 granted for that project will likely be allocated after some more community conversations to figure out which locations would have informational/wayfinding kiosks funded with that money, and which additional spots might be funded by seeking a separate grant. Also at last night’s DNDC meeting: News that a different city grant program would be funding a requested traffic circle at 31st and Henderson; a presentation on the proposal to allow “backyard cottages” to be built citywide (right now they’re only allowed in Southeast Seattle – here’s all the city info on this proposal); and a presentation on the draft feasibility study from the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (a government/business coalition) regarding cleaning up the Duwamish – June 29 is the deadline for comments.
Looking for work? Three events coming up at Delridge Community Center might help – and we were asked to help spread the word about them – all free! Read on for details:Read More
We’re on the scene of a two-car crash – at least one person is being transported by private ambulance – Delridge is blocked at Trenton right now. No info on how it happened.
You may feel like you’ve been hearing about it forever. But it’s still estimated that thousands of people in the Seattle area alone will be caught off guard when the “digital TV transition” finally happens tomorrow. So, if you’re not sure you’re ready – here’s a reminder that you can get help at a special drop-in center at Youngstown Arts Center in North Delridge, 9 am-9 pm daily (that includes tonight and tomorrow). More details here, including information on what the transition’s all about, if you’re still a bit befuddled.
Got word from the Seattle Mariners that Lara Davis at Youngstown Arts Center-based Arts Corps is one of three Northwest finalists in a recognition contest called “All-Stars Among Us,” being conducted in connection with the upcoming Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis – and voting is under way now: Here’s the official bio sent by the Mariners regarding Lara:
Lara Davis works as Community Partnership Director for Arts Corps, a non-profit
arts education program in Seattle. Davis has brought her passion and expertise
in community organizing and program development to nonprofits across Seattle
including YWCA youth programs, Seattle Young People’ s Project, AFSC
Cross-Cultural LGBTQ programs, and Pacific Science Center. Since 2003, she has
been an instrumental force at Arts Corps, helping to grow a nascent arts
education program into a nationally recognized model for delivering powerful
learning through the arts to underserved youth.
If Lara wins, she gets to go to the big game in St. Louis and get a turn in the spotlight. You can vote by going to this site – click on the Mariners’ logo and that’ll take you to the page with the three NW contenders, including Lara.
Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge, just south of The Bridge, where tonight is a birthday party, marking the club/restaurant’s third anniversary. The bands start at 9; good dinner crowd here now, including Team WSB, and some DJ’ing … that’s Charlie at the board (below left), husband of proprietor Jessie SK, who we asked to pose out front (right)with the sign that marks the momentous birthday in three different ways. Momentous because it’s not easy to be a small businessperson these days, let alone one that not only runs a restaurant, but also hires live bands four nights a week. 
Actually, some live music just started — DJ Baba Jamess on tabla, accompanied by a violinist; at 9 pm, it’s Deepsleep Narcotics Company; at 10 pm, local faves Stevedore; then at 11 pm, it’s Apple War. Jessie tells the story of the first three years’ highlights in this post on the Skylark “blog”; if you haven’t checked out the main Skylark website lately, the calendar’s just been redone – see it here. We have a soft spot for Skylark not just because they sponsor the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, but because to our knowledge, it remains the only restaurant to mention WSB on its menu (we get a nod on the tater tots because of this semi-legendary WSB post from almost two years ago, in which we asked folks for their idea of “West Seattle dishes to die for”). Anyway, the party goes till closing time — happy birthday, Skylark! ADDED LATER: DJ Baba James using Washington place names as lyrics – didn’t you just know Walla Walla has always belonged in a song?
More big news about the West Seattle SIFF gala at the Admiral Theater tomorrow night – a fun free party that you are welcome to attend even if you’re not going to the movie(s): Admiral entertainment director Dinah Brein-McClellan says Salty’s on Alki has just signed on to provide cookies and desserts. That’s in addition to Vertu Cakes‘ ship-shape creation, plus appetizers from Metropolitan Market, flowers/balloons from Sharon’s Westwood Florist, and a special appearance by the Seafair Pirates – who Dinah says have been mysteriously seen referring to this event as “Pirate Fest” – how will that go over with SIFF director Carl Spence, who’ll be there too? Be there to find out! Again, it’s all free, 5:30-6:45 pm Friday at West Seattle’s historic Admiral Theater – tomorrow’s also the first day of the week-long first-ever SIFF showings at The Admiral (schedule and tickets online here). If you’re not going to the 7 pm movie, or even if you are, head east to North Delridge, where it’s a party all night long tomorrow at Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor):
That’s The Apple War, who’ll be on hand as Skylark celebrates its third birthday tomorrow night, and in case you missed it the first time, here’s the heart of the party announcement from proprietor Jessie SK:
On June 5, the party commences at 8 pm with throat-singing, tabla-playing DJ Baba James, continues with the downtempo Deepsleep Narcotics Company, kicks it up a notch with westside country-punk heroes The Stevedore, and culminates with indie rock awesomeness The Apple War. The traditional third wedding anniversary gift is “leather,” but we don’t recommend wearing it to this show. You’ll overheat.
Jessie notes on Facebook that the A/C is back in business at Skylark and she has a few dinner suggestions – like barbecue ribs and grilled veggies – Skylark is on the north end of Delridge, south of The Bridge (click and pan this Google Street View to see exactly where):
By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Park and playground updates filled most of the agenda at the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting Wednesday night.
As we’ve been reporting, the anxiously awaited Delridge Skatepark is moving forward with a total of $750,000 virtually secured, and plans in the works for a 12,000-square- foot skate bowl with trimmings.
Some had hoped for a slightly larger skateboard park, maybe a little closer to 15,000 square feet, but there are also many advantages to the more compact counterpart:
Major events today/tonight, from the WSB Events calendar:
VIADUCT/TUNNEL “SOUTH PORTAL” WORKING GROUP: Third meeting of this group reviewing issues regarding how traffic will flow on the side of the Highway 99 corridor that’s closest to West Seattle. Three West Seattleites are members of the group (Jerome Cohen, Vlad Oustimovitch, Pete Spalding) but you are welcome too; 4 pm, Sound Transit board room at 401 South Jackson [map]. (P.S. Remember The Viaduct closes 6-11 am Sunday for Race for the Cure.)
TEACHER LAYOFF PROTEST AND SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: As mentioned here. The rally is at 5 pm, School Board meeting (with many other hot topics) at 6 pm, district HQ in Sodo [map].
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: This neighborhood is jumping these days, with the playground and skatepark projects, among other things. NDNC meets at 6:30 pm, Delridge Library [map].
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL (WSB sponsor): Representatives of groups and organizations from all over the Southwest District section (as outlined by the city) of the peninsula will have their monthly meeting at 7 pm, South Seattle Community College board room [map], with agenda items including the city’s draft Pedestrian Master Plan.
FREE REMODELING/HOME-BUILDING WORKSHOP: Longtime WSB sponsor Ventana Construction offers its monthly free workshop tonight, 6:30 pm – just call to RSVP. Details on the workshop, and contact info, are here.
In addition to our Events calendar, be sure to check the new Announced page daily – with links to even more West Seattle news than we publish on the main page, particularly when first word comes in about non-immediate events (it’s evolving to include other stories too). And make sure to let us know when you have scheduled an event you want everyone in West Seattle to know about – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – thanks!
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