West Seattle, Washington
15 Sunday
It’s an often-used quote attributed to the late music legend John Lennon: Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. This manifests in ways large and small – just ask North Delridge resident Betsy Hoffmeister, who’s spent the past year spearheading an effort to create a place at Cottage Grove Park (above) for the littlest kids in her neighborhood to play (here’s our first report from 2/22/08). We reported two weeks ago that the plan was evolving, and now Betsy is inviting you to help:
Are you interested in building a play space appropriate for the youngest children in Delridge at 26th Ave SW and SW Brandon St? If so, please attend a site review meeting with the Department of Parks and the Department of Neighborhoods on Thursday, February 19 at 11 a.m. If the weather is really bad, we will meet at the Neighborhood Service Center next door to the library on Delridge Way. Some background:
It’s been exactly a year since a group of parents in the Delridge neighborhood of Cottage Grove brought up the idea of building a tot lot at the site of the Cottage Grove Park on 26th Ave SW and Brandon. The City recently put in a new playground there, and we neighbors find it really difficult to use. The equipment is intended for older children, but the kids in our neighborhood don’t seem to play on it. There is absolutely nothing for toddlers to do, so families with mixed groups of kids tend to go to the other playgrounds in other communities. We held a series of discussions and public meetings to come up with an idea and decided on building an additional playground on the site, to contain a double bay swingset for tots and older kids, a small climber, and some spring toys. Lots of neighbors and businesses chipped in, we brought this to the City, and were awarded a Small and Simple Grant to pursue the project but with lots of preconditions.
One of the preconditions was for a landscape architect to draw a site design. A lovely volunteer architect drew up a site plan and ushered it through the City’s multi-step review process.
The result of the review process was a bit of a shock. The Parks Department folks decided that with all the concrete retaining wall, building drainage, moving irrigation pipes, moving trees, and other hardware stuff, the project is likely to cost on the order of $200,000. Yeah, I know, that’s a little nuts, considering that the equipment itself is less than $20,000!
Their suggestion was to come back and ask the neighborhood – rather than building a new playground, what could we do with the playground we already have to improve it? In the very near future, we will have a big old public meeting to discuss this. I have finally met one single family who loves this playground and we want to hear what they love about it, but we also want to hear from folks who don’t love it, what they’d like to change.
In the meantime, we went ahead and applied for a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to try to get the money we’d need to build out, but that is only up to $50,000 matching. The meeting on Thursday is to look at the site, discuss options, and talk about preparing the full proposal to the city. We need some warm bodies, with or without children, to come along and demonstrate the difficulties of using this play equipment and talk about what we would like to see done. Please come out and help. Contact me, Betsy, at betsy at hoffmeisters dot com for more information.
Cottage Grove Park is at 5206 26th SW; here’s a map.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: For the first time since the Seattle School Board approved major changes and closures, West Seattle’s board rep Steve Sundquist will hold one of his regular coffee hours, to talk with, and listen to, anyone interested in education issues (and there are lots more on the horizon, like the start-time changes we mentioned last weekend). 9 am, Coffee to a Tea in The Junction.
HEAR FROM YOUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Richard Conlin is one of the guests scheduled for tonight’s meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center. The latest on the Alaskan Way Viaduct/Tunnel project also is on the agenda.
FAUNTLEROY NEIGHBORS UNITE: 6:30 pm at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall, it’s the all-neighborhood meeting organized by the Fauntleroy Community Association to share updates on issues including Washington State Ferries‘ future and the in-progress purchase of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
We told you about this growing effort – last night was the first open meeting to discuss how to make it happen, and Galena White has posted a report on the co-op website – including:
We all agreed that a working mission statement could be, “Bring inexpensive organic produce to Delridge.” We’d like to see a storefront as soon as possible, but we know that we need lots more people to get involved to make that happen. Most of us liked the idea of a Mobile Market, with the exception of Jen, who has experience in that area and says that: while a Mobile Market could be useful, in the long term she thinks that a storefront would work better. We were all interested in the prospect of a cafe attached to a storefront that would use the fresh ingredients at their peak of ripeness, because Delridge lacks a healthy restaurant.
As Galena mentions in the full report, there’s still plenty of time to get involved – next meeting’s next week.
We’ve mentioned a few times that the popular Gathering of Neighbors – on hiatus since founding organization Megawatt shut down more than a year ago – is coming back this year — April 4th — coordinated by the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. And tonight, the official announcement of application availability has just landed in the inbox:
Gathering of Neighbors returns!
Joining neighbors and businesses in 2009.Come be a part of the Gathering of Neighbors: Businesses and Community organizations from across the West Seattle Peninsula , all together, one day, one place, as “one community”.
April 4th, 2009 marks the return of the Gathering of Neighbors, this year sponsored by the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association (DNDA) and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. The combination of both community and businesses participants promises to have Chief Sealth High School (at Boren) bursting at the seams with booths full of information.
More than 400 people attended the last Gathering of Neighbors, with more expected this year, Attendees will experience, in one place and time, the tremendous wealth of services and goods available to them in their own neighborhoods right here in West Seattle. Entertainment and refreshments will be part of the celebration.
Are you part of a group or business who would want to participate? Download applications and more info at www.dnda.org or contact Suzanne Nevan, suzannen@dnda.org , (206) 923-0917 x122
Gathering Of Neighbors:
Date: Saturday, April 4th, 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location Chief Sealth High School,
5959 Delridge Way SW
With just days left to tell Metro what you think about proposed Route 50 – which would include bus service between North Delridge and The Junction – Metro reps told the North Delridge Neighborhood Council tonight that the new route is no slam dunk. That’s just part of the news resulting from tonight’s meeting – read on for the full report:Read More
We’ve told you before about the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, focused — among other things — on making fresh, healthy food more available in the Delridge and White Center areas. One idea to help make that reality is the proposed Delridge Produce Co-op, and organizer Galena White is hoping to hear from anyone who would like to get involved. She just launched a website with information; from the opening page: “My goal is to see a storefront filled with a variety of inexpensive organic produce on Delridge before 2010.” You can see the website here; get in touch with Galena if you’d like to help make the co-op dream come true.
In the middle of a rare sunny winter afternoon, a dozen people came to Delridge Library today for one last pre-closure-vote round of Q/A with West Seattle’s school board member Steve Sundquist. And while the phrase in the headline – “This is tough” — came from him, it could have come from anyone in the room, or from any of the thousands of people at the schools around the city that have been mentioned at one point or another in the closure proceedings that started last fall. The timetable has been tough too – with the “preliminary recommendations” announced just before Thanksgiving, hearings and meetings peppered throughout the holiday season, then the “final recommendations” coming out right after school resumed post-winter break. Now, the vote is less than a week away, and no more formal hearings or meetings remain before that vote, so gatherings like this one are the last opportunities for a glimpse into which way board members might go:Read More
PANCAKES: Till 10:30 am, Fauntleroy Church (map), fresh-cooked breakfast (including pancakes, ham, orange juice, milk), to support the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival. (In the photo above, helper Jason Chase is adding some special touches, including M&Ms, to a pancake or two.)
(photo added 11:29 am)
CAR WASH: Till 3 pm, the Chief Sealth and West Seattle High School swim teams are joining forces for a fundraising car wash at WSHS (map). Perfect weather to go get the dust washed off!
(Seacrest cleanup photo added 11:30 am)
PICKUP: Two special cleanup events this morning: At Seacrest (map), 9-noon, to help the park qualify as official Backyard Wildlife Habitat; also, meet at Delridge Community Center or Chief Sealth High School (map) at 9:45 to join in a double-teamed Adopt-a-Street cleanup along Delridge, from Orchard to Andover, with the North Delridge Neighborhood Council and Chief Sealth PTSA (photo added 11:32 am, after we caught up with some of the crew):
Lots more happening – check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
In addition to the Washington State Ferries Draft Long-Range Plan public hearing in Fauntleroy (WSB coverage here) and the last Seattle School Board meeting before the school-closure vote (WSB coverage here), we have coverage for you from one more Wednesday night event — the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council monthly meeting, which included updates on a multitude of local events and projects, as well as a leadership change, and more details on the upcoming Gathering of Neighbors – read on:Read More
Three meetings in West Seattle tonight that we wanted to remind you about before the day got too old:
STATE FERRIES’ FUTURE, AND WEST SEATTLE TRAFFIC EFFECTS: 6 pm tonight, The Hall at Fauntleroy, reps from Washington State Ferries are here to hear what you think about the system’s Draft Long-Range Plan, which could mean more ferry-related traffic on West Seattle roads, among other changes.
METRO OPEN HOUSE ABOUT ROUTE 50: This is the new route we’ve been telling you about which includes a Delridge-to-The-Junction leg. Tonight you can find out more, directly from Metro, by visiting Youngstown Arts Center between 6:30 and 8:30.
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: Reps from neighborhood and community groups in the neighborhoods that the city considers the “Delridge District” will gather as they do every month for updates and discussions, and you’re more than welcome – 7 pm, Southwest Precinct.
More of what’s happening today and tonight can be found on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.
Didn’t get a chance to join in the National Day of Service today? Or – you did, but you’re still ready to do more? This weekend, you are invited to join in a major cleanup along Delridge — the North Delridge Neighborhood Council is teaming with the Chief Sealth High School Parents-Teachers-Students Association (PTSA). Just show up at Delridge Community Center (map) or the Chief Sealth parking lot (at Boren; map) between 9:45 and 10 am Saturday to get supplies (plus coffee and muffins); they’re hoping for enough help to clean up Delridge from Andover all the way to Sylvan Way (see map above). Part of the plan is to clear storm drains along the way, to prevent flooding next time it rains. Students can get community-service credit, too. Here’s the official flyer, with e-mail addresses if you have questions for an organizer.
An alert from Betsy in Delridge :Read More
(Micah Shapiro from Grindline at center, with skatepark meeting attendees)
Even though money to build the Delridge Skatepark didn’t make it into this year’s budget, there’s money ($76,000) to design it – so that’s why dozens of people gathered last night at Youngstown Arts Center, including some of the skaters who will use it. With reps from the city Parks Department and from the renowned West Seattle-based skatepark-design/construction firm Grindline and landscape designers Abbotsford, they discussed possible features. The city estimates the skatepark will cost about $446,000 to build, and there’s hope that money might make it into the 2010 budget, if not from some other source (we asked about the parks levy passed by voters, since some of that wasn’t specifically spoken for upfront; decisions about that $ are still being worked on). Once that money’s in hand, and a design’s complete, construction would only take about 90 days. Also from last night’s meeting: Lots of support for integrating art into the project. One commenter’s words summed it up: “Make it West Seattle.” More design discussions ahead; we’ll keep you posted.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar, two major meetings tonight: 6 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, it’s the second design meeting for the Delridge Skatepark; though the city has not currently budgeted the money to build it, the design process is proceeding so the project will be ready when construction money becomes available. (Here’s our coverage of the first meeting last summer.) 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, gather for “reorganization” – choosing the group’s new leaders. More at 34dems.org.
As we first told you last Wednesday night, Metro plans a West Seattle open house next week for Route 50, which would include a Delridge-to-Junction leg (originally reported in this WSB story last October). The county has just officially announced that open house, and this afternoon’s announcement includes many more details on how you can provide feedback even if you can’t attend that event. See the announcement here.
Lina Rose says she and husband Scott Rose are glad they saw the most recent edition of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup – they decided to go on last night’s low-tide walk across from Me-Kwa-Mooks, organized by Camp Long, and their memorable discoveries included the beautiful creatures shown in Scott’s photos above and below:
Lots of future Camp Long adventures ahead – browse online here. Earlier in the day, a different sight on Puget Sound – the Three Tree Point Yacht Club‘s Duwamish Head Race (thanks to Hopey for the heads-up it was happening), photographed by Gary J:
And first thing Saturday morning, dozens of volunteers — including the mayor — fanned out in the South Delridge/White Center business district for a Clean-and-Green spruce-up event:
Those two pix are WSB staff photos, but the great Puget Sound pix preceding it came from WSB’ers – if you have a photo to share with your West Seattle neighbors (and others who use WSB to keep in touch with WS), please e-mail us any time at editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – thank you!
That photo (by Sage K) is from a long night back in May, when we and many WSB’ers stayed up into the night tracking the situation on Delridge (original coverage here) as police tried to find the person who shot a mother and her 10-year-old son, from outside their home. Today, we learn that new indictments say the shooting was meant to intimidate the older victim out of testifying in a federal case. This was first reported last night by KING5, but the online story didn’t mention West Seattle or Delridge, so we didn’t catch it, but Stephanie e-mailed us the link today, wondering if it was the same case. We checked with local U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson Emily Langlie, who confirmed that the May shooting mentioned in the story was indeed the West Seattle case, and sent us the indictment documents. Not only do the indictments cover that shooting, describing the mother as a “government witness,” but they also detail the alleged stolen-car/parts ring that’s at the heart of the case; it had been under investigation even before the shooting, the main suspect, DeVaughn “Buster” Dorsey, accused of being involved in the operation of a “chop shop” in a garage at an apartment complex at 7535 24th SW (map). The documents say this operation ended in May, about a week and a half after the Delridge shooting – Dorsey’s been behind bars since 5/23/2008 — and list more than a dozen specific vehicles. Counts 21 and 22 have just been added to a pre-existing indictment, and they’re the ones involving the shooting, for which Dorsey is charged with witness tampering and “discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.” Both shooting victims have recovered; we checked state court records to see if Dorsey has a criminal history — his name is listed (for civil proceedings as well as criminal) for 170 cases in the past 20 years. He’s due in court to answer these charges next Thursday. ADDED 4:23 PM UPDATE: Uploaded the entire indictment so you can read it if you’re interested – there’s no confidential info but lots of details.
Sorry if this is old news, but we hadn’t heard it till a Metro rep mentioned it at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting (full report to come) — There’s an open house at Youngstown Arts Center on January 21st (6:30-8:30 pm) about the possible Delridge-Junction bus route we first told you about back in October, Route 50. (The map above shows the West Seattle section – click it for a full look at the entire route.) Maybe word didn’t quite filter around because it’s listed on Metro’s calendar under the same confounding heading where news of this possible route was originally unearthed from the Metro site, “Southeast Seattle Transit Connections” — apparently because most of Route 50 is in Southeast Seattle. Anyway, important thing is, now you know. Here’s the Metro calendar with word of that West Seattle event.
We’ve told you about both of these before, but reminders are circulating today in non-Web ways, so we thought we’d point you to the basics again: 
First, our postal mail brought a reminder about the Delridge Skatepark public meeting January 14th (first mentioned here), 6 pm at Youngstown Arts Center – the city is proceeding with design though it doesn’t have construction money right now. Second, e-mail from the city just brought a reminder about the Elliott Bay Water Taxi/Seacrest dock improvements meeting January 15th (first mentioned here), 7 pm (with 7:30 pm presentation) at Alki Community Center.
Though the recent city budget process ended without money to build the Delridge Skatepark next year – so far – the design process proceeds as promised, and so does the series of public meetings. Last one was in late July (WSB coverage here); the date’s just been set for the next one — January 14, 6 pm, Youngstown Arts Center (across Delridge Way from the future skatepark site). See the official invitation here.
This is the kind of event we would have covered in person if we hadn’t been Snowbound Atop Our Hill — we but thank heavens, Mike Dady of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council sent photos of the Labyrinth Walk at Cottage Grove Park last night (we originally told you about it here) — along with some notes on how it went:
All things considered, a good number of folks turned out for last evening’s North Delridge/Cottage Grove Park Labyrinth Winter Solstice Event. Michal-Ann McElhany was the person who made the event happen:-) She cleared the labyrinth of snow, spread some rock salt and provided candles and hot cider prepped on a campstove. Three young children arrived with a tin full of homemade cookies. Very thoughtful and sweet.
Michal-Ann herself (she’s also with NDNC – one of the many great West Seattle neighborhood groups we regularly report on for ongoing WSB news coverage) added:
Considering nearly every other activity in the city was canceled due to weather conditions, I am very pleased with the success of last night’s Solstice event at Cottage Grove Park. I was expecting literally a few North Delridge-ites to show up as a result of cabin fever. So, needless to say the event was scaled way back to simply a candlelit labyrinth walk with hot cider and no music. The snow extinguished the candle flames, but was so reflective it alone illuminated the event! Surprisingly, thirty people showed up, coming from as far as Bothell, and other areas of West Seattle such as Fauntleroy and Westwood Village. As it turns out, people participated for many different reasons– from romantic dates to having just moved into the neighborhood and wanting to meet some neighbors …
Michal-Ann’s looking forward to an even bigger one next year. One more photo from Mike:
Just back from a whirlwind visit to two holiday bazaar/sale events under way in West Seattle till 3 pm. Above, sisters Danielle Aguilar and Bri’Anna Smith are selling not just warm handmade hats at the Delridge Community Center bazaar, but also the coolest recycled-material lunch bags we’ve seen in a while — quilted out of plastic grocery bags. Bri’Anna makes it all and you can find her online at myspace.com/knitagainstthemachine – meantime, we found another West Seattle sister team selling holiday-gift treats (including flavored nuts and creatively packaged candies) nearby:
Those are from Twisted Sisters Emporium, created by Connie O’Donnell and Diane Radischat (who you may know from Special Editions Studio). Also at Delridge Community Center till 3 pm, those gorgeous West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival handmade glass ornaments, with Hi-Yu Queen Margo Femiano and Junior Court Princess Anna Fuller on hand:
Next, it’s over to C & P Coffee, where a cozy but bustling arts/crafts sale also continues till 3 pm. We were captivated by these neighborhood-pride (little map segments of West Seattle and other Seattle neighborhoods) magnets that Cyn Moore (cyncity pendants) is selling:
She says you can find her neighborhood pendants and other items at Twilight in The Junction, too. One more craftsperson you’ll find at C & P today – Machel Spence of WavyShell:
More of today’s events (Christmas Ship tonight – three West Seattle stops!) are listed on the WSB West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
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