West Seattle, Washington
17 Wednesday
It’s the only West Seattle holiday bazaar in a historic community center, and you can check it out until 3 pm today: The Highland Park Improvement Club Holiday Bazaar is on!
24 vendors this year, of all ages – above are Girl Scouts Juliete, Layla, and Cora. Some items are distinctively holidayesque, some are not:
Food and beverages from the HPIC kitchen, too, if you feel like noshing while you’re there. It’s indoors at 1116 SW Holden. You’ll want to visit next Saturday (November 16th) too, for the Centennial Celebration!
Here’s a unique West Seattle volunteer opportunity:
Do you have a baby who was born in July or August? Would you like to volunteer with your baby to help nurture empathy in children? Highland Park Elementary is looking for parents with infants who are between 2-4 months old to volunteer about once per month during the school year.
What is Roots of Empathy?
Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom program that has shown significant effect in reducing levels of aggression among school children while raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. The program has been widely evaluated across three continents for two decades and is proven to result in improved empathy, increased emotional understanding, decreased aggression and bullying and improved pro-social behavior among participating students. Research also demonstrates that these improvements are sustained and even strengthened over time.Above is a brief introductory video that explains how Roots of Empathy works and why a baby is such a powerful teacher of empathy. Roots of Empathy was also recently featured on NBC’s Today – you can view that segment here.
If you would like to volunteer as a Roots of Empathy Family, please contact the Roots of Empathy Program Manager, Melissa Soltani, at msoltani@rootsofempathy.org
The temporary off-leash area planned at Westcrest Park next year will be the city’s first, according to Seattle Parks.
That’s part of what the project briefing at HPAC‘s October meeting revealed.
As first reported here in August, West Seattle’s only off-leash area will be closed for months next year while a persistent drainage problem is fixed. Earlier this month, Parks announced a plan to set up a temporary off-leash area north of the Westcrest P-Patch.
Parks’ Emily Griffith was at the HPAC meeting to talk about the plan and listen to community comments.
She said that the drainage project is important because “Westcrest floods pretty regularly” and that’s led to problems including erosion. Regrading will be part of the half-million-dollar project, as will fencing repairs and, while they’re there, accessibility improvements in the north parking lot.
As originally promised, the current “small/shy dog area” will remain open in addition to the planned temporary area, which is “open lawn” right now but will get temporary fencing. It will be restored to “lawn” after the six-months-or-so construction is complete and the regular off-leash area is reopened.
Questions and comments started with one attendee wondering whether the project will include lighting improvements. Answer: No.
What about using another area of Westcrest? Explanation: Much of the big grassy space atop the park is the lid of the underground reservoir (buried 10 years ago – here’s what it looked like, underground too, before that), a Seattle Public Utilities facility, and that can’t be used for an off-leash area. They can’t use trails, because those would have to be fenced.
Did you consider the city-owned Myers Way Parcels? asked HPAC chair Gunner Scott, especially if Camp Second Chance leaves that space in March? No, they hadn’t.
Dates aren’t finalized yet but the Westcrest construction is expected to last about half a year, “spring through fall” of 2020. The project webpage is here.
ADDED: Here’s what the city showed at the meeting, to pinpoint what’ll happen where:
(SDOT slide deck from HPAC meeting – or see it here in PDF)
What SDOT now calls the Highland Park Area Safety Project was the first of two major topics at last night’s HPAC meeting. (The other, Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area, will be covered in a separate report.)
It’s meant primarily to address the long-problematic Highland Park Way/Holden intersection, but the scope has broadened, SDOT says. Thought the agency’s director Sam Zimbabwe had been announced, he wasn’t there; an SDOT delegation led by Jim Curtin and James Le handled the presentation and Q&A instead.
Bottom line, as Curtin reiterated multiple times, this is contingent on whether Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s proposal for funding – taken from the city’s so-called “Mercer Megablock” sale proceeds – is finalized by councilmembers in November. That said, they talked with the 30+ meeting attendees about where they’re at and what residents think. Read More
7:31 PM: Another crash on the Highland Park Way hill. This one is reported via radio communication to be two vehicles, head on, blocking the southbound lanes. SPD and SFD are on the way.
7:41 PM: Someone who just passed the scene reports it’s a car and minivan. Firefighters have reported that everyone involved is “conscious and alert.”
10:25 PM: Despite that initial assessment, three people were eventually taken to the hospital, SFD tells us. From one vehicle, a 51 year old man in critical condition; from the other, two women, 45 and 67, both in serious condition.
(File photo)
Back in August, we reported on a months-long closure ahead for West Seattle’s only dog park, the Westcrest Park off-leash area, because of a drainage project. At the time, Seattle Parks was only planning to keep the “small/shy dog area” open as an alternative. Now they have a new plan, just announced:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is investing in the maintenance of Westcrest Park and the Off-Leash Area (OLA). Over the past few years, the maintenance project has grown from a simple drainage improvement project to a $505,000 project that will address drainage, access and erosion.
To address the impacts to the community during construction, SPR is proposing establishing a temporary OLA north of the P-Patch at the park. SPR will present the construction project and temporary off-leash plan on Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. at the Highland Park Action Coalition (HPAC) meeting. The meeting will be held at the Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden St.
Due to the scope of the project and the nature of the work, the north parking lot and the entire OLA will be closed for the duration of construction. After initial outreach and discussions with the project team, SPR is working to accommodate a temporary off-leash area during the 6-month construction window and will also keep the shy/small dog use area open for everyone’s use.
Please join us at the upcoming HPAC meeting to learn more about the proposal. SPR anticipates construction will begin in the spring of 2020 and will run through the fall of 2020.
For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/westcrest-park-drainage-improvements
HPAC’s meeting also is scheduled to include SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe talking about the latest Highland Park Way/Holden safety-improvements plan.
Rain? What rain? Highland Park Elementary students have spent the morning taking turns walking/running laps in the annual Move-a-Thon, which continues until 12:50 pm.
Want to donate? Here’s the HPE PTA PayPal link.
Thanks for the tips. Seattle Police are working to clean up a crash near the bottom of Highland Park Way hill. While it’s had traffic impacts, apparently no serious injuries, as there was no SFD dispatch.
While checking out something unrelated, we spotted that line of city vehicles parked in the coned-of outside uphill lane of Highland Park Way, west of W. Marginal Way SW. Looked to us like an encampment cleanup – nowhere on the hill to safely stop and ask, but we’ve since confirmed it with city homelessness-response spokesperson Will Lemke, who replied to our inquiry:
The Navigation Team is removing an unmanaged encampment in that area. We estimate there to be less than a dozen living structures down in the greenbelt. The encampment is being removed for public health and safety concerns. Individuals access the area by crossing the roadway, which presents hazards to both people on foot and vehicles. Further, there is a lot of garbage, waste, and debris present within the encampment. As you know, extending emergency services to this location would be challenging as well. Lastly — and this usually is the case with encampments in the area — the natural environment has been negatively impacted. Navigation Team field coordinators and Parks crews have observed trees being cut down. The team has outreach workers on site for the clean-up.
The vehicles we saw were primarily Seattle Police and Seattle Parks, with one King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, plus a backhoe. The area’s had unauthorized camping for years, dating all the way back to the days of the original Nickelsville on the other side of West Marginal.
SIDE NOTE: The advisory Board of Park Commissioners has a briefing on “SPR’s Role in Encampment Cleanup” on its agenda for tomorrow night (PDF).
10:07 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police say a man was on foot when hit by a driver at Highland Park Way and 2nd SW tonight just before 8:30. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center by medics from Seattle Fire, which tells us he is 31 years old and was in critical condition when transported. SPD officers at the scene wouldn’t comment on details such as the driver’s status, so we may not find that out until Monday.
10:27 PM: A reader who was at the scene even before emergency responders says it was a hit-run and witnesses described the car as a white Prius last seen westbound going up the hill into Highland Park.
This past week’s HPAC meeting – for the group that now includes South Delridge and Riverview as well as Highland Park but is keeping the acronym – was something of a small-group discussion, no guests, just updates, with transportation dominating the discussion:
HIGHLAND PARK WAY IMPROVEMENTS: Following up on the mayoral budget announcement earlier in the week, Michele Witzki – who has long worked on advocacy for Highland Park Way/Holden – provided some backstory. She and HPAC chair Gunner Scott had met with SDOT and mayoral reps.
Police are arriving at the scene of what the dispatcher described as a “rollover” on SW Austin just past the Dumar curve. No word of any serious injuries, but SFD is being called out to clean up a fuel spill. Police are looking for another vehicle, described as a black Cadillac, reported to have left the scene.
(WSB photo)
12:15 PM: The emergency response for what’s reported as a flipped-car crash is blocking SW Holden near 13th SW in Highland Park. Avoid the area. We’re on the way to find out more.
12:25 PM: Photo added. Two vehicles involved; no one hurt. Tow truck’s on scene, so street will likely reopen soon.
12:40 PM: Officers at the scene just told dispatchers that Holden has reopened both ways.
8:27 PM: Thanks to Vanessa for sending the photo and tip! BedHead Coffee opens at 6 am tomorrow (Monday, September 16th) on the southeast corner of 16th/Holden in Highland Park, according to the sign in its window. This is the same spot where DutchBoy Coffee closed in May.
MONDAY MORNING UPDATE: Just stopped by; BedHead is indeed open and proprietor Michelle says she’ll be open 6 am-2 pm Mondays-Saturdays.
(UPDATE: That’s changed to 6:30 am-2:30 pm Tuesdays-Fridays, 8:30 am-2:30 pm Saturdays.)
(King County Assessor’s photo)
A new tenant for the old market at 7789 Highland Park Way – Crowfoot Café. We noticed an early-stage permit filing, and then before we could even rev up our research, Harvey sent a tip with the restaurant-to-be’s name and website! We contacted proprietors/founders Steven Baird and Maureen Clark and asked for some backstory on what they’re planning. Here’s what they sent:
Maureen and I are both transplants to Seattle. I got to Washington via the Navy and after getting out of the service moved to the Seattle area in 2004. Maureen attended Boise State University and worked at KBSU, the city’s NPR affiliate, before making a change and landing in Seattle. Shortly after meeting each other we moved from the Fremont area to West Seattle, around 2009. We chose West Seattle because we liked the family feel and we were looking for our own nest. We settled in this cozy little neighborhood of Highland Park.
We were disappointed when the Country Deli Grocery store closed last year, as it was our go-to spot for ice cream and drinks.
We had been dreaming of opening our own cafe or restaurant for several years but, with a busy schedule, (school, soccer and work), the launch of this idea seemed impossible. Meanwhile I was conquering another challenge in life, perfecting my pizza!! I have been making pizza from “scratch” my entire life and it wasn’t until about 10 years ago when I started my own family that this passion for making pizza became stronger as I wanted to pass these skills on to my own family. The thought of watching my kids and possibly even grandkids making pizza really makes me happy!! On this mission to perfect my pizza, the key stone was our patio wood-fired pizza oven. This oven allowed me to make professional pizza consistently enough that it led to us hosting several backyard pizza parties. Afterward, I told Maureen “we should just do this, we should make our pizza for everyone to enjoy.” We started making some small plans here and there but everything really was at a standstill until we saw that the old convenience store was available for lease. Returning from our vacation, we saw the sign from the window of the truck and immediately jumped on the opportunity.
Since we are pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps, we decided the best course was to start with a setup where we can make and sell pizza right away. We are starting out small, operating a pizzeria kitchen on wheels from the parking lot with outside covered seating, while we are securing the (change of use) permit to allow people to sit inside the building. As soon as we have the permit, we will have real inside seating! After a year or two we will build a kitchen and while celebrating the history of the building, transform the space. We are working through the kinks getting the trailer finished and submitting our plans to Labor & Industries and Department of Health. We plan for a soft opening – “The Pizza Tasting” – in early November.
Crowfoot Cafe’s Mission: To provide great pizza in a family-oriented environment where everyone feels welcome. To give back to our community that has nurtured us, we want to extend a discount to Seattle Public Schools employees, First Responders, and contribute to West Seattle Soccer Club.
A cafe in our growing neighborhood has been long in coming and we are excited to step up and give back.
For everything we’ve gained by (mostly) moving to cellphones, we’ve lost the yard-sale bric-a-brac of the future. No more novelty phones like that, found on a table at the Highland Park Improvement Club Giant Garage Sale, on until 3 pm. Of course you’ll find practical merchandise too:
And treats!
It’s the centennial for HPIC, so even annual events like this are a bit more festive than usual. The sale’s happening outdoors and indoors at 1116 SW Holden.
9:55 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to the 8800 block of 13th SW.
10:03 PM: The incident log shows all but one unit has been canceled.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Remember the Seattle Parks survey asking what you’d like to see in city parks?
Wednesday night, when Parks Superintendent Jesús Aguirre met with HPAC, it was a sort of in-person roadshow version of that survey.
One attendee, in fact, offered the observation that the experience was a bit like a “marketing pitch.”
But Parks facilities play a big role in the area – including sprawling Westcrest Park and youth-sports hub Riverview Playfield – so the ~20 at the meeting participated wholeheartedly, including small-group breakouts.
The meeting opened with HPAC chair Gunner Scott reminding everyone that HPAC now represents the South Delridge and Riverview communities too; the meeting was held at “historic Highland Park Improvement Club,” celebrating its centennial. (It was pointed out later to Aguirre that HPIC is a privately owned community hub – the area does not have a city-operated community center.)
After introductions, Aguirre explained Parks’ pursuit of a new strategic plan meant to span 12 years. We recorded his overview:
(File photo)
When Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre met with HPAC last night (full report to come), he was asked about a long upcoming closure of West Seattle’s only off-leash area, at Westcrest Park. Aguirre didn’t have details but said he’d look into it. We hadn’t heard about it either, but found some information on the Parks website, which elaborates:
There have been ongoing drainage and erosion concerns at the Westcrest OLA, since at least 2016. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is proposing to undertake maintenance activities in and around the Westcrest Park OLA to address these problems. SPR will also be taking this opportunity to bring the north parking lot into compliance with current accessibility standards.
SPR is in the process of refining the design and acquiring the necessary permit. The revised design will solve the drainage and erosion issues while providing a better user experience for all users.
Construction will begin in the spring of 2020 and we anticipate completion by fall. Due to safety for all and the scope of the project, the north parking lot and the entire OLA will be closed for the duration of construction. We understand the impact this will have on the OLA and are endeavoring to keep the shy/small dog use area open for everyone’s use during most of the construction.
The project page has more specifics on exactly what will be done; Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin says the exact start date hasn’t been finalized yet. She also followed up for us on an attendee’s mention of a September 18th hearing related to the project; a nearby resident has appealed the determination (PDF) that the project doesn’t need an environmental-impact report, and the city Hearing Examiner will consider the case on that day. The appellant says the closure of the off-leash area will be a hardship unless an temporary substitute is available.
While most community councils take meeting hiatuses in August, tomorrow night brings a notable exception: Highland Park Action Committee. At 7 pm Wednesday, HPAC welcomes you to “a conversation about the future of Seattle Parks and Recreation with Superintendent Jesús Aguirre.” This is in the context of Parks’ work on a new Strategic Plan. HPAC meets at the Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden.
(WSB photos)
After moving to South Park last year, Festival CentroAmericano is back in West Seattle, and the celebration’s happening at Westcrest Park until 7 pm.
You can enjoy treats …
… vendors …
… and entertainment:
The Coffee Band – a group with Honduras roots – was onstage while we were there. Other music and dance groups are scheduled to perform all afternoon. The festival’s free – lots of room to roam on the sprawling green at Westcrest!
Can’t wait till next year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day but don’t want to have your own sale? Solution: Highland Park Improvement Club‘s big annual sale is coming up and tables are available! From Donna at HPIC:
Saturday, September 7, 9 am-3 pm
Come join us for a great day!
Rent a table and space now!
Indoor and outdoor tables/spaces still available.
This yard sale draws a huge crowd. We sell food and have a bar open all day. It’s a good time at HPIC! Come join the fun and make some cash!
Email hpic1919@gmail.com to reserve your table now!
$15/members
$20/non-members (memberships start at $20!!!)Tables are going fast! Seller keeps all profits.
11:21 AM: Thanks for the tips! Avoid West Marginal Way SW/Highland Park Way for a while – a collision reported to involve four vehicles is blocking much of the intersection.
11:58 AM: SFD has closed out its response to this call.
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