6th Annual Duwamish River Festival – SWS Will Be There!

down to the Duwamish Waterway Park, 7900 10th Avenue South in South Park, Saturday, August 27 for the 6th Annual Duwamish River Festival.

Sustainable West Seattle is one of the participants and we’ll be helping set up the festival from 9:00 am that morning and will be tabling and helping out when the Festival kicks into gear at noon through 6:00 pm.

Sign up for the Walk, Bike and Paddle events on Brown Paper Tickers.  This is a special 9:00 am event which begins at Seacrest Park in West Seattle’s Alki neighborhood.  You can walk, bike, kayak or standup paddle from Seacrest down the Duwamish Waterway to the Waterway Park.

The festival is free and will include live music, free lunch, kids activities, interactive booths,kayak and boat rides and more! Arrive in Seattle style and walk, bike, or paddle to the annual festival. Walk/bike/paddle participants receive an event shirt, a refillable water bottle, and a map at the start. Buttons will also be given at the Walk/Bike/Paddle finish line.

The Duwamish River Festival has been a summer favorite event in South Seattle since 2005, attracting hundreds of people each year.

Seattle’s Duwamish River is listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Superfund Site – one of our nation’s most toxic rivers.  The Duwamish River Festival is one way that the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/TAG ensures that River communities can learn about and comment on the River cleanup.

This year’s festival will feature updates on the Duwamish River Superfund cleanup, children’s art activities, kayak and boat tours of the river, local live entertainment and artwork, boat rides, free food, environmental health information, Bert the Salmon, healthy yard care, and more. Attendance is expected to be between 750-1,000 people throughout the day.

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Community Orchard Grand Opening Saturday, July 9

The 4th Annual Edible Garden Tour of West Seattle is July 9th.

Community Orchard of West Seattle will be having a Grand Opening ceremony at our Community Orchard at South Seattle Community College at 12:00 pm.

Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin and food activist Viki Sonntag will be speaking, with catering provided by Herban Feast.

Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets –  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/181422.

The  next COWS Class and Work Party will be the next Saturday at the Community Orchard of West Seattle,  July 16th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  The topic  is Managing Property Next to a Greenbelt – Tracking Critters in the Urban Garden.  Animal trails are all around us and all it takes are careful eyes and a little practice to spot the. Come see at how common species interact with their local environment, including our gardens and orchards.  The instructor is Pete McGlenn, a West Seattle Tracker.

Morgan Junction Festival Saturday, Music, Food & SWS

The  6th Annual Morgan Junction will take place at Morgan Junction Park and vicinity this Saturday, June 25, from 10:00 am through 7:00 pm.  Music will take place on a stage set up in the Beveridge Place parking lot and near the crawling rock in the adjacent park.

Kids activities include Bubble Man at 11:15 am, chalk drawing on the art sidewalk in front of the park all day long, face painting, and gymnastic activities supervised by Little Gym.

Booths will be set up behind Zeeks/Feedback Lounge and across the street at the Washington Federal parking lot. Among those showing at the festival are:

  • Sustainable West Seattle
  • Solar Epiphany
  • West Seattle Natural Energy
  • Solstice Park P-Patch
  • Food Bank of West Seattle
  • Animals First Foundation
  • West Seattle Be Prepared and the Block Watch Captains Network
  • South Seattle Community College
  • many, many more local vendors and service providers

Music will begin at 10:30 am and run continuously through the day, there are two music areas – the main stage in the Beveridge Place parking lot, and the Park stage in Morgan Junction Park.  Featured musicians are:

  • 10:30 – Minor Dissonance with Wordsmith Jesse – classical pop
  • 12:00 – Soda – acoustic jazz and rock
  • 12:45 – Alan Ehrlich – folk and Americana
  • 1:15  – Bahia – folk and indie rock
  • 2:00 – Moon Girl – acoustic folk and rock
  • 2:30 – Norma Beach – rock and bluesy rock
  • 3:15 – Blue Grasshoppers – folk and bluegrass
  • 3:45 – Gary Reynolds and the Brides of Obscurity – alternative and alt rock
  • 4:30 – The Tongan Choir – Tongan music
  • 5:00 – Burley Mountain – alternative and classic country
  • 5:45 – Hal Merrill – steel pedal guitar
  • 6:15 – The Offenders – 60’s through 90’s rock cover songs

Also featured is the Bite of Morgan, a taste of the food available in the Morgan Junction area.  You will need to pick up a book of tickets at the Festival Booth (in the park).

Participating restaurants:

  • Meanders
  • Kokoras Greek Grill
  • Feedback Lounge
  • Zeeks
  • Abbondanza Pizzeria
  • Domino’s Pizza
  • Pet Elements (food for your dog or cat)
  • Caffe Ladro
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Park Opportunity Fund Recommendations Published

The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Citizens Oversight Committee finalized their project recommendations for Opportunity Funding at a meeting held last week. In the first cycle of the Opportunity Fund, $7 million will be awarded to community initiated projects.

The Committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to Parks and Recreation Acting Superintendent Christopher Williams, who will forward his recommendations to the Mayor and City Council. Seattle City Council is expected to approve project funding recommendations in March 2011. The project list is below.

The Parks and Green Spaces Citizens Oversight Committee developed the criteria for evaluating projects with guidance from the Levy Ordinance, and has gone through an extensive public process to recommend funding to the final projects located throughout the city.

Seattle voters approved the $146 million Parks and Green Spaces Levy in 2008. It includes a $15 million Opportunity Fund for community initiated development projects and land acquisition opportunities.

Highland Park Spray Park, Norhtacres Spray Park and 14th Avenue NW Park Boulevard are three additional community-initiated projects that will receive funding from other Levy sources. An estimated $1.5 million in 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy acquisition funds will be reallocated to the 14th Avenue NW Park Boulevard project. The goal is to convert two blocks on 14th Avenue NW (currently street right of way) from existing roadway and parking median into a community park with green infrastructure and safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists. The community has prioritized this development project in lieu of acquiring additional property.

The two spray park conversion projects will receive a total of $905,000 in additional funding. This will allow for full water re-circulating systems which will provide better play experience and greater water conservation.

For more information please contact Susanne Rockwell at Susanne.rockwell@seattle.gov or 206-684-0902 visit the web at http://seattle.gov/parks/levy/opportunity.htm

First Round Opportunity Fund

2010 Levy Oversight Committee – Recommendations

(Project information is in the form of 1)District, 2)Project Name, 3)Budget Allocation, 4)Notes

CE – 19th & Madison Neighborhood Park – $473,000 -The intent of this project is to create a beautiful, tranquil green oasis in an urban setting, including a sensory garden and a community gathering space on what is currently a vacant lot.

CE – James Court Woonerf – $500,000 – The goal is to convert an existing street and sidewalk into a green, pervious space which invites and accommodates uses by people on foot instead of only cars. It would be adjacent to the newly acquired12th Ave Park which is in the planning stage.

CE – John Street Enhancement Project – $260,000 – This proposal enhances the new park and P-patch by adding a bioswale, planting area and providing better pedestrian connections.

CE – McGilvra Place Green Infrastructure – $364,000 – The project proposes closure of 15th Ave between E Madison St and E Pike St and modifications to the existing park for the creation of bioretention cells and rain gardens to accept runoff from the Cascadia Center’s new building to the east.

CW – Lower Kinnear Park Enhancement Plan – $750,000 – The project goal is to create enhancements that improve trails and signage, restore the native vegetation and make connections to other trails in the Seattle Parks system.

NE – Naturalizing Northgate – $500,000 – This project will refine and complete all remaining channel work in this park, thereby creating a healthier watershed with more controlled flow and plentiful native plants.

NE – University Heights, South Lot Park, Playground Gardens – $747,000 – The project goal is to produce a cost effective operation of a playground, open space, performance area, gardens and a plaza area for the public.

NW – Park Enhancements for Bitter Lake Reservoir – $287,000 – The project goal is to create additional open space and park-like atmosphere enhancements around the reservoir.

NW – The Troll’s Knoll – $685,000 – The goal is to create a model design of a sustainable park space. Proposed sustainable design features include the use of recycled materials, native plants, minimal earth movement, tree retention, storm water management, solar panels and wind turbines.

SE – Jimi Hendrix Park Development – $500,000 – The goal of this project is to complete the development of the park, bringing to life an open green space that is welcoming and provides an unique experience which clearly defines its namesake.

SE – John Muir Elementary PG Improvements – $270,000 – Construction of a new play area to replace existing one, including rain gardens, permeable surfaces and planting beds, native plant restoration.

SE – Lewis Park Reforestation – $260,000 – The project goal is to restore the steep slope area of the urban forest, increase the native plants and tree restoration.

SE – Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands – $500,000 – The goal of the project is to establish a unique green infrastructure development project transforming the Atlantic City Nursery into a working organic urban farm and demonstration wetlands restoration site.

SE – Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park – $350,000 – The project goal is to revitalize and make more effective use of the available space and to increase public awareness and access to the park.

SW – Puget Ridge Edible Park – $520,000 – The vision of Sustainable Puget Ridge is to create an urban community farm which is a neighborhood meeting place, a community food garden and a test site for environmentally conscientious sustainability.

The total funding for this round is $6,966,000.

Big storm, big reminder

Big storm last night, eh?

These type of storms aren’t that unusual in West Seattle, but they’re rare enough that we sometimes forget how powerful they can be.

So while you’re picking up branches and clearing storm drains, it’s also a good time to think about emergency preparation.

  • Could you stay warm with no power in your house?
  • Do you have enough food and water on-hand for a few days?
  • Do you have a family disaster plan?
  • How about an emergency supply kit?

There is some great advice about getting prepared on Seattle’s SNAP site (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare).

Use this storm as a reminder and be prepared for the next one!

12th Annual Arts in Nature Festival @ Camp Long

Mark your calendars for the 12th annual Arts in Nature Festival, scheduled for Saturday Aug. 21st & Sunday Aug. 22nd at Camp Long!

It will be a weekend packed with arts and outdoor experiences for people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Festival goers will have access to a wide-range of performing arts including:

  • Music
  • Dance
  • Aerial & fire performances
  • Puppetry
  • Marching bands;

And, visitors will also get to experience sound & visual art installations in the

  • Museum of Sound
  • Interactive arts activities such as Haiku
  • Printmaking
  • EcoRhythm Instrument Building
  • Fabric Animals & Birds
  • Participatory Chime Clusters and
  • Naturalist activities.

Music will range from jazz and classical to bluegrass, indie and experimental. Some of the festival highlights include performances by Hey MarseillesEarth, Lelavision, and Pearl Django.

As a benefit show during the festival, Chris Ballew will be performing songs of the Presidents of the United States of America (tickets $25) on Sunday evening.

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Annual Potluck with Longboards and Electric Bikes!

Join SWS for our Annual Summer Potluck – at Lincoln Park This Coming Monday….

We’ll set up the grill and provide condiments.  Please bring your favorite summertime dish and your own cup, utensils & plates.

We will be set up in Shelter 3/4 which is very close to the principal restroom facilities on the beach at the south end of Lincoln Park.  See map below for details… Continue reading