NEDC Announcements

December 6, 2001

1. ProParks Opportunity Fund: Opportunity Fund applications for capital projects or acquisitions are due December 17, 2001. To find out about the Opportunity Fund criteria, go to www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/ or contact Catherine Anstett at 206-615-0386 or catherine.anstett@ci.seattle.wa.us.

2. Neighborhood Building Workshops: The Neighborhood Leadership Program, sponsored by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, offers free workshops that will help participants become effective advocates for their communities, coordinate neighborhood projects and neighborhood plans, mobilize assets, and build productive partnerships. Classes are free of charge and open to all, and no pre-registration is required. For more information: contact Randy Wiger at 206-684-0719 ext. 1 randy.wiger@ci.seattle.wa.us. For instance, the following workshop will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Miller Community Center, 330-19^th Avenue E:

· Community Power Analysis: A Case Study, Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

3. Seattle Human Rights Day: Monday, December 10^th is Seattle Human Rights Day. Celebrate from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Dome Room of the Arctic Building and hear noted author Loung Ung, author of First They Killed my Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. For further information, call 206-684-4500 or go to www.cityofseattle.net/civilrights/Events.htm.

4. SPU Speakers Available: Seattle Public Utilities will furnish a speaker for your organization on utility issues such as recycling, water supply, utility rates, the Endangered Species Act, urban creeks, salmon friendly gardening and volunteer programs. For further information, contact Ernie Dunston, SPU Speakers Bureau coordinator at 206-684-5951 or ernie.dunston@ci.seattle.wa.us.

5. Christmas Ship at Sand Point/Magnuson Park: The Parks Department is seeking contributions and volunteers for the Christmas Ship at Sand Point/Magnuson Park. The Department is asking community councils to contribute $50 and provide 20 volunteers. The event involves assembling, placement and lighting thousands of luminaries, set up and serving hot cider, cocoa, coffee and cookies, building and tending the bonfire and coordinating on-shore entertainment. For further information, contact Malcolm Boyles at 206-684-8832 or malcolm.boyles@ci.seattle.wa.us or Wendy Ceccherelli at 206-615-1705.

The Annual Christmas Ship Visit is scheduled for Wednesday, December 19 from 7:15-8:15 on the Magnuson Park Beach south shore. Central Kitsap High School Choir will sing. For further information, go to www.argosycruises.com/specialevents/xmas.

6. Help Nicole: Nicole Howard is four years old. Bryant Elementary, the school Nicole will be old enough to attend next year, is close enough to her home that even a kindergartner could walk. Nicole's parents are not trooping through classrooms this fall however, looking for the perfect teacher for their daughter. They are looking for a bone marrow donor for her. Nicole has leukemia. She is multi-ethnic and this makes her parent's search for a matching marrow donor much more difficult. No family member or volunteer on the worldwide database has been identified as a match for her. Nicole's best chance of a matching donor is someone of Asian and Caucasian ancestry. Only two percent of the volunteer donors on the national registry are of multiethnic ancestry. A group of friends, family and neighbors has formed a group called Help Nicole. You may have seen their table at the opening ceremonies for Bryant School last month. If you are interested in helping you can reach the group at 206-367-5433, write to HELP NICOLE 2400 NW 80th Street, #311 Seattle 98117-4449 or on the web at www.helpnicole.org. Volunteering for the National Bone Marrow Donor Program requires only a simple blood test and completion of a form. If you are willing to volunteer call the Puget Sound Blood Center, 1-800-366-2831,ext.1897.

7. TransLake Washington Project: At the end of January (Jan 30 at 1PM at MOHAI, to be exact), TLWP’s executive committee is scheduled to make a very important decision: namely the decision about which alternatives will be included in the project’s EIS. In preparation, the project’s Technical Committee will meet at MOHAI on Dec 12 from 9-12, and the Advisory Committee will meet on Jan 9 from 4-7PM at the N Bellevue Community College Senior Center. Several community meetings on this topic will also be held between now and then. For information on inviting TLWP staff to your community meeting, contact Amy Grotefendt (agrotefendt@enviroissues.com) or Jenni Cannon (jcannon@enviroissues.com), or call one of them at 269-5041. For a schedule of upcoming meetings, check out http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/translake/home.htm.

8. Small and Simple Grant Awards: The Department of Neighborhoods has announced 22 Small and Simple Project Fund awards, totaling $107,953, from the Neighborhood Matching Fund. The cash awards range from $150 to $10,000. Some will be made to small groups of neighbors who will renovate traffic circles; others will go to larger community-based organizations that are carrying out larger neighborhood projects. The following projects are from northeast Seattle:

·	Traffic Circle Renovation at 28^th Avenue NE & NE 82nd Street
	Friends of Traffic Circle at NE 82nd & 28th NE was awarded $250, which they will match with $255 in community contributions, to clean and weed an existing traffic circle, complete a planting plan, amend the soil, and purchase and install new plants.
·	University District Gems: Documenting Significant Buildings and Spaces
	University District Arts and Heritage Committee was awarded $10,000, which they will match with $7,366 in community contributions, to identify historically- and architecturally-significant buildings, objects, and sites in the University District that predate 1962. A consultant will work with community volunteers to research, photograph, and document 100 significant properties.
·	University Playfield Planning
	Roosevelt Neighbors Alliance was awarded $10,000, which they will match with $5,000 in community contributions, to hire consultants to design and evaluate solutions for existing and new amenities at University Playfield. Designing a new fence is a top priority. Evaluating placement of the Sasquatch sculpture and potential for more art, of tennis court renovation, lighting, programming, safety, and landscaping are additional priorities.
·	Picardo Farm P-Patch Master Plan: Structure & Buffer Design
	Picardo Farm P-Patch gardeners were awarded $10,000, which they will match with $6,840 in community contributions, to hire a landscape architect to provide detailed professional drawings for a large tool shed, entrance arch, bulk bins, and edible buffer, and conduct research for onsite, ADA-compliant composting.

17. Roosevelt High School Restoration: The Roosevelt Restoration Project committee is dedicated to promoting preservation of the historic architectural elements of Roosevelt High School. The design process for the remodel will start with the selection of the architect in November. The next meeting is on December 10 @ 3 p.m. in the Roosevelt High School library, to review some preliminary site proposals. If you have questions, comments, or input, please email by 10AM that day to Andrea Wilson, Friends of RHS Historic Preservation, RestoreRHS@hotmail.com.

18. Sand Point Community Communications Committee: This group will meet on January 23 probably at the Brig. There will be no December meeting. If your group has not yet designated a representative and alternate or if you would like further information, contact C. David Hughbanks at 206-615-1502 or cdavid.hughbanks@ci.seattle.wa.us.

19. Holiday Lights at Green Lake: The Green Lake Pathway of Lights event begins 12/8 at 6 p.m..  Walk along the Green Lake path, enjoy carols and local magicians; there are over 4500 luminaries this year!

20. Roosevelt Neighbors’ Alliance University Playfield Project: Meet Park Project Landscape Architect  on Monday, Dec 10 at the YMCA on 12^th Ave NE, from 7-9PM. RNA has hired Landscape Architects Daniel Winterbottom and Luanne Smith, of Winterbottom Designs, with the help of the Neighborhood Matching Fund Program.  Winterbottom Design will do a design for a new perimeter fence, which could be a "signature" feature in the University District, and concept plan for University Playfield Park.  The concept plan will be a "blueprint" for thinking 5 to 10 years out about what kinds of things we want in the park and the best approach to getting them.  At the meeting we will have the opportunity to express what activities and amenities we might want in the park.  We will see many different ideas for interesting fences in order to gain a sense of this community's unique creative direction.  The University Playfield Planning Project is a sub-set, or phase, of the University Playfield Comprehensive Project, supported by gifts from SAFECO and our community.

21. Street work progresses in the University District: Drivers can expect occasional parking restrictions and single-lane closures on University District streets during December as work progresses on the “Northeast 50th Street” project. Beginning Monday, December 3, a City of Seattle contractor will repair the concrete pavement on Roosevelt Way Northeast south of NE 50th Street.  Some street parking will be restricted on Roosevelt on each side of Northeast 50th Street.  The existing two lanes for southbound traffic will be maintained, although they will be shifted to one side of the street. These traffic changes will be in place 24 hours a day, for approximately two weeks, if the weather permits.

Other work and necessary traffic changes planned during the month of December include:
Northeast Pacific Street east of 15th Avenue Northeast.
  Single lane closures for connection of streetlights to underground electrical system.
Northeast 47th Street at 15th Avenue Northeast
Single lane closures for connection of streetlights to underground electrical system.
Northeast 47th Street at 11th Avenue Northeast.
Lane closure, or possibly a detour for repair of pavement (to be done once the work on Roosevelt Way Northeast is completed).
Northeast 50th Street from 7th Avenue Northeast to 17th Avenue Northeast.
Occasional curb lane closures between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. for restoration of sidewalks and installation of street trees, streetlights, traffic signal controllers, and traffic signal poles.

The entire project is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2002. This is a joint project of Seattle Transportation and Seattle City Light.  The purpose is to increase safety, better manage traffic during peak periods and special events, and to improve electrical utilities.

For more information, contact:
Robert Gorman, Project Manager, 206.233.7205
Marybeth Turner, Communications Office, 206.684.8548