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NEDC Announcements February 6, 2003 1.
Husky Stadium Advisory Committee: This group, which includes representatives
from the UW, city departments, Montlake and Laurelhurst, met on January 28,
2003 to consider a proposal from UW Athletics to charge Husky fans for bus
service to and from Husky games. Such
service has been free until now. If
paid in advance the charge would be $10/season, or $2/game roundtrip, or if
purchased at a park-and-ride lot just before a game, $3 roundtrip. The program would gross ~$150k-$180k. The net is controversial, with UW Athletics
saying $130k but others doing the math saying maybe $75k. About 50 gameday
staff would be needed to administer the program, plus other overhead. The UW now spends ~$500k per season on bus
transit service. Last season for parking
in the Montlake parking lot, carpools went from $7 to $10 and single occupancy
vehicles went from $10-$15. Other
college events in major cities routinely charge $20. Concerns raised at the meeting
include: The proposal claims "the
proposed transit fees should not cause fans to drive to games" yet no
supporting analysis was done. It is not
clear the financial estimates are sound.
No alternatives were offered to achieve the goal of reducing the UW
Athletics' cost of transit and improve their bottom line. The proposal lacked "teeth" --
contingencies in case ridership drops due to the fees. The Committee will meet again in February to
discuss these concerns. UW Athletics will
seek approval from CUCAC, the Seattle City Council and others. The alterative would be considered for
implementation in 2004 as it is too late for the 2003 season. 2.
Seattle Audubon Nature Camps: Enrollment will open soon for Seattle
Audubon’s summer nature camps at Warren G. Magnuson Park. Weekly summer day camps for grades 1-6, teen
adventure camps for grades 6-9, bird expedition for grades 9-12 and free
counselor-in-training programs for grades 9-12 are offered. This year there will be extended daycare. For a brochure or further information, go to
www.seattleaudobon.org or call
206-523-4483. Registration begins April
1st. Scholarships are available. 3.
New GreenStage Production: GreenStage is proud to present its second annual American
Classics Series production: Tennessee Williams’ turbulent masterpiece, The Night of the Iguana, winner of the
1961 Tony and Drama Critics Circle awards for best play. The play will run from January 30-March 1st
and will be held in Building 406 at Magnuson Park at 8 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are
accepted. For reservations, call 206-748-1551 or make your reservation on line
at http://www.greenstage.org/2003/iguana/index.shtml. The
Night of the Iguana is a cruel yet heartbreakingly compassionate play that tells
the story of T. Lawrence Shannon, a defrocked Episcopalian priest leading a
tour of Texas Baptists through Roman Catholic Mexico. On a steamy night in Puerto Barrio, Shannon’s
torpid masculinity acts as a lightning rod that attracts a series of remarkable
women, leading him to question his faith, life, and humanity in this hot and
lyric tale of love, lust, sin and redemption. 4.
Montlake Congestion:
In response to concerns from the NEDC and Laurelhurst, the Seattle
Department of Transportation (SDOT) has developed a proposal to address
congestion on Montlake Boulevard. The
solution is to install a camera and a fixed message sign with lights that flash
when the stretch of roadway between Husky Stadium and University Village is
congested. This project will be
considered for funding this year as part of the 2003 budget adjustment and will
compete with other priorities. This
would be a short-term solution and a more comprehensive solution would be
developed in the future when more funds are available. If you are interested in implementation of
the proposal for this year, please write to Grace Crunican, SDOT Director, 700
Fifth Avenue, Suite 3900, Seattle, WA
98104-5043, fax her at 206-684-5180 or email her at grace.crunican@seattle.gov. Please send a copy of your comments to Mayor
Nickels and the Seattle City Council. 5.
City Attorney Advisories: City Attorney Tom Carr will re-institute the practice of
providing guidance to the public by issuing legal opinions on local
issues. This practice, which the city
attorney’s office provided for over 75 years, was discontinued in 1990. The city attorney’s office will accept
requests to issue statements that meet the following criteria:
For further information or to send a
request to issue statements, contact City Attorney Tom Carr at thomas.carr@seattle.gov or 206-684-8288. 6.
Promontory Point Work Parties: Work parties for invasive plant removal,
mulching and cleanup are ongoing every month, the second Sunday and third
Thursday and Magnuson Park. The next
work parties will be on February 9 and February 20. Parties start at 10 a.m. Tools
and gloves are available. To get
involved or for further information, contact Bonnie Miller at 206-524-8713 or bmiller@serv.net. 7.
Seattle Fire Station Open Houses: All Seattle fire stations will be open to
the public on Neighbor Appreciation Day, Saturday, February 8. Come by for a
tour, meet the firefighters, and learn about the work they do in your
neighborhood anytime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. For the address of your closest fire station, call 206-386-1400
during regular business hours or go to www.cityofseattle.net/fire/. 8.
Laurelhurst Good Neighbor Award Reception: The annual Laurelhurst Good Neighbor
Reception will be held on Neighbor Appreciation Day, February 8, 2003 at the
Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 N.E. 41st Street, from 10 a.m. until
noon. The event honors neighbors who do
the little things that make Laurelhurst such a great neighborhood. Snacks & refreshments will be provided. For further information, contact Coco Sherman
at 206-525-9850 or cocosherman@hotmail.com. 9.
Children’s Health Fair: You are cordially invited to attend Children’s Health Fair on
Neighbor Appreciation Day, Saturday, February 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
Children’s, 4800 Sand Point Way NE. Children’s
Health Fair is a free ”hands on” event for families and children ages 3 – 12
and provides a variety of up-to-date information about child health and
safety. Activities will include the
Teddy Bear Clinic (children may bring their teddy bears or dolls for a
check-up!) and tours of the hospital. Learn
about car safety, healthy eating and become a Safety All-Star. For further information, contact Sarah
Erickson, Assistant Director of Community, Government Affairs and Advocacy at
206-987-3881 or sarah.erickson@seattlechildrens.org. This event is sponsored by Children’s
Hospital and Regional Medical Center and KISS 106.1 FM. 10.
Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center Neighbor Appreciation Day
Celebration: Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center will be
serving refreshments (coffee, hot cider, cookies and pastries) as a way of
saying thanks to neighbors for their patronage and support on Saturday,
February 8, 2003 at 9 a.m. at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, 6535
Ravenna Ave NE. For further
information, contact Mike Domingo at 206-684-7534 or mike.domingo@seattle.gov. 11.
Zoo Tours for Neighbor Appreciation Day: Woodland Park Zoo invites community members
to Neighbor Appreciation Day at the Zoo on February 8, 2003. Learn about the zoo's new jaguar exhibit,
opening July 2003, and other exciting activities. Join zoo staff and your neighbors for refreshments and free,
docent-led tours. Tours begin at 10:30
a.m. Meet at the Woodland Park Zoo
Education Center. Enter at South Gate
at N 50th Street & Fremont Avenue N.
For further information, contact Gwen Boyer at 206-684-4839 or gwen.boyer@zoo.org. 12.
Sand Point "Good Neighbors" Celebration: Magnuson Park will have a ceremony with
refreshments on February 8, 2003. Invited
dignitaries include the Mayor, Cynthia Sullivan as well as the "Good
Neighbors," their family, co-workers and friends. There will be
certificates for the "Good Neighbors" and their names will be on
display on the "Wall of Fame" in the Activity Center. The event will be held in the Community
Activity Center at Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. For further information, call 206-684-4946. 13.
Magnuson Park Community Garden Work Party: Meet at The Community Garden, east the old Brig,
Building 406 (next to the Off Leash Dog Area) on February 8, 2003 at 10
a.m. The work party will take place
from 10 a.m. until noon. For further
information, call Vhajra Allen at 206-615-0510. 14.
Northwest Flower and Garden Show: This annual event will take place Wednesday
through Sunday, February 19 (9 a.m.-9:30 p.m.) to February 23 (9 a.m.-7 p.m.)
in the Washington State Convention Center.
It's a festival of foliage and fashionable flowers—where garden lovers
come each year to share their passion and open their minds to new inspiration
and ideas. This year, the event will
feature 29 beautifully landscaped, full-scale gardens created by top landscape
designers, nurseries and organizations and an expanded Plant Market full of
tempting selections. The Arboretum and the
Parks Department will present “Reflecting the Olmsted Tradition,” a display
garden featuring plants and design celebrating Seattle’s Olmsted legacy at the
event. The cost is $18 the day of the event or
$15 if you buy your tickets in advance.
Tickets for kids age 4-11 are $7 in advance. Group tickets and half-day tickets are also available. Buy your tickets online at www.gardenshow or at your local nursery (City
People’s, Ravenna Gardens, Swanson’s Nursery, etc.). For further information, go to the garden show website or call
206-789-5333. For information about the
Arboretum Foundation related events, contact Bryan Taulbee at 206-325-4510 or btaulbee@arboretumfoundation.org
or go to www.arboretumfoundation.org. 15.
Illegal Tree Cutting: Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerome Farris, whose
gardener chopped down more than 120 trees on public property to improve the
judge’s view of Lake Washington, will be required to pay $500,000 to restore
and improve Colman Park in the Mount Baker neighborhood. (The Parks Department had asked for a much
smaller amount!) The settlement
includes a fine for violating the city’s critical-areas ordinance. The money will be used to plant more than
600 trees and shrubs to restore the park to pre-development days and create an
urban canopy. The park will be
monitored for five years to make sure the replantings survive, and the city
also will offer a summer youth program for five years to control invasive
plants such as ivy and blackberry. The park also will get a trail and an
irrigation system. No criminal charges
were filed by King County or the City. 16.
Arbor-Read-Em--Annual Book Sale: Find a fantastic selection of used and
nearly new books and the Arbor-Read-Em book sale on Saturday, March 1, 2003
from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event
will be held at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum. Thousands of titles--fiction, classics,
how-to, gardening, children's books, collectibles and much more. A rarity among used book sales: Arbor-Read-Em
books are meticulously categorized by subject and fiction titles are
alphabetized by author names! 17.
Rose Pruning
Workshop: This workshop will be held on Saturday, March 1st
from 10-11:30 p.m. in the Douglas Classroom at the Center for Urban
Horticulture. Instructor Julie Kintzi,
the Senior Gardener at the Woodland Park Rose Garden, will teach attendees how
to prune hybrid tea roses, floribundas and climbers and receive hands-on
practice. Topics will include: planting basics, recommended rose varieties,
least toxic pest and disease control and fertilizers. The cost is $22 for Arboretum Foundation members and $25 for the
general public. Pre-registration is
required. Register online at http://depts.washington.edu/urbhort/html/education/adulteducation.htm
or call 685-8033. 18.
Bringing Your Lawn
to Life: This workshop will be held on Thursday, March 6th from 7-8:30
p.m. in the Douglas Classroom of the Center for Urban Horticulture. Instructor Ciscoe Morris, Master Gardener
and radio and TV garden show host, will brief attendees on good cultural
practices done in Spring that can keep your lawn looking healthy and green
throughout the summer. Basic lawn care
techniques will be covered as well as how to renovate a lawn that is too far
gone to bring back gradually. He will
also cover alternatives to lawns for those who just want to give up
completely. The cost is $10 and
pre-registration is required. Register
online at http://depts.washington.edu/urbhort/html/education/adulteducation.htm
or call 685-8033. 19.
UW Master Plan: The UW Interim
President and Regents invite you to a reception to show their appreciation for
your efforts on the Master Plan. The
event will be held on February 10 from 5-7 p.m. at the Burke Room in the Burke
Museum, NE 45th and 15th Avenue NE. Light
hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Susan Folk at slfolk@u.washington.edu or
206-221-4183. Parking is available in
Lot N-1 via the north entrance. 20.
Children’s Garden Work Parties: Help plant a diverse pallet of plants that
will intrigue and delight children of all ages. Thanks to generous grants from the Master Gardener Foundation,
National Gardening Association, and the City.
Work parties are scheduled: Sunday,
February 16th, 1-3; Saturday, March 8th, 10-12; Sunday, March 23rd, 1-3;
Saturday, April 19th, 10-12; and Sunday, May 4th, 1-3. For further information, contact Cindy
Hazard at 206-527-0584 or hazardean@hotmail.com. |