Stories

Free trees available for your neighborhood through Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

Tree Fund celebrates 15 years of planting 20,000 trees

July 8, 2010 (SEATTLE, WA)— Community members can get free trees for their neighborhood through the Tree Fund, a program of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. It is an easy way for residents to beautify their neighborhood and help the environment, while connecting with their neighbors.

Groups of neighbors from at least five households living on a street or block can request from 10 to 40 trees per project. In addition, every participating household can have a fruit tree for their own yard. Information on how to organize your neighborhood, the selections of trees, as well as the application form, can be found at www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/treefund.htm . Deadline for applications is August 16.

This is the 15th year that Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is providing free trees through the Neighborhood Matching Fund&...

The Green Bean Coffeehouse, which was destroyed by arson last October, will be reopening this Friday morning at 7 a.m. in their new space at 8533 Greenwood Avenue.   

And it isn't taking long for various groups to host creative events in this coffeehouse and community space.  On Sunday, July 18, Artocratic, an online magazine, will be putting on the Food-As-Art Party:  

The Food-As-Art Party is in a few days, on Sunday July 18th.

We're starting on the early side because it's the end of the weekend. Try to get there between 5:30 and 6:00 so we can display all the creations before we dig into them. Sometime around 7-ish we'll start our Food-For-Thought Open mic. Anything you want to perform -- a poem, a song, a very short essay -- original or not -- is welcome!

We hope you are inspired, not intimidated, by this invitation to gustatory creativity! Bring anything that can be eaten, and call it art! If it's just not possible for you to bring something, we will enjoy your company in any...

The Seattle Police Department invites you to a North Precinct picnic this Saturday:

Calling all North Precinct residents!  On Saturday, July 10th from 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM the North Precinct (10049 College Way North) will be hosting a picnic to celebrate community, give you a chance to meet your local officers, and even take a precinct tour.  There will be food, activities and entertainment- including many activities for children.  This is an annual free event hosted by the Seattle Police Foundation.

Don’t worry, if you cannot make this precinct picnic, there will be others held at the Southwest, South and West Precincts all through the summer.  We hope to see you there!  The next picnic at the precinct will be hosted by the Southwest Precinct on August 21st.  

SCAN (Seattle Community Access Network), which is located at 1125 N. 98th St. (just off Aurora), is holding a Sidewalk Sale of used computers and video equipment this Saturday, June 26, 2010, from noon-2pm. All equipment is used, sold as-is, and will be very inexpensive. SCAN  is Seattle's public access television station, www.scantv.org. Please, no early birds on Saturday and no phone calls. Cash only for purchases. Hope you'll come check it out.

An announcement from "Celebrate North Seattle" event organizers:

Local Community Businesses and Groups Come Together To Sponsor Block Party to Get to Know Their Neighbors

Seattle, WA, June 10 2010 - Today AMC Oak Tree Cinemas, Northwest Face, and Epic Life Church announced an inaugural community block party to celebrate the businesses, community groups and people represented by North Seattle. This event will be hosted in the Oak Tree Cinema Parking lot June 13th from 2-6PM.  Admission is free. Celebrate North Seattle will feature local musician, Sid Law as well as entertainment for the whole family including inflatables, children’s games and food. Door prizes and gift bags will be provided by a variety of local businesses and community groups on a first come first serve basis. 

“We’re excited about the opportunity to get to know our neighbors in this unique community,” says Epic Life Church Pastor, Keith Carpenter. “There is so much good in North Seattle and along...

A. K. Mimi Allin, the Poetess at Green Lake is calling all experimental artists to participate in an experimental art event, Studies in Forgiveness," along four miles of Aurora Avenue between the Seattle Center and Green Lake on Saturday, July 3.

Artists experimenting in movement, performance, dance, text, voice and visual arts wanted for Studies in Forgiveness, a full-day, outdoor, live art event, 9AM–9PM, on Saturday 3 July along the west side of Aurora Avenue between Seattle Center and Green Lake. Select from 15-minute, 30-minute, 1-hour and 2-hour time slots. Engage in a stationary or moving study anywhere along the 4-mile route. Studies will be scheduled geo-chronologically, south to north, so that witnesses and performers can walk the 4-mile route and see the studies in order. Organizers will witness and film all studies. Studies in Forgiveness is 3rd in a quarterly series called STUDIES IN EVERYTHING and was preceded by Studies in White in January and Studies in Monk, Mompou and Melancholy in...

Todd Lown’s design will brighten the Aurora Avenue underpass at North 46th Street in Seattle, chosen by consensus at the 46th Street Mural Project Steering Committee meeting May 5. Lown was one of three finalists selected by the committee to submit designs this spring.

“This was no snap decision. Quite the contrary,” said Steering Committee member Gerald Diamond. “Volunteers first set up and conducted an online survey, constructed poster boards and placed them in clubs and schools for voting in both Wallingford and Fremont. They read input from emails to help evaluate each artwork and spent many volunteer hours in comparing the merits of each submission.”

“We gathered nearly 1000 votes in our advisory polling,” Steering Committee secretary Linda Clifton said, “with over 800 responding to our online survey, and many more on the poster boards at Wallingford Boys and Girls Club, Hamilton Middle School, BF Day Elementary, Kapka, Not A Number, Alphabet Soup and the Fremont Village Fair at Fremont Abbey.”

Lown’s mural...

The 46th Street Mural Project invites residents of Wallingford and Fremont and users of the well-traveled North 46th Street underpass to help select the final design for the 300-foot mural beneath Aurora Avenue North.

See all three designs on the project’s blog, and vote for your favorite at http://46thstreetmuralproject.blogspot.com/ The blog links to slide shows with full details for each design and to the vote survey.

Here are three images from the three proposals--just a glimpse of the full designs by Todd Lown, Susan Brown and Kristen Ramirez.

On May 5, the project’s Steering Committee will make the final selection, subject to the City of Seattle’s design review approval. Construction is scheduled for summer 2010, with a public dedication this August.

The project is funded by a grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Fiscal Sponsor is donor Fremont Neighborhood Council. Other donors and supporters are Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Fremont Abbey,Fremont Arts Council, ž Wallingford Boys & Girls Club,...

Join Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark for a special Committee on the Built Environment meeting on:

Rowhouses, Apartments & Townhomes – New Rules for the Road

Saturday, March 20

10 a.m. – noon

Taproot Theatre in Greenwood (204 N 85^th St)

It’s time to change the way we design and shape new lowrise buildings in Seattle.  City Council will change the code to make quality, sustainable, well-designed multifamily housing that synchs with the neighborhoods where they are built – and we need your help!  This is a prime opportunity for Councilmembers to hear your feedback

Meeting Format:

 

• Council Staff will highlight some of the hot-button issues.
• Councilmembers will then work through some of the topics
• Substantial time will be dedicated to hearing from you, the attendees
• Coffee and doughnuts will fuel the creativity

Highlighted topics will include parking requirements, building heights, density limits, code simplification,...

You've heard the police report about what happened last Sunday night at an Aurora motel.  Now Karen Cirulli, a community organizer along the Aurora corridor, salutes the brave motel manager who broke up the sexual assault and subdued the suspect until police (lots of them!) arrived:

This past year I have been delighted to meet new faces on Aurora, some of whom have become friends. Samantha is one of those folks that I have had the honor of getting to know. "Sammie" is a twenty-something office manager at the lovely Everspring Inn on Aurora Ave.  She is a very dedicated and hard working woman who takes great care of the Everspring office and guests, and has a heart for the community . Sammie helped host the Everspring BBQ back in November. Yes, November. Despite the slightly cold and rainy weather the community came out to listen to music, eat burgers and hang out. Aurora is not exactly a place to just hang out, let alone in a motel parking lot, so this was a beautiful picture...

The 46th Street Mural Project just opened its survey of the Fremont and Wallingford community surrounding the mural site. To take the survey, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7GSHTZR

Join artists Susan Brown, Todd Lown and Kristen Ramirez, finalists, for a COMMUNITY CONVERSATION about THE 46TH STREET MURAL at the Aurora underpass.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2ND 6:30-8:30
FREMONT ABBEY ARTS CENTER
4272 Fremont Ave N | www.fremontabbey.org
 
Come have a voice for OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

Supported by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods - Fremont Neighborhood Council <fiscal sponsor> - Fremont Chamber of Commerce - Wallingford Boys & Girls Club - Fremont Abbey - Fremont Arts Council - Rodda Paint - Stoneway Hardware - Bob Suh - Ballard Window Works and community members like you.  Learn more at http://fremocentrist.com/archives/074_02-24-10.html Follow the 46th Street Mural Project at http://twitter.com/46thStreetMural and become a fan of 46th Street Mural Project on Facebook http://www.facebook.com. 

In their most recent newsletter, GAIN announced a meeting intended to gather information from the public that will be used as part of the search process for a new police chief:

Mayor McGinn has appointed 26 people to serve on the search committee for a new police chief.  Cindy Potter from GAIN is one of the members of this committee.  As part of the process the committee is asking the public for input on what criteria you want used in evaluating candidates.  The committee is hosting a public meeting, February 10, 5:30-8:30pm at Northgate Community Center, 10510 5th Ave NE.  Soon there will also be a website where you can provide input.  Stay tuned!

The next Greenwood Aurora Involved Neighbors (GAIN) cleanup is on Saturday, February 6 from 10:00-11:30am at N 90th St & Stone Ave N - and not a moment too soon!  February 6 also happens to be Seattle's 16th annual Neighbor Appreciation Day.  Check it out:

February 6, 2010 marks Seattle’s 16^th annual Neighbor Appreciation Day.  It is a time to reach out to our neighbors, create new bonds, and express thanks to our neighbors.  Community organizations, businesses and residents across Seattle come together on February 6 (or the week of) to celebrate this great day!

There are three ways you can participate: 

·         Organize a neighborhood event such as a block party, open house, potluck, or work party to recognize the day and your neighbors. It can be as big or simple as you want.  If you are having an event, contact Wendy Watson at wendy.watson@seattle.gov (206-684-0719) and tell us about it. ...

On February 2 & 3,  Greenwood's Green Bean Coffeehouse and Belltown's Emmaus Road church are sponsoring a workshop on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), which is designed to teach communities how to mobilize to work together.  Read on for more information.

Asset Based Community Development

Mobilizing Communities, Working Together

February 2 & 3, 2010, 9am-4pm

 

THE UPPER CRUST

8420 Greenwood Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98103

Registration: $35/person (deadline 21 January)

 

What’s This All About?

How does a community start to move toward a wider circle of people working together to address problems and realize goals? How can a local congregation play an important role in this effort?

Asset Based Community Development(ABCD) is a powerful approach to community development that will focus your effort on discovering and mobilizing the resources that are already present in your community. “Assets” are resources that become valuable when they...

Interested in doing something positive for Greenwood? On December 5th, Greenwood residents and businesses have an opportunity to "meet and greet" and roll up their sleeves to help out the whole neighborhood. Let's show our support for our business district by coming together as a community and cleaning up the area!

Join us Saturday, December 5 for a community breakfast at Greenwood Senior Center (525 N 85th St), followed by a leaf & litter cleanup focusing on Greenwood Ave and neighboring streets. The breakfast, 9:30-10:00am, is provided by Sanctuary Church and the Greenwood Senior Center. The cleanup, 10:00-11:30am, is organized Greenwood Aurora Involved Neighbors (GAIN) as part of the city's Adopt-a-Street and Adopt-a-Drain program.

At the event we will have a collection box for the Greenwood Fire Relief Fund. The event will happen rain or shine (or snow?). The city will provide rakes, shovels, gloves, litter "grabbers", safety vests, garbage bags and leaf bags. The city also will take care of free...

The corner block on the East side of Aurora and 90th would like to invite everybody to come look at our new mural!  The back lot behind the Aurora Family Grocery, Pro Ski Service, Fremont Fellowship and The Coffee Shop is getting a new face and there are some exciting things to see indeed! 

This Sunday the community will gather around Greenwood park (between 87th & 89th and Fremont & Evanston) to envision what our community can do with the space.  What do you think?  A wading pool?  A pea-patch?  A bird/butterfly garden?  A basketball court?  Game Tables?  More art?  More history?  More lanscaping?  Take this survey and let them know!  Food will be provided by local restaurants such as Olive You and Mr. Gyro's, ice cream by Molly Moon and live music!!!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=nR9UYBXxnw6kROLxGCBh%2

http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2009/08/26/news/public-mee

Just received this notification from the Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center about the Seattle Planning Commission's Neighborhood Plan survey.  Take a moment to fill out the questionnaire!

Due to the overwhelming and positive response to the on-line meeting and questionnaire, the deadline has been extended until Friday, August 21 to complete the neighborhood plan survey. The Seattle Planning Commission wants to know how your neighborhood is doing. Take the Questionnaire here http://www.cityofseattle.net/planningcommission/

If you live, work, own a business or property, attend school of regularly visit one of these 24 neighborhoods we want to know what you think. Admiral, Aurora/Licton Springs, Belltown, Broadview/Bitter Lake/Haller Lake, Capitol Hill, Central Area, Columbia City, Crown Hill & Ballard, Delridge, Eastlake, First Hill, Fremont, Georgetown, Green Lake, Greenwood/Phinney, Lake City, Morgan Junction, Pike/Pine, Rainier Beach , University Community , Upper Queen Anne/Uptown,...

Sustainable Green Lake continues to lead a community process of designing a creating a street mural:

Sustainable Green Lake and Bethany Community Church invite you to participate in the second round of designing a street painting on Stone Avenue, between 80th St North and Green Lake Drive North (just north of Daniel Bagley Elementary School). Bring your own design idea or lend your voice to the designing process.

Thursday, July 30th 

@ Bethany Community Church, 8023 Green Lake Drive North, CE Auditorium 

6pm.............Posting and viewing of designs 

6:30pm.........A collaborative process to help us develop our final design 

PAST PROCESS - We held an open design charette on July 9th, and came to some group guidelines for the final design (view the guidelines on the other side of the flyer). To view the images used to guide discussion in the charette, please visit http://sustainablegreenlake.com/projects-events/. ...

Calling all artists!  

Aurora/Green Lake neighbors are invited by Sustainable Green Lake to participate in the Street Mural Project by bringing their design ideas to a meeting this Thursday (July 9) at 6:30 at Bethany Community Church (8023 Green Lake Drive N).

The street mural will be painted this summer on Stone Ave between 80th and Green Lake Drive.

The suggested theme for the mural is "water" and the design must be kid-friendly, community-oriented, and fit into the current urban context.

It's a great day for Aurora...

Thousands of runners enjoyed Aurora south of 45th for the first ever Rock N' Roll Seattle Marathon.

Next door, the Greenwood Car Show was the place to be.

Aurora's Green Lake was buzzing with activity, especially at the wading pool.

A benefit event for Rebuilding Together Seattle at the Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub (7305 Aurora Ave) begins tonight at 7pm.  More info available at the MyGreenLake blog.

Help us spread the word!   We are reaching out to you and your neighbors so that everyone is aware of the route and necessary road closures.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle sold out two months early with 25,000 entrants!  The course starts on Interurban Ave in Tukwila and finishes at Qwest Field in Seattle.  Even if you do not live or work directly on the course, please be aware of the road closure times and plan ahead to give yourself extra travel time to get around town.

Be Prepared. Plan ahead.

Review the Road Closure Information and Alternate Access Routes http://www.rnrseattle.com/course/Road_Closures.html

Course Description

Both the full and half marathon start together on Interurban Ave in Tukwila, south of downtown Seattle.  The course runs through Tukwila and makes its way to the scenic shores of Lake Washington for miles 4 through 9.  Full marathoners only split off for 2 miles on the floating Lake Washington Bridge.  Both courses merge together again, and...

The North Greenwood group of GAIN is hosting a community meeting tomorrow (June 1) from 7-8:30 pm at the Music Center of the Northwest/Oak Lake Baptist Church.  According to the neighborhood group, the conversation will focus on graffiti and safety issues.  The Community Police Team will be present for dialogue.  

Additionally, the meeting will feature Anthony Matlock, Lead Project Manager for the "Graffiti Removal and Prevention" project of Seattle Public Utilities.

Contact Rene Murry at gainnorth@yahoo.com with any questions.

The meeting will be preceded from 6:30-7pm by an SDOT preview of the proposed 104th street bus stop improvements.

A Seattle musical ensemble known as Urban Hymnal will be telling stories of Aurora through art and music during their performance at Bethany Community Church (8023 Green Lake Dr. N) on Saturday, May 30 at 6pm and 8pm.  The title of their concert is "The Bridge, the Corner, and the Dawn," and will focus on the themes of sexual exploitation, addiction, suicide, and hope.  According to Zadok Wartes, one of the band's lead members, Urban Hymnal's goal is to create a space for "ambient synth rock and meditation."

Urban Hymnal previously performed at St. Mark's Cathedral on Capitol Hill, Seattle First Presbyterian downtown, and Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus.

The concert free. Donations are accepted.