Beacon Hill Blog

Jefferson Park is happening!

By Frederica Merrell

Even on a blustery dark night, supporters of Jefferson Park showed up at 6pm Tuesday at the Lawn Bowling Club to provide advice on the Jefferson Park reconstruction project. Parks Project Manager Andy Scheffer and two members of the Berger Partnership design team shared details on the status of the project, which is happily at 52% completion. There will be another public meeting on December 1st at Jefferson Park Community Center for people who want the update.

The purpose of a project advisory team (PAT) is to provide input and there were several good suggestions made last night, most of which build on previous discussions. One of the great things about the persistence of local advocates is that we have a great historical memory. We don’t forget the important details of what the community has been saying and recommending. We will meet again in January.

Here is a summary of the important points that we asked Andy to follow-up on:

Circulation, bicycle, parking, pedestrian analysis with SDOT

We have been saying for a long time that Parks needs to wrestle SDOT to the table to help design functional access to, and circulation for, this large new park that is safe, attractive, and brings people into the park on all sides, with special emphasis on the west and north sides and the following components:

• Parking analysis of needs and opportunities for all users of the park area to create an efficient strategy for sharing parking and improving parking without building a lot of new lots in the park itself.
• 16th Avenue bicycle route and street improvements that could support west side access near the new Jefferson Playfield and improved angle parking. There is significant drainage and potential green street project from Asa Mercer right through the 16th right away on SPS property.
• Pedestrian access along 15th Avenue, improved safety at Dakota Street entrance and study of the intersection of Columbian Way and Spokane. There is almost no way to safely get across 15th into the park. 15th is also like a freeway right here and SDOT needs to spend some serious time with our community looking at the future of 15th.
• Spokane Street access at Lafayette. The pedestrian path on the north side of the park dead-ends at Lafayette. How many kids are going to run across Spokane here dodging traffic? SDOT can’t ignore this situation when the park opens. Spokane’s function as an informal connection from I-5 to I-90 may have to be addressed. (Sorry West Seattle commuters; might need to slow way down or find another way.)

15th Avenue (Terrace) Design and Urban Agriculture Project

Parks seems to have forgotten that there is a huge chunk of the park that has not been designed for improvements yet. Parks is now clearly responsible for supporting neighborhood planning in the park so they have to address their responsibility to finish design of 15th Avenue (or “terrace”) side of the park while we have the money and management in place. There is a fantastic movement to do urban agriculture, pea patch and education project along this sunny west side. The community could also take over the surplus Water Quality Building to support a working farm as a part of the project. Beacon Hill resident Glenn Herlihy and a team of permaculture students have a stupendous design for this area that needs to be presented to Parks Proview and the community ASAP.

The west side is very important to all the residents west of 15th, many of whom live in more modest housing. As one PAT member said, we don’t want any part of the park to be less inviting or inaccessible. Especially true where lower income families are concerned. Equity was the motivation for the reconstruction and it is a value that must be maintained as we move forward.

Water Quality Building (Beacon Arts Reservoir)

Years ago when SPU built a new water quality building the community met with Chuck Clarke, then head of SPU, to request that this beautiful old building at 15th and Spokane support community work in the park. An informal agreement was discussed of turning the building over to the community if they could come up money for a new roof. It would be administered by Southeast Seattle Arts Council and leased to a Beacon Hill organization to run. It could support arts projects, the urban agriculture project, parks volunteers, etc.

Andy will follow-up on these issues and seek permission from his project manager to take up the additional scope of work.

Hurrah for Andy!
Hurrah for persistent memory of local advocates!
Hurrah for Jefferson Park!

Tags: jefferson park, seattle public utilities, spu

Jefferson Park expansion projects topic of December 1 forum

“Who lives on Beacon Hill and wants to go to the Jefferson sk8 park? Dec 1 630-830 @ Jefferson Park Community Center – $1million allocated!” said skatelikeagirl on Twitter last night. The planned Jefferson skate park is just one of the projects to be discussed on December 1, at a community forum to talk about future developments at Jefferson Park including Beacon Mountain, the Park service road and promenade, improvements to Jefferson Playfield, and the Jefferson skatepark and basketball court.

Comments made by the community at this meeting will be incorporated in the planning and design of all of these features, and then there will be two follow-up meetings: one at which schematics will be presented, and another to present the final design.

The meeting is at Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South, from 6:30 – 8:00 pm on Tuesday, December 1. Skaters, park enthusiasts, basketball players, and all others interested in Jefferson Park’s improvements are welcome.

Tags: beacon mountain playground, jefferson community center, jefferson park, skate park

Jefferson Park Project Advisory Team meeting tomorrow

From Mira Latoszek on the mailing list:

The Parks Department has scheduled a Jefferson Park Project Advisory Team meeting. The meeting is this Tuesday, 11/10, @ 6pm at the Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling club house.

The agenda includes the following topics:

1. Jefferson Park Expansion Project — Construction status/update
2. Jefferson PAT [Project Advisory Team] — Do we want to add new members? Does everyone want to continue for the next few years?
3. Jefferson PAT lessons learned — How can we improve.
4. Upcoming projects at Jefferson associated with the new Levy.

All PAT meetings are open to the public.

Hope to see you there,
Mira

The lawn bowling club house is behind the restaurant and main building at the golf course on the west side of Beacon Avenue South.

Some emphasis added by me. Thanks, Mira!

Tags: expansion, jefferson park, meeting

Melancholy photos of October on Beacon Hill

From the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr:

Thanks to Tim, Joel, Bridget, and all who have shared their photographic talents with the community! Do you have interesting photos of Beacon Hill? You are invited to add them to the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool. We’d love to see them!

Tags: fish, jefferson park, mcpherson's, strange, sunset

Jefferson Park/FEMA meeting tonight: tell us what happens

Tonight, in just over half an hour, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Utilities are hosting a meeting to learn about state and federal funding (through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) that the city intends to apply for, plus updates on the construction at Jefferson Park.

The meeting starts at 6:30pm at the Jefferson Park Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South.

We’re not able to make this meeting, but we’d love to publish your accounts and impressions. Send us your write-up, or feel free to add your comments here.

Update: A writeup of the FEMA portion of the meeting is in the comments from Adam Ganz. Thanks Adam!

Tags: fema, jefferson park, parks, Recreation, spu

Meet State Rep. Hasegawa & Two parks: clean up and construction

Some upcoming events of interest:

If you’re following the plight of our neighbors on the far-west side of the Hill with a portion of their view now interfered with by new power lines, or if you’d just like to have a word with State Rep. Bob Hasegawa, this note from Nick Papini (by way of Doug) may be of interest:

State Representative, Bob Hasegawa is going to tour our neighborhood this Friday, Aug 28th, at 1:00PM.

We have asked Bob to come to see first-hand what City Light and ST have done regarding the massive power lines on Stevens St, and along 14th Ave.

We are going to meet at my house (3017 12th Ave S) at 1:00PM. If anyone would like to attend, and either meet Bob for the first time, or get a chance to catch up with him, this is a good opportunity.

* * *

Craig Thompson is looking for a couple of neighbors to help wrangle a large number of expected volunteers working at Jose Rizal Park on Friday, September 11th:

Hi! September 11 is the fall King County United Way Day of Caring. For the past two years, large groups of employees from Microsoft and other businesses have come to Dr. Jose Rizal Park and other sites to improve our common spaces.

This year, we may have between 70 and 100 people volunteer at Dr. Jose Rizal Park, and so for the first time, I’ve got to admit I’m challenged. The two neighbors who’ve helped out so much in the past around this event have moved from Beacon Hill and aren’t available.

Is there someone out there who could help get a couple of groups started on projects in the off-leash area? It would be great if a few neighbors turned out to help. I’d like to begin setting up at 9 AM that Friday morning, Sept. 11 – the event runs from 10 AM to 2 PM.

The volunteers do the heavy lifting; most of what’s involved is laying out the tools, which we’ve purchased with grants, plus we’ll have some on loan. We’ll be making improvements to the entrance of the off-leash area terracing the slope along the east side of the park with materials already on site – the terraces will be planted later in the month by a smaller crew of volunteers.

Email Craig at catzero9@yahoo.com if you can help out.

* * *

Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Utilities are hosting a Jefferson Park construction update meeting, 6pm, Tuesday, September 8th, at the Jefferson Park Community Center.

At the meeting learn about funding through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program that the city intends to apply for and get an update on the construction at Jefferson Park.

The first part of the meeting will be dedicated to Jefferson Park construction update and the second half will discuss the application for federal and state funding.

All emphasis is mine.

Tags: bob hasegawa, construction, jefferson park, jose rizal park, power lines, volunteers

Beacon Bits: sidewalks, hot dogs, and cool adult beverages

Willie Weir talks sidewalks in a new posting at his Yellow Tent Adventures blog. Specifically, about inverting the relationship where sidewalks yield to the street, and instead the street must rise up to sidewalk level –elevating the pedestrian, physically and metaphorically, to primary status, to match their position under the law for right-of-way. This sort of idea is being discussed and planned for the block of Lander just north of the light rail station. (By the way, there’s a great overview of various traffic calming practices hosted by the Project for Public Spaces. And Willie has posted several responses received from his challenge to our political leaders and candidates to “give it up” and go carless.)

* * *

Michal spotted a new feature in the neighborhood: a hot dog cart!

Last night when I went to the Beacon Pub, I noticed there’s a new late night weekend dining option in Beacon Hill, right outside the Beacon Pub. Serves tacos, hot dogs, and burgers, they said they planned to be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and weekend mornings to serve breakfast items. There were a surprisingly large number of customers coming from seemingly nowhere, and not just from the pub.

* * *

An afternoon round of chasing a little white ball around and hitting it with sticks is commonly accompanied by the consumption of a cool adult beverage. It is illegal to drink such beverages in Seattle public parks, unless there is a permit. So, is it legal to drink in a municipal golf course, such as Jefferson Park? Yes, as long as you buy the alcohol on site — Seattle 911

Tags: alcohol, beacon pub, jefferson park, pedestrians, restaurants, sidewalks, street food, willie weir

Jefferson Park reservoir: insane in the membrane?

West Seattle Blog just broke a story about problems with leaky “membranes” applied to both the Beacon Hill Reservoir at Jefferson Park and West Seattle’s Myrtle Reservoir projects.

Repairing the problem will require removal of grass, dirt and “drain rock” lids covering the nearly-completed reservoirs to get to the membrane material. After replacing the faulty waterproofing, it will be re-covered. Who pays for the repair work will likely be resolved in court, and how far out this pushes “completion” of the project is unknown.

Much, much more detail on the West Seattle Blog.

Thanks, WSB!

Tags: jefferson park, leaks, reservoir

Images of June on Beacon Hill

Photos from the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr:

Thanks to everyone who posted photos in the pool! We love seeing all of your amazing views of the Hill.

Tags: bicycles, jefferson park, sunset

Beacon Bits: Tunnel views, golf memories, and closed wading pools

• The Times is all about the Hill lately. A couple of days ago, transportation reporter Mike Lindblom gave us a glimpse inside the new Beacon Hill tunnel as part of a series about light rail stations. Today, Marc Ramirez reports on the wave of Beacon Hill plant thefts discussed last month in this very blog — Seattle Times
• Tiger Woods played golf right here on Beacon Hill in 1992, and there are pictures to prove it — Seattle P-I
• The wading pool at the Beacon Hill Playground will be one of 11 wading pools closed this summer, as the result of a new federal law mandating safety improvements to the drains. The improvements cannot be completed for all pools by the end of the summer. The Georgetown pool is also closed, but the Van Asselt pool will be open. — Rainier Valley Post

Tags: golf, jefferson park, light rail station, plants, pools, theft, tunnel

Parks supe to hear Beacon neighbors at community meetings

Seattle Parks and Recreation is holding community meetings on Beacon Hill next week. At the events, neighbors will have a chance to meet with the Superintendent, Tim Gallagher, and have a dialog with Parks and Recreation about how the department is serving the needs of the community. This is intended to be an opportunity to meet the local Parks staff, discuss with the staff what is working, and what can be improved, and talk with the Superintendent about your ideas to make the parks serve the community better. All are welcome.

The meetings are scheduled for Monday, June 15, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Van Asselt Community Center, 2820 South Myrtle Street; and Tuesday, June 16
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South.

Tags: jefferson park, north beacon, parks, south beacon, van asselt community center

Beacon Bits: Tunnel trip, park priorities, planning photos

• A bunch of folks were able to ride the Link light rail through the Beacon Hill tunnel and down to Tukwila on Wednesday. Here’s a liveblogged description of the trip from the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate blog. Dominic Holden from The Stranger rode it, too, and loved it.
• The community discussed what to prioritize in the Jefferson Park expansion, at a community meeting on April 21 and also via an online poll. The results have now been tallied and are posted here. The city is using this process to set priorities since the funding for the project is not all available at once. (Thanks to Joel Lee for forwarding us this document to host.)
• Jason has posted a photo set of the the North Beacon Hill neighborhood planning update meeting which was held on May 30. The set shows many of the discussion points that were brought up at the meeting.
• The Seattle Public Library system, including the Beacon Hill branch, will be closed from August 31 through September 6, due to citywide budget cuts. The library will also be closed September 7 for the Labor Day holiday. During the closed week, no materials will be due, nor will any fines be accrued. None of the library’s website services, such as the book catalog, will be accessible either. (Can’t they find a way to at least allow us to use the website during that week?)

Tags: jefferson park, library, light rail, neighborhood planning, tunnel

Spokane Street closure this morning

Wondering why part of Spokane Street was closed for a time this morning? Apparently the heavy rains overnight overflowed the temporary barriers around Jefferson Park and mud flooded down the hillside and into the street. Crews have since cleaned up the mess and re-opened the street.

Thanks to Joel Lee for the photo and the tip!

Tags: flood, jefferson park, mud, spokane street

The sun is out and flowers are blooming on Beacon Hill

Most of these photos are from the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr, which has tons of photos of our neighborhood. Want to contribute, or just browse the pool? Go here. Thanks to all the pool members who have contributed such wonderful images!

More »

Tags: amazon, jefferson park, jose rizal bridge, lewis park, library

Neighbors and Soccer fans pack the Beacon Hill Library for Jefferson Park meeting

by Frederica Merrell

(Editor’s note: Frederica Merrell reports from last night’s well-attended Jefferson Park expansion meeting.)

Wow! I counted over 115 people in that room (don’t tell the Fire Department). Tonight people filled the chairs, stood all around walls, and spilled into the hall of the Beacon Library meeting room to talk about construction at Jefferson Park. As some of us said afterward, “geez, I guess we need a new library too!” (just kidding)

Parks Department had a lot of good info, including three options (A, B, C) for bundles of projects at Jefferson. I really hope they put it all up on their website soon so people can see the options. Parks wants people to fill out a form of low, medium, high, priorities for about ten recommendations. I don’t know whether this can be done online or not. (There’s nothing on the Parks site about this, at least not yet. — Ed.) They also will just take input from your perspective about whatever you are interested in. (See list of projects below and/or email Parks Department Project Manager Kim Baldwin).

Of those 115 people, I estimate 6 were city staff and 4 were city consultants. The highest Parks staffer was Kevin Stoops, who is the Superintendent’s right-hand man. Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher told me he couldn’t come, regrettably because it was his turn to host the local VW Van Club meeting (Cool!). Back to the demographics, about 18 or so folks were advocates for soccer fields, at least some of whom were from the Beacon Hill community. Another 15 or so, all Beaconites, were from the Jefferson Park Alliance (including me). The majority of locals had no group affiliations. The public question and speaking time was short for that many people, only about 40 minutes. I think most people walked out partially informed.

On the synthetic soccer field issue, Kevin Stoops addressed the issue of why there is no synth turf at Jefferson. Basically it comes down to lights. For several reasons that weigh heavily, lights have been axed from the picture at Jefferson: cost, environmental impact (views), technical difficulty of sinking poles into reservoirs, and limited electric utility may all be part of the picture on that decision. Without lights, no synth turf. Soccer fans are an enthusiastic bunch, though perhaps a bit deaf, and they keep coming back to argue about it. I just wish we didn’t spend so much time talking about something that is already decided and adopted into law. The Parks Board already decided this issue and the City Council passed view protection legislation two months ago at Jefferson. There will never be light poles over the reservoirs. The views are just too magnificent for that.

Other questions/areas of discussion: planning for the orchard/farm p-patch on 15th Ave. S., why we have asphalt paths instead of concrete (money), getting Beacon Mountain Playground built in Phase I so they don’t come back and tear the area up later, refurbishing Jefferson field, adding picnic grounds, siting a second basketball court, and maintenance costs.

Overall, it was a great meeting and I left with tears in my eyes realizing it is finally going to get built and we are so lucky!

Questions? Post!

Click to see the list of projects
More »

Tags: expansion, jefferson park, meeting, planning

Supporters appeal for Beacon Mountain Playground funding

David Gackenbach forwards this appeal from Glenn Herlihy:

Dear Friends of the Playground,

This is a crucial moment for funding the Beacon Mountain Playground.

As you might have heard the levy money is now (this week) being allocated to different parks projects and Jefferson Park will receive a portion but where it will go is still up in the air. There is a good chance we might be able to fund the entire new Playground design if we can convince Parks Department Head Timothy Gallagher, and Parks Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen to allocate the levy funds to build Beacon Mountain Playground.

If we get them to fund and build the entire new design we will have a magnificent playground completed by next year. If they don’t allocate the funds toward the the new design it would be phased construction for the next few years.

It been a long road to get our design approved by parks and ready to build so with one last push maybe we could see this dream through to completion. Those of us on the Beacon Mountain Playground Team believe play infrastructure is a healthy and sustainable investment for the future of our community.

Please take a moment and write a letter stating you wish to see levy funding to build the entire Beacon Mountain Playground at Jefferson Park. Include your name and address. Thanks

timothy.gallagher@seattle.gov
tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

Long live play

Glenn Herlihy
18th Ave S

You can read more about the Beacon Mountain Playground here.

Tags: beacon mountain playground, jefferson park

Jefferson Park earth wall coming down on Spokane Street

Joel Lee writes:

“Great progress is being made every day on Jefferson Park and I know these photos don’t look like much, but they are significant because today they started taking down the looming former earthen dam that paralleled Spokane St. For those of us that live near by it feels a little like the Berlin Wall is coming down!”

First the blue wall, now this — feels like things are starting to happen, doesn’t it?

Tags: jefferson park, north beacon, spokane street

Jefferson Park Expansion community meeting scheduled for April 21

Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting a community meeting to discuss the Jefferson Park Expansion on Tuesday, April 21 from 6:30 – 7:45 pm. The meeting is at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South.

At this meeting, Parks staff and the community will discuss the community’s priorities for Phase Two of the expansion project, and the community will hear an update on Phase One. Design of Phase Two begins later this year. For more information, contact Kim Baldwin, Project Manager at 206-615-0810 or kim.baldwin@seattle.gov. For translation services at this meeting, contact Karen O’Connor at 206-233-7929.

Tags: jefferson park

Beacon Bits: skiing in the park, hiking to the store, and eating Cajun food

• Debera Carlton Harrell writes about cross-country skiing at Jefferson Park, and snow-day life on the 36 route — The P-I Big Blog
• JvA has some photos of a snowy-day trek to the Graham Street Grocery — Mid Beacon Hill
• Crawfish King Cajun Seafood Restaurant is soon to open in the International District at 701 Eighth Avenue South. Yes, I said Cajun — Seattle Times
• Craig Thompson writes about his experience running as a write-in candidate to the State House against Sharon Tomiko Santos, and why Santos was opposed — Rainier Valley Post

Tags: 36, craig thompson, crawfish king cajun, graham street grocery, international district, jefferson park, snow

Evolution of a new, improved Jefferson Park

Willie Weir writes to the beaconhill list:

Hey neighbors,

I have periodically taken photos of the work on the reservoir in Jefferson Park. I’ve lived here long enough to remember the space surrounded by barbed wire. I know there are people on this list who still haven’t seen the view from this vantage point. On a clear day this winter, walk past the community and up toward the lawn bowling club. You won’t be disappointed!

Willie recommends that you choose the high-definition and full-screen options to view it in its full detail:

 

There are also a couple of photos of the area from a year or so ago in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr.

Thanks for the awesome photos and video, Willie!

Tags: construction, jefferson park, reservoir