Monthly Archives: February 2012

Clean and Green, Volunteering and Giving

Beacon Food Forest moving forward in 2012

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This is the site that will become the Beacon Food Forest. Construction will start later this year. Photo courtesy of Friends of the Beacon Food Forest.
(This has been edited since original publication to correct the contact address. –Ed.)

Glenn Herlihy from the Beacon Food Forest sent us the group’s latest newsletter. Read on for information about the beginning of Food Forest construction, project grants, how to get involved, next Monday’s Steering Committee meeting, and a movie night on March 2 (Vanishing of the Bees).

We begin building the food forest this year!

2012 will be a big year for the Beacon Food Forest (BFF). In Dec. 2011 we received word from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods/ P-Patch Program the BFF will be receiving $100,000 to further develop the design and begin building. This is levy money administered by The Seattle P-Patch Program to fund and upstart new public gardens for communities without access to community gardens. Thank you very much P-Patch/Department of Neighborhoods and Voters for this grand opportunity to transform our sustainable community vision into reality!

For more info about P-Patches and the BFF, http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/ppatch/locations/BeaconFoodForest.htm

The Levy money will jump start phase one of our garden. Having completed the schematic design, we will use some of the levy money to complete more detailed construction designs. These will enable us to assess the amount of grading and earth works needed at the site. We will also be hooking into city water and running water lines for irrigation throughout the 1.75 acres. We have a deadline to use these funds by Dec 31, 2012.
There is a bit of work to be done first, but it will be this summer and fall that our community will lay out beds/paths and begin planting a food forest! We know from our mail there are a lot of you out there wanting to dig in and grow, your time has come. Please stay tuned for more updates and events or contact us anytime at http://beaconfoodforest.weebly.com/contact-join.html.

Continue reading Beacon Food Forest moving forward in 2012 →

Urban Planning

Jefferson Park Golf renovation proposal presented to Design Commission

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A proposed design for the new Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse, as viewed from the Beacon Avenue side.

Bassetti Architects has recently presented a version of the development concept for the Jefferson Park Golf Course renovation to the city’s Design Commission. You can view it here (PDF). It appears to be a PowerPoint-type presentation, so it’s a bit sparse.

This graphic shows the existing driving range lighting (top) and the proposed new lighting (bottom).

The general project page is here. Most of what is in the new presentation was also in the December 15 public meeting presentation. (If there are any substantial changes I missed, please let me know!)

The current Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse, which would be torn down and replaced with a new two-story clubhouse under this proposal, was recently nominated for landmark status. The City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board will hold a public meeting to consider the landmark nomination on next Wednesday, February 15 at 3:30 p.m. in the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Ave., Suite 1700. All interested may attend. If you can’t attend and still wish to comment, you can comment by email to beth.chave@seattle.gov, or by regular mail to the address in the previous post.

Neighborhood Pride, Other Neighborhoods

New Facebook group forming for South Seattleites

White Center residents Craig and Sara Williams have set up The South 206, a Facebook group to share event and activity information with those of us who live in “the various southerly neighborhoods of Seattle.” That includes Georgetown, Beacon Hill, Sodo, and more. All south Seattleites on Facebook are welcome. The group is a “closed group,” which means you have to ask to enter, but this may change in the future.

Current activities mentioned in the group include a community pancake breakfast in South Park, the Georgetown Art Attack, a “Battle of Burien” breakdancing competition, and a tap show in Rainier Beach.

Find the group here.

Education

Maple, Mercer schools honored with Achievement Awards

Photo by Wendi Dunlap.

Two Beacon Hill schools were among 21 Seattle schools honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education with 2011 Washington Achievement Awards.

Maple Elementary School was one of the eight schools recognized for overall excellence at the elementary level.

Asa Mercer Middle School was one of five schools recognized for overall excellence at the K-8, 6-8, or 9-12 levels. Mercer was also recognized for outstanding achievement in mathematics and outstanding achievement in science.

Nearby Franklin High School was also honored, for outstanding improvement.

The Seattle honorees were among 186 Washington schools to be recognized for their performance on the “Achievement Index,” which measures schools’ performance over time. (Find out more about the Index and the Achievement Awards here.) The 21 schools honored for 2011 are up from 13 in 2010 and seven in 2009.

The schools will be recognized during a ceremony on April 25 at Mariner High School in Everett.

Local Events

World War II memorial dedicated in Rizal Park

On February 4, three local Filipino-American World War II veterans, Mariano Berona, Rosendo Luna, and Gene del Rosario, were honored at the dedication of a monument in Dr. Jose Rizal Park to honor the Filipino defenders of Bataan and Corregidor during World War II. February 4 was selected for the dedication because it is the anniversary of the date in 1945 when General Douglas MacArthur liberated Manila.

The Bataan and Corregidor Survivors Association proposed and sponsored the memorial placed within the park. At one point, it seemed that the memorial would not be able to happen, due to a city policy that prohibits memorials within city parks. Local writer Craig Thompson described the struggle in a recent column, quoting project leader Larry Cambronero: “‘…It dawned on me, I have no other choice but to press on. Perseverance and persistence were the two most valuable words taught to me by my grandfather, Robert [Rufino Cambronero, a Bataan survivor].'” The city eventually agreed to allow the monument.

Dr. Jose Rizal Park has also previously been the site of the Bataan and Corregidor Survivors Association’s yearly picnic. The park was dedicated in 1979, and is named after Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino patriot and reformer who was executed by the Spanish after he was accused of involvement in the 1896 Filipino insurrection.

See also a lovely write-up in the Seattle Times about Saturday’s dedication.

Volunteering and Giving

Volunteers needed for Lewis Park work party Sunday

Christine Cole sent this announcement today:

“This Sunday, February 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is Lewis Park’s first work party of 2012. It will be extra special because the forecast includes mild temperatures and sun, sun, sun! If you’re interested in signing up, please visit our website here and click on the “Sign Up” link on the right side of the home page (sign up is not mandatory; walk on over!)”

Lewis Park work parties will be on the first and third Sundays of each month through November.

Food and Drink, News

Red Apple, QFC apply to sell liquor

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Vintage matchbook photo by jericl cat, via Flickr/Creative Commons.
With the recent passage of Initiative 1183, Washington’s grocery stores are rushing to apply for new liquor licenses which will allow them to sell spirits. Beacon Hill’s Hilltop Red Apple Market and the nearby Rainier Valley QFC are no exception; both stores have recently filed “added/change of class/in lieu” applications to be classified as spirits retailers, along with their existing beer/wine licenses.

If you want to comment to the state Liquor Control Board about either of these applications, email customerservice@liq.wa.gov. The Red Apple license number is 350969, and the QFC license number is 353298.

Arts, Local Events, Neighborhood Pride

Community “sit in” to recognize volunteers and display art chairs

Art Chair #1, painted by Kathleen McHugh. Photo courtesy of ROCKiT space.
As we mentioned in the last Beacon Bits, ROCKiT is hosting a community “sit-in” on Saturday, February 4 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Beacon Hill Library to celebrate the completion of their art chair “fleet.” The chairs were decorated by more than 40 local artists and neighbors who volunteered their time to paint or collage chairs to be used at community events. The public is invited to this reception to view the finished chairs, enjoy free snacks, and celebrate all of the volunteers to took part in this and other ROCKit projects in 2011.

Among the festivities will be a singalong of an original song, “This Chair is My Chair”; a haiku treasure hunt, a game of musical chairs, and much more.

For more information, call 206-658-0187.

History of the Hill, Meetings

Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse nominated as landmark

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The 1936 golf course clubhouse building. Photo by Mark Holland.

The City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, February 15 at 3:30 p.m. to consider the landmark nomination of the Jefferson Park Golf Course Clubhouse.

All interested are invited to attend and comment. Written comments are also welcome, and should be received by the Landmarks Board by February 14 at 5 p.m. Comments may be mailed to:

Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board
Dept. of Neighborhoods
P.O. Box 94649
Seattle WA 98124-4649

The landmark nomination application includes an extremely detailed description of the building as well as a summary of Beacon Hill and Jefferson Park history, and may be viewed here (PDF link), as well as at the Beacon Hill Library.

The clubhouse, which was built in 1936, has been nominated by Bassetti Architects, the firm that is involved in a development project which would tear the building down and replace it with a larger facility. It is not uncommon for sites to be nominated as landmarks by their owners or representatives before a development project can begin.

The February 15 meeting will be held in the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Ave., Suite 1700. Further information about landmark preservation and the nomination process may be found at the Department of Neighborhoods website.

Crime

Hit-and-run collision damages two cars and a garage

A Beacon Hill Blog reader who would prefer to remain anonymous sent us a series of pictures of the aftermath hit-and-run accident that occurred yesterday, February 1, at about 12:50 pm in the 1500 block of 18th Avenue South. He says, “Blueish Cadillac backed up, hit the Honda Accord, then the Honda CRV, and then sped off.” Ouch.

If you know anything about this incident, you should contact the Seattle Police.

Thanks to the neighbor who sent the photos!

The collision pushed this car into the garage door.