Local Business

Say “Hello” to Hello Bicycle

Hello Bicycle is now open!Earlier this evening, I stopped in at Beacon Hill’s newest neighborhood business, Hello Bicycle. Mickey, the owner, has some temporary signage up and the doors open for customers. Still to be worked out are lighting, phone, and additional display racks, but they’ll be happy to show you some bikes for sale, get you some repair parts, or fix and tune your old Schwinn, Mongoose, or Cannondale.

The grand opening is still a little ways off, but feel free to stop in during their “soft opening.” The shop is located at Hanford and Beacon, right across the street from Kusina Filipina.

Help Wanted, Local Events

Help build a new playground at New Holly

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One hundred volunteers are needed this coming Friday, October 24, to help build a new playground in the Central Park area of New Holly, based on designs created by neighborhood children. The plan is to build the entire park in 6 hours; work begins at 9:00 am, and at 3:00 pm, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the playground. Lunches will be provided for the volunteers. Interested? Meet at the south end of Central Park in Phase III (at the corner of Holden Street and Rockery Drive) at 9:00 am on Friday, or email Joy Bryngelson for more information.

More information is at the Rainier Valley Post — thanks!

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Detours, coffee, and voting

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1960s postcard sent by the city to warn residents -- thanks Seattle Municipal Archives!
1960s postcard sent by the city to warn residents -- thanks Seattle Municipal Archives!
Beacon Bits are collections of useful or interesting links that we’ll post periodically.

Help Wanted, Urban Planning

Transit transformation of neighborhood plan?

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The City is beginning a process of updating most of the 38 neighborhood plans throughout Seattle, but because of the light rail line opening next summer, Beacon Hill, Mount Baker, and Othello have been fast-tracked for station area planning and neighborhood plan updates. And they do mean fast. The stations open in July, and there is some indication that the city wants rezoning of the area done simultaneously with the plan updates. Things may be changing quickly, folks.

On Saturday, October 25 at 12:00 noon, the Southeast District Council and the Greater Duwamish District Council are hosting a community event to discuss the new neighborhood planning process and “how to create vibrant, successful neighborhoods at these stations.” The event is at the New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Avenue South, and food, beverages, and child care will be provided.

Also in the neighborhood planning arena, the city’s Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) needs four at-large members, “with a good mix of neighborhood knowledge, new passion, and a commitment to healthy communities,” to sit on the committee. The deadline is today, October 17, at 5:00 pm. If you’re interested in helping guide the forthcoming neighborhood planning process as an NPAC member, fill out this PDF and get it in ASAP.

Thanks to the SDC and GDDC for the postcard about the event, and the Rainier Valley Post for getting the news out about the NPAC applications.

Clean and Green, Local Events

Good Food film screening on 10/22

Good Food, a film about sustainable food and farming in the Pacific Northwest, will be screened on Wednesday, October 22, 7:00 pm, at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center on 3515 South Alaska Street. There will be food donation barrels for the Rainier Valley Food Bank; non-perishable food items for the barrels are requested. The screening is free and open to the public, and the filmmakers will attend.

Parts of Good Food were filmed locally, including parts at the Columbia City Farmers Market, Marra Farm, and the food bank at South Park Neighborhood Center, and an interview with Beacon Hill resident Jodie Vice. The film was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival this year, and they described it as follows:

“This lively tour of various Washington state farms and ranches that have adopted healthier organic methods in raising their products offers several lucid arguments in favor of smaller, more efficient farms, and purchasing locally grown crops. Still, none are as convincing as the marvelous bounty laid before our eyes in this film.”

Help Wanted

Volunteer readers needed

United Way of King County is currently recruiting Volunteer Readers to read aloud to children (ages 3-5) one or two at a time (not group reading), at preschools, Head Start classrooms, and child care centers, and they particularly need volunteers in the Central District, Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley.

Here’s what they say about it:

    What’s involved:

  • Read to kids, one or two at a time, for one hour each week.
  • Commit to at least six months with the program, preferably longer.
  • Be friendly, energetic, and responsible.
    Why read to kids:

  • It’s fun!
  • It’s the best way to prepare kids for school.
  • It gives kids a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

Opportunities:
Visit www.unitedwayofkingcounty.org/readers for more information and to sign up to be a part of our team. All opportunities are between 9am-4pm Monday to Friday only.
Sites and shift times are listed on the website above.