Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting a follow-up public meeting tomorrow, September 1 from 6 – 7 p.m. to discuss the design of a skatedot (a skateboard facility) at Benefit Playground. The meeting is a follow-up from input received in the August 11 design meeting, and will take place at the park picnic shelter. Benefit Playground is located on South Beacon Hill at 9320 38th Ave. S.
According to Parks and Recreation:
A skatedot is a skateboard feature within an existing park that can range in size from 1,500 to 10,000 square feet. It is considered a neighborhood facility that can accommodate up to 13 users at a time. This skatedot is expected to be located within the existing sport court area of the park. For more information on Seattle Skatepark planning, please visit the skatepark website.
Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting a follow-up public meeting to discuss the design of a skatedot (a skateboard facility) at Benefit Playground. The meeting is a follow-up from input received in the August 11 design meeting, and will take place on September 1 from 6 – 7 p.m. at the park picnic shelter. Benefit Playground is located on South Beacon Hill at 9320 38th Ave S.
According to Parks and Recreation:
A skatedot is a skateboard feature within an existing park that can range in size from 1,500 to 10,000 square feet. It is considered a neighborhood facility that can accommodate up to 13 users at a time. This skatedot is expected to be located within the existing sport court area of the park. For more information on Seattle Skatepark planning, please visit the skatepark website.
Think your hoop skills are supreme? Get your friends together and form a team to prove it next week in a 3 on 3 half-court basketball tournament at Van Asselt Community Center.
The tournament will include two age groups: 8-17, and 18 and older. Tournament hours are 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, August 12, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 13. The registration cost is $50 per team. Teams are limited to four players, with three players on the court at all times, and games are played until 10 minutes or 15 points. Both boys and girls are welcome to play. The games will be played on the outside courts, so be prepared for warm weather.
Van Asselt Community Center hosts the first Taste of Van Asselt on Saturday, July 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family-friendly event will include food, entertainment, kids’ activities, and the opportunity to meet old and new neighbors and friends.
The community center is located at 2820 S. Myrtle St. For more information about the event, call 206-386-1921.
Parents of toddlers on South Beacon Hill, this one’s for you. Van Asselt Community Center is hosting new classes for toddlers and their parents.
In the Parent/Toddler Movement class (18 months – 3 years old), parents/caregivers and their toddlers will explore space through creative movement using props and fun music. The class is Tuesdays, March 1 – March 29, from 11:00 – 11:45 am. Cost is $25.
The Creative Movement class (3 – 5 years old) works to establish body awareness, flexibility, coordination, basic motor skills, and a positive self-image, using age-appropriate music and props while exploring dance concepts such as pathways, rhythms, space, and shapes. Students will also be introduced to basic ballet terminology and steps. This class is Tuesdays, March 1 – March 29, from Noon – 1:00 pm. Cost is $30.
Lastly, Toddler Play Time (for ages up to 5 years old) provides a gym full of children’s toys. Parental supervision is required. Play Time is on Wednesdays, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm; Fridays, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, and on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month, also from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Cost for Toddler Play Time is $2 per child.
"Too loud!" Photo by Nicki Dugan via Creative Commons.Are you noticing increased noise from Boeing Field, sometimes after 10:00 pm? This press release from King County International Airport may explain why:
Residents of some adjacent airport neighborhoods may experience temporary increases in aircraft engine noise levels as described below by The Boeing Company:
Over the next several months, King County International Airport may experience elevated noise events due to The Boeing Company engine runs, a critical part of its flight testing. These flight tests are part of the certification requirements for the 787 and 747-8 programs. Both types of aircraft will be at the airport in higher than normal volumes during this time. This is an important test period where the airplanes are completing their initial configuration testing to support the certification programs.
To the extent possible these engine runs will be kept outside the curfew window between 10pm-7am daily. However, there may be a rare circumstance when The Boeing Company will need to conduct engine runs outside of curfew hours. This is most likely to happen early in the testing program and all proper protocols will be followed and notifications issued. This is necessary in order for Boeing to meet the stringent FFA requirements that allow both airplanes to be certified and put into revenue service.
For more information on flight test operations, please see the flight test fact sheet provided by The Boeing Company at http://www.kingcounty.gov/airport or contact Jennifer Hawton at The Boeing Company, (425) 444-1600.
Many Beacon Hill neighbors took part in a planning meeting last March. Photo by Jason. While many people pay a great deal of attention to national politics, relatively few participate (or are even aware) of events happening in their own neighborhood—until issues percolate into the media. Recent events in Southeast Seattle might have caused some neighbors to wonder how the neighborhood planning process works, and what is actually in the North Beacon Hill Neighborhood Plan. Here’s a quick introduction to planning in our neighborhood.
What is a Neighborhood Council? Â Why should I get involved?
North Beacon Hill is fortunate to have an engaged neighborhood council and to be part of a dynamic, functional district council. The North Beacon Hill Council describes their role as follows:
“NBHC is one of the the major community groups that represents North Beacon Hill to city, county and state agencies. It is the major political body of the neighborhood that works to improve the living conditions of our neighborhood… We work to empower our neighbors to implement the improvements to the neighborhood that they envision, we work to inform our neighbors of issues that will affect our standard of living, and we work to create a sense of community for our neighborhood.”
If you can make it to one meeting, you’re a voting member of the North Beacon Hill Council.  Attend a meeting to familiarize yourself with the issues and people involved.  If you can’t make it regularly, stay connected and attend when you’re able or when an issue motivates you.  It’s even possible to vote by proxy.  We have the Beacon Hill Blog, the BAN mailing list, and the North Beacon Hill Council website as resources.   Get involved!
Who represents neighborhoods?
There are important connections between neighborhood councils, district councils, and City Council.  Seattle elects City Council members “at large‗all council members represent all residents. To ensure that residents of all neighborhoods have representation on the community level, Seattle has neighborhood councils—groups that meet in the community and are composed of residents, business owners, and other interested parties.  Residents and members of the councils elect board members.  Council Boards interact with the City and other levels of government, representing the community. The neighborhood councils also elect representatives to a district council. Seattle has 13 district councils. North and South Beacon Hill are part of the Greater Duwamish District Council. District Council representatives participate in the City Neighborhood Council.
The North Beacon Hill Neighborhood Council and the Greater Duwamish District Council are a key way for our community to engage with City Council members, the Mayor’s office, and other elected officials. They also advocate for our community to receive funds for sidewalks, crosswalks, greater police engagement, and more.
NBHC meets the first Thursday of every month at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South. The next meeting is March 4 at 7:00 pm.
Quite nearby is another event, the Mid-Autumn Festival of Lights (Trung Thu) at John C. Little Park, 6961 37th Avenue South. This event is free, and includes moon cakes, storytelling, lanterns, face painting, and more celebratory fun. It’s from 6:00-9:00 pm, so you can easily attend both events.
A tragedy on the extreme southern tip of Beacon Hill, in the 9000 block of 39th Avenue South, just off of Beacon Avenue before it doubles back as Carkeek Drive. Very early this morning, a bit after 2am, a man, high on PCP, shot and killed his 50-year-old father. Details in the SPD Blotter and at the Rainier Valley Post.
