Perhaps you could persuade Eric Dickman to visit the park at Port Orchard and watch the small trains at Kitsap Live Steamers. On a fine day, well over a thousand riders line up to have a ride.
I do not think a number like that would do so just to watch art.
Walter McGowan
Burien
A girl gets her face painted at the opening of the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market on June 5. The market is on Saturdays through October from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at South Marina Park, Dock Street and South 227th Street. Besides views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, the market features vendors selling farm fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, cut flowers and local crafts. There's also fun for kids and entertainment.
The World War II military service of Normandy Park resident Capt. Charles A. Davis, left, is honored with an etched glass aircraft window. Former SeaTac Mayor Frank Hansen presents the plaque. Davis was with the 20th Air Force, 19th Bomb Group and 30th Combat Squadron, where he received a Distinguished Flying Cross and seven Air Medals. Both men were pilots with Pacific Northern and Western airlines.
With the closure of the South Park Bridge at the end of the month, King County is working to smoothly transition the estimated 20,000 vehicles that cross the bridge each day onto other roads.
Most vehicles will be detoured to the First Ave. Bridge, State Route 99, and State Route 509.
The closure will affect three Metro bus lines, Route 60 (White Center, South Park, Georgetown, Beacon Hill and near downtown Seattle), Route 131 (Des Moines, Burien, South Park, Georgetown and downtown Seattle) and Route 134 (Burien, South Park, Georgetown and downtown Seattle).
The 78-year-old bridge is said to be in such bad shape repairing it is no longer an option. Burien Councilmember Jack Block Jr. said this is not a situation if the traffic caused by opening the bridge becomes overwhelming they can simply reopen the bridge. Because, as Block pointed out, by the end of summer there will no longer be a bridge to reopen.
In the coming months after the bridge is closed on June 30, at 7 p.m., it will be completely torn down.
By Nick Licata, Seattle City Council
Ed. Note: This piece originally appeared in Nick Licata's newsletter, "Urban Politics."
The question that has dominated the discussion of the deep-bore tunnel replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct has been: who will pay for any cost overruns?
The answer is the state with regards to the contract for the tunnel. The reason is that the contractor that wins the design-build contract for the tunnel will be signing a contract with the State of Washington not the City of Seattle.
The contract will oblige the Washington State Department of Transportation to cover risks associated with the tunnel. The City of Seattle will not be contractually obligated to cover cost overruns for the tunnel.
Think about it for a moment – the contractor could care less who pays the bill as long as they get paid. They are not going to sign a contract in which this is left in doubt.
Since the city is not a party to the contract, there would be no legal standing for either the Washington State Department of Transportation or the contractor to look to the city to cover any of the bill spelled out in the contract.
On Sunday June 13, 20 health and wellness providers located in the West Seattle Junction neighborhood are participating in the first annual Junction Health Fair as a way to educate West Seattleites on the wide range of health services in multiple disciplines available to them without having to cross the bridge. In addition to the array of physicians, dentists, massage therapists, fitness and yoga studios, pharmacies and vitamin stores, there will be healthful and interesting activities for the whole family to enjoy.
The event will run from 10 AM to 2PM in the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot, 4314 SW Alaska Street.
Some of what you can do there: Give blood at the blood drive and save 3 lives – Meet Junction fire fighters and police officers – Brush up on disaster preparedness with experts - Enjoy the West Seattle Farmers Market demonstrating healthy cooking with fresh, local produce – Enter a free raffle for healthy prizes including yoga, massage and skin care . The blood drive is sponsored by the Puget Sound Blood Center.
Both the large and small locks at the Ballard Locks will be closed to all marine traffic from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on June 9.
The closure will allow construction crews and dive teams the opportunity to inspect the salmon exclusion structure immediately upstream of the locks.
The staff will make maximum efforts to complete the work as soon and as safely as possible, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers press release.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, which operates the locks, installed this interim salmon exclusion structure to prevent salmon from being trapped in the saltwater return system.
During last year's salmon migration, biologists only found one adult coho salmon in the return system, according to the press release.
The structure prevents salmon access to the locks' saltwater return system and improves the viability of the salmon runs, which use the fish ladder to return upstream to their spawning grounds.
The design allows for the doors to be manually closed to screen fish during migration and opened when the salmon are not migrating.
Emergency vessels on an emergency call will have access to the locks during the closure.
These community meetings seek to answer the question, “what needs to change in your neighborhood to make walking, biking, and riding
transit easy?”
Is it a closer bus stop? More sidewalks? More in-city rail transportation? More bike lanes? More pedestrian spaces?
Attendees will learn more about Walk Bike Ride, get more information on what types of projects are possible, and fill out a “ballot” that will help us think about how we prioritize these types of transportation projects.
June 14th, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm – RSVP @ http://walkbikeride.seattle.gov/meetings/
Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106
The iconic salmon slide in the Carkeek Park playground is showing wear and tear after years of use and will undergo repairs from June 21 through June 29.
The slide is useable, but the inside is pitted and bumpy, and the outside is faded in many places.
Tom Jay, the sculptor who installed the functional art piece almost 12 years ago, will be in the park to repair the inside of the slide to uniform smoothness and the outside to its original Chum salmon colors.
Cold or stormy weather may cause delays. Workers will install a fence to protect the restoration work while it is in progress.
This work is made possible thanks to a private donor and the assistance of the Carkeek Park Advisory Council and the Associated Recreation Council.
Due to some last minute fabrication hitches, the dedication of a sculpture at the Salmon Bay Natural Area has been postponed fron June 12 to July 17.
The statue, a welcome figure, is being created by Marvin Oliver, a renowned artist of Quinault heritage, and will help remind viewers of the stories, history and creativity inherent in local indigenous cultures.
Commissioned in partnership with Groundswell NW and the City of Seattle, the welcome figure will serve to identify Salmon Bay Natural Area while offering an aesthetic reminder to protect vulnerable watersheds, according to a Groundswell NW press release.
An aluminum and glass disc depicting the salmon life cycle is oriented to face upstream, giving thanks to the salmon as they migrate out to sea and creating a visual connection to the waterway with color and light, according to the press release.
The dedication ceremony on July 17 will feature Duwamish tribal leader Cecile Hanson to honor the unique artistry of the Salish people and people's connection with the landscape.
