June 2022

Highland Park Improvement Club reveals plans for new Celebration Center
The new building replaces their former home which burned last year

What better way to reveal the plans for a new place called Celebration Center than at a festival?

That's what the Highland Park Improvement Club did on Saturday, June 25 at Riverview Playfield during what they billed as the Reset Fest. Music, food, and lots of fun for the family but the new replacement for their home that was burned last year was a big draw.

The new 6100 square foot space will offer musical performances, and events, with space for weddings, quinceaneras, birthdays and wakes, and local meetings, classes and gatherings. The space will act as an emergency HUB point for the Highland Park neighborhood and as a social focal point, builiding community connections and resilience.

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Seafair Pirates land as Seafair officially begins

It was a low key return and skeleton crew as the Seafair Pirates made their annual landing on Alki Beach after a two year hiatus due to COVID. Still, it was loud and full of fun as around 2 thousand people crowded right down to the water's edge to greet the scurvy crew. This is the 68th year for the annual celebration of all things aquatic in a sea port city. While there was no band, no key to the city this year, the event was still a welcome return to traditions that people in West Seattle have enjoyed for so long.

Seafair of course continues all summer finally finishing on Sept. 10. See the EVENTS PAGE for more information.

The crown jewel in the Seafair celebration is the Weekend Festival on Aug. 5 with unlimited hydroplane racing, the Blue Angels and more.

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REMINDER: Seafair Pirates arrrrrre back June 25; Landing after 1pm

For the first time since the pandemic, the beloved Seafair Pirates will be making their landing at Alki Beach to kick off Seafair June 25. 

Mark your calendars for June 25th! The annual Seafair Pirates Landing at Alki beach is back after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. Seafair Pirates Landing signals the official beginning of Seafair (and the unofficial start to summer) and introduces the city to a new Pirate Captain andDavy Jones. A tradition in Seattle for over 70 years. the Pirates will be storming the beach to steal the key to the city on Saturday, June 25. The pirates will land around 1:30 p.m. with festivities beforehand. Once on the beach, the Pirates will entertain kids of all ages, with treasures galore to share.

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Highline voters will decide in November on bond to rebuild Evergreen, Tyee and Pacific Schools

Information from Highline Public Schools

The Highline School Board voted unanimously to place the next school bond on November 8 election ballots as recommended by the volunteer-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC).

The construction bond would pay to rebuild two high schools and a middle school plus fund critical capital needs and improvement projects across the district.

Voters must approve a capital construction bond by 60 percent for the funding measure to pass.

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE & TRACK RECORD

If approved, here is the estimated timeline:

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Threats with a stick and a knife and self harm result in hospital and jail time

Information from Seattle Police Department

#2022-159695/Southwest Precinct/Second Watch: 

On 06-22-2022 at 3:06pm, officers responded to a 6300 block 34th Ave SW address regarding a person causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and located the suspect in an agitated state holding a stick and claiming to want to fight the reporting party.

The suspect was observed while the victim was contacted. The victim reported that the suspect had approached his apartment door brandishing a knife while making threats to kill the victim and causing damage to the door. Probable cause was established for felony harassment. The suspect was advised he was under arrest, but he retreated further into a contained rear fence area. The suspect produced a knife and waived it at officers while stating he wanted to fight and was planning suicide by cop.

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SDOT: West Seattle Bridge: What’s next for bridge repairs and construction before reopening

by Ethan Bancroft 

We expect the West Seattle Bridge to open the week of September 12, 2022, and wanted to share an update on what’s next for bridge repairs.

This post details how we’ve adapted to changing construction conditions, what construction work is remaining, and what our next steps are to get the bridge back open as safely and quickly as possible.

What we’ve done to minimize delays during the concrete strike

During the concrete strike, we worked with the contractor to resequence work activities so that progress would continue as we waited for the concrete to be delivered.

During the strike, we modified the schedule by:

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Backyard cottage lifted by crane into Gatewood backyard

The City of Seattle Backyard Cottage ruling on July 1 2019 (see below) was meant to promote more density and add housing opportunities within the city. That ruling has meant many people with the room have indeed gone ahead to build their own.The trend continued on Wednesday June 22 when a company called Abodu that specializes in the construction and installation of what are called Accessory Dwelling Units put a studio sized dwelling into a backyard in the Gatewood neighborhood of West Seattle.

The company has a showroom in Redwood City, CA, and offices in Los Angeles and Seattle  and is now nearly four years old. They offer three primary sizes , a studio, and a one or two bedroom home. They serve the west coast at this point and are doing multiple installs a month.

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