By Patrick Robinson

Christine Mackay has been the new Executive Director of the West Seattle Junction Association for only a few days and her background suggests that after she gets acclimated she will bring her deep business experience and big heart to the role. 

But getting acquainted with all the people, organizations, programs and events is at the top of the agenda.

A 25 year West Seattle resident Mackay was the co-founder of a travel organization called Crooked Trails which began as a for profit agency but later evolved into a non profit that promoted the idea that travel could be thoughtful, and responsible. Over time Crooked Trails became a resource and consulting group for community based projects from building schools to meeting halls in such places as small villages in Nepal, Kenya, Thailand, and Peru.

Mackay recalled, "I remember the first school project I worked on in Nepal. Our NGO partner over there said send some pictures of the school they had and they said the school just got hit by a landslide and they needed it rebuilt. And would you guys consider adopting that project?  I remember looking at the building and thinking we wouldn't even put cattle in that building. 

It was this is a really impoverished little tiny village...in the mountains and they had nothing. 

But they had the school. It was just like. mold covered bricks, you know dirt floors. No glass windows, you know, tiny little ceiling, really low and just small and. So I said, yeah, we'll do it."

That began a much larger endeavor than she had anticipated.

"We got our first group together, raised some money and went over there. And and I just thought. 'How many kids fit in this school'? They said, well, this is just until this is until Grade 6 and I said well, what happens when the kids are done with grade 6? 

School is provided until grade 6 in Nepal but after that it's kind of up to the communities. If they can develop it. They said 'well the boys walk an hour to the next village and they have 7th and 8th grade there', I said 'well what about the girls?' They said, 'The girls are really needed at home and they don't always trust that the girls can walk safely. You know that far and I thought typical story, right? The girls are done at grade 6.

So what happens to the boys after grades 7-8. They said, 'If they can afford it, then they take a bus because it's another two hours to the other school for grade 10.' I just thought I'm building you a school. 

That meant marshaling all her fund raising acumen, calling on her many contacts and getting enough money to build a school that worked for both boys and girls up to grade 10.

"I remember the day that it was finished. We did 7th and 8th and 9th and 10th grade. I came back and there was a plaque on the wall of the building and it said you know thanks to Crooked Trails for for doing this. It was extremely fulfilling."

After leaving Crooked Trails in 2019 (continuing as a consultant) she formed another travel agency called Key Encounters also focused on responsible travel. But then as with many businesses the pandemic came along and for the first time in years she needed to stay home.

That cocooning experience caused her to hone her skills as a chef. 

But the job as the leader of the Junction will mean picking up a large number of tasks that were either started, or expanded by her predecessor Lora Radford, who has taken a job as Community Liason for Sound Transit as they prepare to bring light rail to West Seattle.

Those tasks include Summerfest which Mackay noted was scheduled to come back next July after a pandemic caused two year hiatus (with perhaps an international music stage in addition to the mainstage performers she said). Also now her responsibility are Harvest Fest, the Junction flower pots program, working with the West Seattle Artwalk, overseeing West Seattle Outdoor movies, continuing the West Seattle Murals restoration program, and managing the Junction Volunteer program to keep litter, and graffiti under control. 

It's also now Mackay's responsibility to represent the Junction Merchants to their landlord for the parking lots, owned by West Seattle Trusteed Partners (WSTP). Those lots on 42nd SW and 44th SW have provided 228 parking spaces for the merchants since the 1950's and have been the subject of debate regarding their future. Making use of a loan from the City of Seattle, Community Roots Housing has made an offer to buy the lots and develop a wide ranging project including affordable housing, a community meeting space, business incubator, and street side amenities. 

In the most recent shareholder meeting for WSTP that offer has been shelved as the Executive Committee weighs other potential development options for the properties.

The character and scale of the junction, now rests, at least to some degree in Mackay's hands since the WSJA holds a lease on the parking lots with 16 years remaining.

Up first for Mackay however is Hometown Holidays which starts November 26 with Sleigh the Sales followed by Small Business Saturday Nov. 27 and Junction Gift Wrapping the same day from 11 am to 2pm at Windermere Realty (4526 California Ave SW). 

After the holidays the work of building relationships really begins. 

Mackay said, "I really want to find out where everyone is coming from because my job is to try and manifest everybody's dreams together."