We received an appeal from Mindy Terence of the Loyal Heights Block Watch. The appeal concerns the impending possible closure of one of the two Ballard Community Centers due to the looming Seattle Parks and Recreation budget crisis. Mindy has created an online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/bcclhcc/petition.html Please read, and if you agree, consider signing the petition. More extensive coverage of the budget crisis and links to other articles is available on the Crown Hill Neighbors website at http://crownhillneighbors.org/wp/2010/04/seattle-parks-recreation-budget-crisis/
Tag Archives: parks
Seattle Parks & Recreation Budget Crisis
Seattle Parks and Recreation Dept is facing a budget crisis. There is a $2.5 million shortfall this year, and this may force a closure of one or both of Ballard’s Neighborhood Community Centers (Loyal Heights Community Center at 2101 NW 77th, or Ballard Community Center at 6020 28th Ave NW).
In part this may be due to the opportunities for new and improved parks afforded by the two Parks Levy funds approved by voters. Establishing new parks adds to the base of parks the department must maintain, but adds no funds to maintain them once built. The current city budget situation aggravates the situation by cutting the budget to service and maintain all parks city-wide.
The City is holding budget hearings to solicit public input on the whole city budget:
2011 Budget Public Hearings
Wednesday, April 28, 2010Â ANDÂ Tuesday May 4, 2010:
Wednesday, April 28 at New Holly Gathering Hall
7504 32 Ave South, Seattle, 98108
5Â PM Sign-in
5:30 PM Public Hearing
Tuesday, May 4, 2010 North Seattle Community College Cafeteria
9600 College Way North, Seattle, 98103
5 PM Sign-in
5:30 PM Public Hearing
In Tim Gallagher’s resignation letter as the Director of Parks and Recreation, he states:
Voter approval of several recent levys shows the tremendous public support for parks and recreation, unfortunately operation and maintenance resources have not been provided to the department to match the public’s request. The result is a park and recreation system that is now unsustainable and in jeopardy of collapse.
NPR’s Gary Davis interviewed Tim Gallagher this morning (April 28) and you can hear or read a transcript of the interview here.
More information on the community centers is available in the MyBallard article, and the King 5 article The Seattle Times article covers Gallagher’s resignation and the budget crisis.
Our New Crown Hill Park Needs a Name….
We received the following press release from Seattle Parks and Recreation about naming 3 new parks in Seattle. One of the parks is our new Crown Hill Park. They are actively seeking submissions of names from the community now until June 2nd, 2010. Please submit suggestions for park names in writing by June 2, 2010, and include an explanation of how your suggestion matches the naming criteria. Send suggestions to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Park Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109, or by e-mail to paula.hoff@seattle.gov.
Guidelines for park names:
- Park names can be based on geographic locations, historic or cultural significance, and natural or geological features.
- A park may be named after a person deceased for a minimum of three years who made a significant contribution to parks and/or recreation.
SEATTLE PARKS SEEKS NAMES FOR THREE PARKS
Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the public to submit potential names for parks in the Ballard and West Seattle neighborhoods. Suggestions for names are due to the Park Naming Committee by Wednesday, June 2.
Crown Hill Park Public Input Meeting
The future Crown Hill Park is nearly here! The temporary Fire Station #35 will be moving back into the new quarters later this year. And that clears the way to move forward on the Crown Hill Park. The park is to be located on the southern portion of the former Crown Hill Elementary School site. Seattle Parks and Recreation worked with the community a few years ago to develop a plan for the site. Since that time, the land for the park was acquired, the Crown Hill Project acquired the school building, and there was money allocated in the recently voted on parks levy for development. It is now time to review the former plans with respect to a revised park footprint, and site conditions. Seattle Parks and Recreation is convening this public meeting to define a preferred schematic plan based on the formerly developed plans and current site conditions. This is your chance to see what is in store and provide input. More information on the project (including links to the complete PDF for the schematic below) is available from the Parks department website at: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/projects/crown_hill/
Crown Hill Park public meeting, Wednesday, April 28th, 6:30-8:00 PM, Crown Hill Center, 9250 14th Ave NW.
Earth Day 2010 in Crown Hill
Crown Hill neighbors are urged to join the Earth Day event on April 17 in our neighborhood. Carkeek Park is setting up teams that will fan out on our streets surrounding the park and do three things: (1) stencil on storm drains the caution about dumping waste, (2) distribute one-page flyers to homes regarding pet waste, and (3) pick up trash along roadways and in public spaces.
What’s up with stenciling drains? There are over 100 storm drains in the Piper’s Creek watershed that send stormwater through the Park and into Puget Sound. Runoff from roads and gutters contributes lots of gunk to Puget Sound every year. Studies show that marking storm drains with the message “Dump No Waste, Drains to Stream” doubles community awareness.
Come to the Park’s Environmental Education Center at 8:30 a.m. to get matched up with a 3-5 person team, pick up supplies, and get your assignment of streets to cover. Just a few hours of work, then an Earth Day celebration with pizza at noon. Bring work gloves and remember to dress for all sorts of weather.
It is helpful if you register in advance by calling 386-9154 to help Park staff figure appropriate numbers of stencils, trash bags, etc.