United by the Light: East Ballard and Gilman Park Neighborhoods Connected

Andrew Natzel – Senior Signal Operations Engineer at SDOT and long-time EBCA organizer – wearing an orange safety vest, standing next to the new bicycle push button signal at the NW corner of 11th Ave NW and Market St.

The East Ballard community is celebrating a new milestone in our journey to improve safety and accessibility at the intersection of 11th Ave NW and NW Market St. After years of advocacy, planning, and persistence, the community has finally secured a new traffic signal and crosswalk that connects two neighborhoods that have been divided by busy Market Street for decades. The project has been a collaborative effort between the East Ballard Community, the Seattle Department of Transportation, and the Ballard-Fremont  Neighborhood Greenways group.

Click on the image to view a time-Lapse video of the vertical pole getting pulled up into position by a crane and witness how deftly the folks from Prime Electric maneuvered around the tree

The East Ballard Community Association has been advocating for this project since 2013 when we first applied for funding from the Seattle Neighborhood Park and Street Project Fund. While we received some funds in 2015 to create curb bulbs, it wasn’t until Move Seattle funding was granted for the Route 44 Transit-plus multimodal corridor that the new traffic signal was finally made possible.

Earlier this year, Andrew Natzel, Senior Signal Operations Engineer at the Seattle Department of Transportation, and long-time East Ballard Community Association organizer notified the community that signals were going to be installed this spring.

Click on the image to watch a time-Lapse video of the traffic signal arm swinging into position and being attached to the vertical pole by Prime Electric

On April 15, 2023, we gathered in the rain to watch the installation of the long-awaited traffic signals and crosswalks, and were excited to be the first to cross the intersection with the push of a button!

(click on the image to watch Dawn and Chris Hemminger, EBCA organizers, pushed the crosswalk signal at the SE corner of 11th Ave NW and Market St and safely cross for the first time.

Click on the images above to watch the videos or click here to go directly to the photo album.

Join us this Saturday, Nov 19 for a Fall Work Party at Gemenskap Park!

We need 10 volunteers this Saturday. Can we count on you?

We have an incredible (last minute) opportunity to work with the Seattle Parks Department this Saturday, Nov 19 at Gemenskap Park to prepare the park for winter. We’re looking for at least 10 volunteers to help us weed and mulch the rain gardens. Can we count on you? This is also a great opportunity to collect community service hours! We’ll be happy to sign your paperwork!

Gemenskap Park Fall Work Party
5910 14th Ave NW
Saturday, November 19
10:30AM – 3:00PM

RSVP Today!

Did we mention that we need at least 10 volunteers? Please RSVP today to show your support for our awesome neighborhood park!

If you can’t make it, but would like to contribute by bringing us some refreshments during the day, we’d love that too!

Got questions? contact us at eastballard@gmail.com

Thank you Neighbors for a Fabulous Fall Festival!

We had great fun this morning decorating pumpkins from our favorite local grocer, Top Banana, and noshing on yummy donuts from Top Pot. The pets got some treats from All the Best too! Thank you so much to our Ballard businesses for your donations!

We also had great costumes to show off, so we paraded through the park to the tunes of Monster Mash…

…and even survived a visit from a VERY HUNGRY BEAR!

Thank you neighbors for all the great fun this morning and to everyone who helped organize the event (Casey, Holly, Peter, Katie, Sylvia, Liz and Dawn).

We’re already starting to talk about a Holiday event in December. Reach out to us at eastballard@gmail.com if you’d like to help out!

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Click on the pic above to see all pics and videos from today’s Festival or click here.

Join us Oct 30 for a Fall Festival in Gemenskap Park and Salmon Bay Park

Fall Festival at Gemenskap Park and Salmon Bay Park
Sunday October 30, 2022

10:30 AM-12:30 PM Gemenskap Park – 5910 14th Ave NW
1:00 PM-3:00 PM Salmon Bay Park – 2001 NW Canoe Pl

Join the East Ballard Community Association and Salmon Bay Park Stewards for a Fall Festival in two of our favorite Ballard Parks – Gemenskap Park and Salmon Bay Park. There will be fun for all, including a pets and people costume parade, a pumpkin patch, treats, and more!

got questions or want to help out? Contact us at eastballard@gmail.com

Join us for August Night Out Tuesday Aug 2 in Gemenskap Park

Picnic basket on a blanket with food to share for a potluck

Bring a dish and/or beverage to share and enjoy a lovely evening in Gemenskap Park with your neighbors!

WHEN: Tuesday August 2, 2022 6pm-9pm

WHERE: Gemenskap Park – 14th Ave NW (meet in the plaza at NW 60th St)

Night Out is a national event promoted in Seattle by Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention. It is designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts, and unite our communities. Night Out is traditionally held on the first Tuesday night in August.

Questions? Reach out to us at eastballard@gmail.com

Join us for a Spring Egg Hunt Saturday April 16 in Gemenskap Park

WHO: Families and friends of East Ballard & Gemenskap Park

WHAT: We’re slowly getting back to hosting events in the park again! We’re kicking things off this year with a super simple Spring Egg Hunt. Bring your own baskets. We will cancel if it’s raining!

WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2022. The hunt for kids 1-4 years will start at 9:30 am sharp. We’ll then set up for a second hunt at 10am for kids 5 and older.

WHERE: Gemenskap Park – 14th Ave NW (Between NW 59th St/ NW 61st St)

WHY: It’s a beautiful park to enjoy and we want to play in it now that the weather is getting nicer. Come join us to cheer on the kids and hang out to catch up with your neighbors! Bring your kids and furry friends too!

Questions? Reach out to us at eastballard@gmail.com

Sign up today for EBCA Spring Clean while distancing!

This is our bi-annual neighborhood clean up event with a little twist due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Instead of a one-day event with a large group of volunteers, we are asking that you commit to a section of the neighborhood to pick up trash and/or weed the rain gardens and medians along 14th Ave NW.

Sign up today via SignUp Genius where you can adopt a section or 2 or 3 of your choice and commit to a task to be completed by the end of May (dates are flexible!). Join in the fun by maintaining a safe distance and share your pics on Instagram with #ebcacleanup.

Guidelines for safe participation
– Wear a mask
– Maintain 6′ distancing – Check here to see what that looks like
– Wear a safety vest
– Bring your own tools and bags or arrange to pick up from EBCA*
– Be smart and check out additional Covid-19 resources from the state of Washington
– Post photos to Instagram #ebcacleanup or email to eastballard@gmail.com.

What are you waiting for?
Sign up today to help keep our neighborhood clean and beautiful.

*Vests, bags, gloves and picker uppers are available upon request.
Please contact Dawn at eastballard@gmail.com to schedule a pick up.

Spring Clean while distancing May 16-31 – Sign up today!

This is our bi-annual neighborhood clean up event with a little twist due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Instead of a one-day event with a large group of volunteers, we are asking that you commit to a section of the neighborhood to pick up trash and/or weed the rain gardens and medians along 14th Ave NW.

Sign up today via SignUp Genius where you can adopt a section or 2 or 3 of your choice and commit to a task to be completed from May 16 to the end of the month (dates are flexible!). Join in the fun by maintaining a safe distance and share your pics on Instagram with #ebcacleanup.

Guidelines for safe participation
– Wear a mask
– Maintain 6′ distancing – Check here to see what that looks like
– Wear a safety vest
– Bring your own tools and bags or arrange to pick up from EBCA*
– Be smart and check out additional Covid-19 resources from the state of Washington
– Post photos to Instagram #ebcacleanup or email to eastballard@gmail.com.

What are you waiting for?
Sign up today to help keep our neighborhood clean and beautiful.

*Vests, bags, gloves and picker uppers are available upon request.
Please contact Dawn at eastballard@gmail.com to schedule a pick up.

Make a wish!

East Ballard neighbor, Roxanne Baechler-Gill’s five-year-old really wants to be a wizard, and a wishing well somehow figures into this. Accordingly, they have posted a wishing well on a tree outside their house, just across from Gemenskap Park (near NW 59th on the west side). If you’re nearby, please consider dropping a coin and/or a written wish (for anything you want!) to assist a child’s wizardly wish-granting dreams! They’re checking the wishing well every morning, just in case there are any wishes to grant.

Autumn Clean while distancing -Extended until all volunteer slots are filled

We had a great volunteer turn out for our Autumn Clean. Many Many thanks to Jen and her daughters Clara and Lydia, John and Erin, and Peter who weeded the rain gardens in Gemenskap Park. Thank you to Christy who weeded the rain gardens at NW 58th, and Dave, David, and Peter who picked up trash along 14th Ave NW!

There are still more opportunities to help clean up the neighborhood. We will keep this going until all the slots are filled. Click on the SignUp Genius link and volunteer today! Vests, bags, gloves and picker uppers are available upon request.

Got a student at home who needs volunteer hours? This is a great opportunity for them to give back to the community!

Please contact Dawn at eastballard@gmail.com to get your gear, get your volunteer form signed or to answer any questions you may have!


Join in the fun by maintaining a safe distance and share your pics on Instagram with #ebcacleanup.

Guidelines for safe participation
– Wear a mask
– Maintain 6′ distancing – Check here to see what that looks like
– Wear a safety vest
– Bring your own tools and bags or arrange to pick up from EBCA
– Be smart and check out additional resources from the state of Washington
– Post photos to Instagram #ebcacleanup