Category Archives: Community Events

Update on the East Ballard Street Rain Gardens Project

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As we mentioned in our earlier post, Cari Simpson, research faculty at Antioch University Seattle, along with a growing project team of students, engineers, landscape architects, and the EBCA, is leading an effort in East Ballard  to develop a demonstration site that collects roadway runoff into natural drainage swales.

The project, funded through The Russell Family Foundation, is in the early feasibility and design stages, but the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. So far over 60 interested residents have contacted the project leaders, and six viable blocks of neighbors who live near each other have emerged.

The project team will choose one block that has the most potential to beautify the street, reduce roadway runoff to Salmon Bay and build community spirit. Over the next few months, interested residents will be invited to join the project team to work together on the natural drainage design and planting plan, the permit process, “green infrastructure” walking tours, and a volunteer work day in the Fall of 2013 to complete the project. 

Interested in learning more about how to improve Puget Sound water quality? Antioch University Seattle will be hosting a free evening workshop on Earth Day – April 22nd from 4-9pm, “Celebrate Puget Sound: Strategies for Clean Water.”  Tracy Rector, local film maker and co-founder of Longhouse Media will talk about her upcoming film, Clearwater, and a panel of local organizations will highlight their work to improve water quality in Puget Sound. The event will offer opportunities for sharing information, networking, and celebrating successful programs.

For additional information, please contact:
Cari Simson
Research Faculty
Antioch University – Seattle
206-234-5102
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/EastBallardGreenstreet

East Ballard eligible for FREE street rain gardens

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The East Ballard GreenStreet project team seeks interested homeowners who would like to be part of a collaborative neighborhood project. The leaders of the grant-funded project will select a cluster of properties along one block and work with residents and volunteers to construct small natural drainage rain gardens in the planting/parking strips at no cost to the homeowners.

The project will:

  • Beautify your street through new plants, such as ferns, grasses and flowering shrubs;
  • Increase bird, butterfly and other native habitat; and
  • Reduce polluted runoff from the street that flows into the Salmon Bay at the end of 11th Avenue NW. Toxins found in polluted runoff affect people’s health and harm fish and wildlife.

If you live within the boundaries of the Rain Garden Project in East Ballard, you are invited to participate! Interested homeowners should contact Cari Simson by February 11. Block visits with interested homeowners will be scheduled for February 17.

More information is available in the East Ballard Greenstreet project flier.

The East Ballard Greenstreet project team will select one cluster of homeowners along one block based on street criteria described in the flier, as well as how many neighbors are involved. The project team would like at least 3-6 homes involved so the project has more impact.

Site selection will be shared on February 28 at the East Ballard Community Association Monthly meeting. You will be contacted directly if you are selected. We will also announce on this website.

If your block meets the criteria, but is not selected, you will be added to a “Wait List” and identified to the City and County for future projects as funding becomes available.

We welcome everyone to participate in all of the scheduled project activities.

Cari Simson, Project Manager
Research Faculty at Antioch University Seattle
206-234-5102
csimson@antioch.edu

“Like” the East Ballard Greenstreet Facebook page for more rapid updates and additional information about Green Stormwater Infrastructure (rain gardens, cisterns, native plants, and other topics).

This project is funded through a grant from The Russell Family Foundation in partnership with:

EBCA_logo_2Color

Workshops for Neighborhood Matching Fund Applicants

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Matching funds support neighborhood organizations for community-building projects

The Neighborhood Matching Fund, a program of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, is hosting three workshops for those interested in applying to the Large Projects Fund this May. The Large Projects Fund provides matching awards of up to $100,000 to neighborhood organizations for community-building projects. Attendance at one of the three workshops offered is required in order to submit an application.

At the workshop, attendees will get an overview of the Neighborhood Matching Fund, the qualities of a good project, and the application process and requirements. Neighbors, friends, and others interested in the funding process are invited to attend. Interested applicants only have to attend one of the workshops below to apply to the Large Projects Fund:

Saturday, February 9 (Neighbor Appreciation Day)
10 a.m. – 12 noon
El Centro De La Raza, 2524 16th Ave South

Tuesday, February 12
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW

Thursday, February 21
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Aljoya at Thornton Place, 450 NE 100th Street

To learn more, visit http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/largeproject.htm. For additional information or to request an interpreter (one week prior to preferred workshop), applicants can call 206.233.0093 or email NMFund@seattle.gov. The deadline for the Large Projects Fund is May 6, 2013.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) Program awards matching funds for projects initiated, planned, and implemented by community members in partnership with Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Its overall goal is to build stronger and healthier neighborhoods through community involvement and engagement. Every award is matched by a neighborhood’s contribution of volunteer labor, donated materials, in-kind professional services, or cash.

Join your neighbors for 2 upcoming events in support of a new Park at NW 65th and 7th Ave NW

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The EBCA is very excited to be supporting the Friends of 65th in their endeavors to create a unique public green space in the heart of the East Ballard business district. This group of neighbors has applied for Seattle Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity funds to purchase property at NW 65th St and 7th Ave NW for public green space. With the density of this neighborhood rapidly increasing and shifting to young families with children, the need for a public green space accessible without crossing a busy arterial is imperative. Continuing in the entrepreneurial spirit of the family that operated Nick’s Boats and Motors on this site for over 50 years, the activity of a Park will support local business which, in turn, will support the community.

The Friends of 65th are now working on building the community support that is needed to convince the City to purchase this property while it’s still available and the owners are willing to sell. Timing is critical and the Friends of 65th are asking you to show your support at 2 very important upcoming events:

Friday January 25, 2013
Preparation Meeting for the Parks Levy Open House
6pm at 6221 5th Ave NW
Join your neighbors, family, and friends for snacks and drinks, talk about the vision of this Park and prepare for the Parks Levy Open House by making signage to be carried and displayed at the  Parks Levy Open House event.

Monday January 28, 2013
Parks Levy Oversight Committee Open House
6pm-9pm at Northgate Community Center 10510 5th Ave NE
We need strong community support for this meeting so that the Levy committee knows that the neighborhood wants the acquisition of this parcel.

If you plan to attend either meeting please RSVP to Carolyn Swenson at swenson_carolyn@yahoo.com.  Please feel free to email Carolyn with questions. If you can’t attend either of the above events, but you want to show the City your support, please contact Carolyn and she’ll get you added to their growing list of supporter. You can also stay up to date and show your support on their Facebook page.

Show your support for Safe at 62nd & other proposed neighborhood projects at Ballard District Council this Wednesday

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The 2006 Bridging the Gap Levy provided nearly $300M to construct a host of transportation improvements in Seattle. One component of the levy is the NSF (Neighborhood Streets Fund).  During the nine year life of the levy, three opportunities for citizens and community groups were provided through the NSF to suggest needed transportation improvements in their neighborhood.  The last of these three $4.5M funding cycles occurs this year.  SDOT received nine proposals from the Ballard district by the December 17, 2012 deadline.   Each district council must now select only three projects in their district which will be forwarded to SDOT for cost and feasibility analysis.  Each of the nine project proponents will be given up to five minutes to present their proposal at Wednesday evening’s Ballard District Council. We encourage you to attend this public meeting to show your support.

Ballard District Council
Wednesday Jan 9, 2013 7pm-9pm
Ballard Library – 5614 22nd NW

Projects presenting  (5 minutes each):

  • Kirke Park rain garden and traffic control
  • Sidewalk – 13 NW (Holman Road to NW 100)
  • Safe routes to Holman Road transit corridor
  • Traffic circle – Leary Ave at Vernon NW
  • Sidewalks – West Crown Hill
  • Safe at 62 – crosswalk at NW 62nd and 14th Ave NW – EBCA’s Aaron Solorzano will be presenting
  • Safety improvements to intersection at 3 NW and NW 56 – Near Woodland Elementary
  • Threading the Needle – 24th Ave NW street-end park
  • Sunset Hill Shilshole Gateway Phase 2 improvements

Later in the meeting (~8:10pm), the Ballard District Council NSF Review Committee will present its recommendations for projects to be selected.  This will be followed by a balloting process involving Ballard District Council member reps.

Click here to view the full agenda for this week’s Ballard District Council Meeting.

Free emergency first aid training for Ballard residents Jan 26

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The Ballard Prepares team, with funding from a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Small and Simple grant, is offering free emergency first aid training to the first 90 people in the Ballard area to apply. Rita Weinstein from Ballard Prepares advises that “the objective is to have 90 additional people who live or work in our community trained to be able to respond in an emergency.”

The course requires two online components to be completed before the one time, in-person training at the Crown Hill Center on January 26th from 9am-2pm.

The online components include blood-borne pathogens, first aid. The in-class component will include CPR and the use of AEDs.

If you’re interested, please complete this form and email to ballardprepares@gmail.com. The first 90 people will receive directions to log into the online training course.

In exchange for this opportunity, Ballard Prepares asks that you make a commitment of being available to respond in your community to emergencies.

Application:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwHVzwpsK6SpYjExaU9EWGpuSFE

“How to Grow a Park” at Ignite Seattle this Thursday

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EBCA co-chair and Groundswell NW board member, Dawn Hemminger, will be presenting at Seattle Ignite 18  this Thursday on How to Grow a Park.  She will be sharing the story of the 14th Ave NW Park and the 6 key steps her community has followed to take this idea and turn it into reality. For more information, and a full list of all the speakers, check out https://www.igniteseattle.com.

Time: 8:00 PM  (doors open at 6:30)
Location: Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Avenue, Seattle
Tickets: $5 online or at the door
Contact: https://www.igniteseattle.com/

Discuss Ballard Greenways with SDOT this Thursday

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The EBCA holds meetings  on the 4th Thursday of every month.
This month, Doug Cox from Seattle Department of Transportation will be joining us to seek feedback about the proposed Ballard Greenways.

Please join us for this discussion on
Thursday Oct 25 at 7:30 pm at St. Alphonsus School.
Entrance to the school is on NW 58th Street between 15th Ave NW and 14th Ave NW.

Adopt A Street Cleanup on 14th Ave NW this Saturday

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Join us this Saturday October 20 from 10am-1pm for EBCA’s twice yearly Adopt-A-Street clean up event on 14th Ave NW. Please check-in at Blowing Sands Glass (5805 14th Ave NW). We will be picking up trash along 14th Ave NW and enjoying treats donated by local businesses like Ballard Market and Tony’s Coffee. Time and volunteer turnout permitting, we will also be weeding the areas around the planters. We’ll provide vests and tools. Make sure to come dressed for the weather cause this is a rain or shine event!