On Monday, August 8, the Council approved a proposed revision to the lease agreement for Building 11 at Magnuson Park, but the investors who are currently renovating the building under a 30-year lease with the City have publicly stated that they will not sign the new agreement. The investors initiated the process to revise the [...]
Post
August 11, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Building 11 Wrap-up: Affirming our Vision for Magnuson Park
The day had finally arrived. The day we voted. It went so smoothly and was actually so easy that I almost forgot why I had had a pit in my stomach for the last several months. But then I remembered the history, the issue, the concerns – the desired outcome and all of the work that we, [...]
Post
August 5, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Parks & Seattle Center Committee recap for August 4th
The Parks & Seattle Center Committee met yesterday with a full agenda, and I’d like to take a moment to revisit the meeting. Our first focus was again on Building 11 at Magnuson Park. Over the course of four committee meetings, my colleagues and I have evaluated a proposed lease amendment that made alterations to a lease [...]
Post
August 4, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Unique open houses at the Conservatory
Within the confines of Volunteer Park lies Seattle’s great crystal palace, the Conservatory. Since opening in 1912, the Conservatory continues to collect and conserve a diverse collection of plants, transporting visitors beyond the Pacific Northwest into almost-otherworldly climates and locales. Its mission has not changed in nearly a century. To help ensure this mission continues, [...]
Post
August 4, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess
Where Visitors Go
In my most recent newsletter about the Council’s proposal to create a Tourism Improvement Area I asked readers where they take out-of-town visitors. The responses were numerous and varied, but the general theme was: Outside! People love our city’s parks...
Post
August 3, 2011January 6, 2023News Releases
Community Center Reinvention – Can We Save Money and Serve the Community?
The Parks Department took a major hit in the 2011 budget and lost dozens of employees – but it could have been worse. The Mayor’s proposed budget would have converted three community spaces to offices and cut drop in hours by up to 80% at five community centers proposed for ‘limited use’, with no plans [...]
Post
July 26, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
The Comp Plan: a roadmap for the next 20 years
I’ve posted this reminder before, but here’s a new push to remind people that the decisions the city makes now will have great implications in the future. We need your thoughts on updating Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan – the vision for how Seattle will evolve over the next two decades. There’s a great YouTube video that explains the purpose of the Comp Plan and directs [...]
Post
July 25, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Sound Steps presents Olmsted park to park walk
The Sound Steps Walking Program focuses on the health and wellness of adults age 50 and better throughout the Greater Seattle area. It’s a community-oriented organized walking program that promotes physical activity and fellowship. Next week, Sound Steps will provide a walking tour of Seattle’s historic Olmsted parks. Over the course of August 4th-6th, the [...]
Post
July 21, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Building 11: Parks Committee recap for July 21st
The Parks & Seattle Center Committee met again today regarding Building 11 to evaluate the first in a series of formal changes to the proposed lease amendment. To recap our previous discussions, Seattle Channel video footage is available for committee meetings on June 16 and July 7. If you’re not familiar with it, past blog [...]
Post
July 13, 2011January 6, 2023Councilmember Bagshaw
Seward Park celebrates 100 years with festival this weekend
Seattle Parks & Recreation will be celebrating 100 years of Seward Park this weekend, and this gem of a park along Lake Washington in Southeast Seattle holds a great deal of history. Read on from Parks’ press release: To commemorate the establishment of Seward Park in 1911, neighbors and community organizations are holding a historical [...]