Nickels Newsletter - July 2005

Dear Friends,

I hope you’re enjoying your summer as much as I am! The long summer days give us all more time to spend in parks, with our families, and in our neighborhoods.

I love my own neighborhood of West Seattle, but being mayor gives me the opportunity to spend time in lots of other parts of our city. Summer is a great time for all families to go exploring: check out Ballard and its beautiful new library, see the Center for Wooden Boats and see the plans for South Lake Union Park, or go swimming at the beach in Seward Park or Alki!

The city is investing in these neighborhoods, and more. Just this past month, the City awarded funding to more than 20 business district associations for local improvements. In Lake City, for example, the chamber of commerce received $11,000 to clean up the street, trim the trees, install new benches and banners, update winter street decorations and advertise for their summer festival. Projects like this make neighborhood business areas cleaner, safer, and more attractive for visitors and residents.

The Small and Simple Project Fund, as it does several times a year, also awarded neighborhood initiatives— to the tune of more than $200,000. Those funds go to projects like the Montlake Summer Music Festival, the creation of a pocket park in Pinehurst, and expanding the scope of the current Friends of Georgetown History project. And on Saturday, the Large Project Fund Awards will award $1.4 million to 18 community projects. We are a city of neighborhoods, and I’m glad the City can help add fuel to their fire!

This year, the traditional Seattle summer rain was very welcome. The city’s water supply is returning to normal, thanks to the extra rain and people’s extraordinary conservation measures. Did you know that Seattleites saved 60 million gallons of water every day? In the first week of July, I removed the advisory asking for voluntary water reduction. Water is still a precious resource, though, so if you’ve gotten into new conservation habits, all the better!

You can read more about the city’s water supply and other news below – be safe and enjoy your summer!

Sincerely,


GREG NICKELS
Mayor of Seattle

Water supply returning to normal

Thanks to more rain, lower water use by Seattle Public Utilities customers, and successful efforts by our water managers, our water supply is returning to normal. Back in March, one of the driest winters on record prompted me to issue a water shortage advisory. Because supply is now about normal, we can remove the advisory. Water is still a precious resource, though, so if you’ve gotten into new conservation habits, all the better!
Read the news release

Keeping our neighborhoods safe

In all parts of the city, there has been a demand for more officers on the street—I’m proud to announce that will soon be a reality. The City Council’s approval of my plan to add 25 new officers our police department will help us keep our neighborhoods safer. These new officers will join patrol units in all five precincts, which means more eyes and ears on the street, ready to protect our neighborhoods.

Neighborhood businesses help build healthy communities...

One of my priorities is to build strong and healthy communities, which is why I was so glad to give awards to 22 neighborhood business district groups across the city, from Lake City to White Center. This set of grants totaled more than $164,000, and includes $10,000 for the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle and the South Park Merchants Association. The grants will also support local businesses in Columbia City, Ballard, the Central Area and more!
For a complete list of recipients, read the news release

... And neighbors help build healthy communities

Another way to build strong communities is to enlist the talents and creativity of our neighbors. Through our Neighborhood Matching Fund’s Small and Simple Project Fund, we make awards several times a year to community groups working on community projects. This season, we awarded grants ranging from $1,000 - $15,000 to 18 different neighborhood projects.

The awards are given to groups who match the City’s contribution with locally raised money, donated materials, and volunteer labor. These groups are committed to building strong communities and I’m glad to help bring energy to these great projects.
Read a brief summary of each project - Adobe PDF 24 kb
Read the news release

Summer Sack Lunch program now serving

When school ends, so do the free lunches that many kids rely on for their basic nutritional needs. That’s why Seattle has stepped up to create a Summer Sack Lunch program. Through this program, we can serve breakfast, lunch and snack to children at 120 sites throughout Seattle – at parks, playgrounds, community centers, and Boys and Girls Clubs. Last year we served more than 41,000 breakfasts and 150,000 lunches, and I look forward to another great Seattle summer full of healthy and energetic kids!

Making progress on Lake Union streetcar

The City Council approved the funding plan for the South Lake Union streetcar, and we are on the way to seeing more job and housing growth in the heart of our city. The South Lake Union streetcar will do several things. It will link thousands of workers and residents to jobs and downtown transit hubs, spur investments in neighborhoods that can best handle the growth, and will help us shape South Lake Union and the Denny Triangle into great urban neighborhoods.

Coming soon to Fremont: Troll Avenue North

From his unique vantage point under the Aurora Bridge, the Troll will soon be looking down his own road: Troll Avenue North.

The little road that runs from the Fremont Troll to the Ship Canal is named Aurora Avenue North, which is often confused with the bridge above it. To clarify the location for locals, visitors and emergency personnel, as well as to honor its famous resident, Fremont neighbors have asked the City to change the name of the street. The community went through an arduous and expensive process to have the street’s name changed, so I sent legislation to Council last week, asking that they do just that. Stay tuned!
Read the news release