Sep 30, 2009

Miller Playfield Inauguration Update: field users to be told about parking lot

Many Nova and SBOC families and students, and a few Miller

residents, gathered at Miller on Saturday Sept. 19th, and enjoyed watching lacrosse and soccer demonstrations while dining on the remarkable and delicious selection of potluck dishes that they had brought. The meal finished with a variety of flavors of ice-cream donated by Bluebird Ice Cream and Tearoom (I'm still not convinced by the beer-flavored ice-cream, even if it is Elysian Porter).


A note from (guest of honor) Councilmember Rasmussen, to the Parks Department:
Saturday evening I attend the celebration of the completion of the Miller Playfield. It was well attended and the community is very happy with the results. Several people wanted me to know how helpful Karen O'Connor was in the success of the event.


One area where they need help is with the amount of on street parking that impacts the neighborhood. They asked if the Parks Department would encourage the teams and other people or groups who use the community center and especially the athletic fields to use the parking lot that is between the school and the community center.


Would you be able to develop signs or provide notice to people that the parking is available and encouraged there?


Thanks very much.
Tom Rasmussen


I replied:
I second Councilmember Rasmussen's thanks to Karen O' Conner and would add that Ted Holden, the projec
t manager for th e field replacement, was a joy to work with and was very diligent.


Directing field patrons to the lower parking lot: I attach a specimen map I made a while ago (at end). I'd be happy to aid
in the design of an official map to distribute to teams and post on Parks websites, and would suggest that Parks require teams to distribute either the maps or
Numbered Listlinks to a Parks website.


I would further suggest that SDOT post brown directional signs to point out the way to the parking lot: the attached map makes good locations obvious.
Many thanks again, both for the lovely new playfield, and for last Saturday's celebration.


And many thanks to Councilmember Rasmussen for taking the time on a Saturday evening to attend the event.



The Parks Department has agreed to implement many of our suggestions:





September 23, 2009




Dear Mr. Taylor and Councilmember Rasmussen:



Superintendent Gallagher asked me to respond to your email about the parking impact at Miller Playfield. It is exciting to hear that Miller Playfield Project was such a great success and I thank you for your continued support for Miller Community Center and Playfield.




I have asked Dennis Cook, Citywide Athletics Manager, to compose a letter to be sent immediately to current Miller Playfield users to direct them to the parking lot off 20th and E Republican St., adjacent to the west of Meany Middle School and east of Miller Community Center. That letter will also be sent with all new field permits so field users know in advance where to park to help mitigate the parking impacts. Also, we will ask the larger athletic organizations to post the Miller Playfield parking instructions on their websites. Dennis will work with the Athletic Field Coordinators to plan regular meetings with user groups to explain
to them the importance of parking in the assigned parking lot. We will also look into possibly developing signs or maps to help direct Miller Playfield users know where to park.



Other athletic fields have experienced similar parking problems and we have, working with the user groups, gotten the parking situation under control. It will take the support of all involved to make the parking a success, but I am confident the field users want to be good neighbors



If you have further questions or concerns please contact me at christopher.williams@seattle.gov or 206-684-4136.
Sincerely,
Christopher Williams
Deputy Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation



cc: John Bates, Athletic Field Scheduler, Seattle Parks and Recreation
Dennis Cook, Citywide Athletics Manager, Seattle Parks and Recreation
Sue Goodwin, Recreation Division Director, Seattle Parks and Recreation
Raft Hollingsworth, Athletic Field Coordinator, Seattle Parks and Recreation



Christopher M. Williams
Deputy Superintendent/Chief of StaffSeattle Parks and Recreation
(206) 684-4136 Office
(206) 233-7023 Fax
christopher.williams@seattle.gov





I'm sure you'll join me in thanking the Parks Department for the elegant new playfield, and for the ongoing efforts to make it work for everyone.

Sep 29, 2009

Granite Falls Railroad Days Parade

(reposted, yet again, to remind you that the parade is Saturday October 3rd, noon in Granite Falls. Weather looks good for another viewing of the Shriners' waterproof fez covers).


I've been to the Granite Falls Parade (Railroad Days, 1st Saturday in October) several times: it's the classic small town parade (class of 2009, 2010, 2011 etc, assorted kids' floats) but also Seafair Pirates, multiple Shriners' groups and lots more local fun. Don't miss the BBQ sandwich at the Fire Hall afterwards!
Still pictures of a moving (OK, slowly moving) parade can't capture the essence of the event, so here are a few little movies. (you might need to install the Flash Player to see them)





Yes, it was drizzling: note the transparent fez covers!

Sep 19, 2009

Washington Ensemble Theatre on 19th

It's Mary Bliss from the Washington Ensemble Theatre (corner of Roy and 19th next to Kingfish). Would you mind passing on our press release for our season opening show to the MPNA list? It's a community event and we'd love to see our friends and neighbors there!
Thanks!
Mary Bliss Mather
Actress-Coach-Event Planner-General Superstar
Co-Artistic Director, Washington Ensemble Theatre
www.washingtonensemble.org

WASHINGTON ENSEMBLE THEATRE is Showing:

The WEST COAST Premiere of

NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM

Written by Jennifer Haley

Directed by Makaela Pollock

WHAT:

NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM

There’s something in the neighborhood. Something’s coming....

WHO:

Written by Jennifer Haley

Directed by Makaela Pollock

WHEN:

September 25 - October 26, 2009

Thursdays through Mondays, at 7:30PM.

Sneak Peak Thursday Preview, September 24th at 7:30PM.

Opening Night Gala, Friday, September 25 at 7:30PM.

WHERE:

608 19th Avenue East, at The Little Theatre in Capitol Hill (between Mercer & Roy)

Visit www.washingtonensemble.org for directions.

TICKETS:

$12-$18. Available through Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006 or

www.brownpapertickets.com.

ABOUT THE PLAY:

Something sinister is coming to the subdivision. Lurking on the hard-drive of every teenager in suburbia, “Neighborhood 3” is a video game that allows kids to fight zombies in a virtual reality that looks strangely familiar.

Parents grow increasingly frantic as players descend deeper into the game-world. Playwright Jennifer Haley invites us to examine the veneer of control that shrouds the world of identical houses and exposes a suburban dystopia. As the boundaries crumble between our world and its virtual mirror, what happens when we replace interaction with interface? Panic pervades this compelling zombie thriller and fear takes on a life of its own.

Featuring: Josh Aaseng, Patrick Allcorn, Natalie Breitmeyer, Kelly Hyde

With designs by: Andrea Bryn Bush, Ben Zamora, Brendan Patrick Hogan, Pete Rush, Amiya Brown

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $12-18, available at the door or in advance through Brown Paper Tickets. Students and seniors $12. The Washington Ensemble Theatre box office opens one hour prior to performance for walk-up sales. For advance ticket orders call 800-838-3006 or visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com

INDUSTRY NIGHT

Theatre artists and TPS members are offered $12 tickets at every Monday evening performance (discount applies to walk-up sales only).

PREVIEWS:

$10 preview tickets are offered at 7:30PM on the Thursday before Opening Night of each production. There are no advance sales for previews; walk-up sales only.

* * * *

“The Ensemble [has an] exceptional history of challenging and genuinely innovative new plays and imaginative productions. This little theater on the backside of Capitol Hill is the most reliable place in town to find the best of truly modern theatre.”

- Jerry Kraft, SeattleActor.com

“Washington Ensemble Theatre is among the most artistically daring theatres in town.”

- Inside Encore Magazine

“This is ensemble work at its best.”

- Brendan Kiley, The Stranger

“Washington Ensemble Theatre is known for edgy, poetic, eerie scripts that challenge and linger on in thoughts days after attending the show. […] The Ensemble often seems more able than many theaters to appeal to the young adults who crave something different.”

- Miryam Gordon, Seattle Gay News

Sep 17, 2009

Saturday Miller Playfield Celebration: final details

In brief:

  • 6:30 PM: Meet at Miller Community Center / Playfield to celebrate our new field
  • Watch Seattle University soccer clinic
  • Watch Lacrosse demonstrations
  • Participate (if you wish) in potluck organized by NOVA High School Students
  • Enjoy FREE ice-cream, courtesy of Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream & Tea Room
  • 7 PM: brief ceremony, speech by Councilmember Rasmussen, chair of Parks Committee
  • watch NOVA students demonstrate "3 way soccer"
  • field available for pick-up games till 10 PM
  • Weather looks OK for Saturday evening (Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. North wind 6 to 9 mph becoming east southeast. )
By the way, a few volunteers would be appreciated to help set-up, serve ice-cream, help tidy up afterwards. Please E-mail Andrew (tayles@jps.net) if interested.
    The details:

The students of NOVA alternative High School, which shares the Meany School building with the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (SBOC) have embraced the event, and are holding a potluck as part of the celebration, and invite you to bring a potluck dish to share (and suggest that it be an ample size, as the SBOC families who have been invited may be unfamiliar with the potluck concept!).

Parks Department translated the invitation into 5 languages for the SBOC familes (Oromo, Chinese, Amheric, Spanish and Vietnamese), and we hope that some of them will be able to attend, and that their tournament-winning soccer team will play on the field.

The evening will include:


  • A welcome by Councilmember Rasmussen, chair of the Council Parks Committee

  • The potluck!

  • Ice-Cream, donated by Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream & Tea Room

  • a soccer clinic presented by Seattle University Men’s Soccer. You can cheer the SU Redhawks on against Oregon State at 12:30 on Saturday at SU Championship Field located on the corner of E. Jefferson St and 13th Ave.

  • a lacrosse demonstration presented by Northwest Women’s Lacrosse Association (NWWLA)

It will be a great chance for the neighborhood to meet the students, staff and parents of both schools, and members of the sports groups who share our playfield.

But wait, there's more!

Later in the evening (about 8:30?):

  • NOVA students will demonstrate their unique collaborative sport: Three-Way Soccer. (pictures)

  • SBOC teams will (we hope) demonstrate their soccer skills

  • The playfield will be available till 10 PM for your pickup soccer games, frisbee or (presumably) lacrosse use!


(Project details, history of Miller, Field Scheduling)

Sep 16, 2009

Capitol Hill Times article about Miller Playfield


The 9/16/09 Capitol Hill Times has a long article about our new playfield and the new schools at Meany, together with a picture of Nova students practicing "Three Way Soccer".

(BTW here are ALL the details of Saturday's playfield celebration)

You can read the article:
  • the old-fashioned way by picking up a copy of the paper
  • the fancy modern way by visiting their website
  • by clicking on this scan of the article, to make it big enough to read.



Sep 8, 2009

Miller Playfield Inauguration: Saturday Sept. 19th

Save the date (Sat. Sept. 19th, 6:30 PM) for a neighborhood gathering to celebrate the completion of our lovely all weather Miller Playfield. We'll have ice cream, chat, watch soccer and lacrosse demonstrations, and then will all get to use the field till the lights go off at 10 PM.

Seattle University Men's Soccer is organizing the soccer clinic for the Miller Playfield inauguration. If you want to see their skills in action earlier in the day, please come cheer the SU Redhawks on against Oregon State at 12:30 on SU Championship Field located on the corner of E. Jefferson St and 13th Ave.

We'll also meet people from the two schools that have just moved into the Meany School building next door (Nova High School and the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center). They're still frantically moving into the school: let's hope we can contact and invite them!

The event is sponsored by:
Please click on the poster to admire and read it, print it, share it, and please tell your friends about this neighborhood gathering.