Fate Of Laurelhurst Community Center Once Again In Danger

We recently posted about the Mayor's proposal to further drastically reduce hours at the Laurelhurst and Magnuson Community Centers as well as many other community centers starting in January.

Both Laurelhurst and Magnuson have been classified as "Tier 2b" level of service, which translates to hours being additionally reduced from 35 to 25 hours per week.  The proposal not only classifies each Community Center's level of service and ranking against each other, but also divides all the city Community Centers into five geographically based service areas, each staffed with a team, led by a Senior Recreation Coordinator.

With the proposed reducton in hours, it is unclear if the Magnuson staff, who has been managing the Laurelhurst Community Center classes, programs and administrative duties will be able to continue to oversee the classes (such as nerf soccer, pottery, adult softball, adult fitness, and some other programming) and the popular special events, such as the Egg Hunt and Salmon Bake, they were able to continue for the neighborhood this year. 

"And it is unclear if anyone familiar with our programming and community will be assigned to Laurelhurst," Kathleen  with the Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council told us.

The City Council has not yet approved the proposed 2012 budget so there is still time for the community to speak up about the fate of the Community Centers.

You can send email to City Council members. Here is a list of Council Members and their contact information. Kathleen  said that the Council has heard from very few citizens thus far.

When writing to Council members, Kathleen encourages people to to tell their stories of what the community center means to them, what they are already missing and will miss with further cuts,  what they want/expect from their community center, how the limited use in 2011 and the further reductions/changes has affected/will affect them.

Kathleen told us:

The way for the community center (and the gym after school hours) to be available for more programs and more community use is to have more hours and more professional programming staff at the center. FYI, even though we have had some sort of a joint use agreement with the school district for 40-50 years at Laurelhurst Gym (see inscription near the street-side entrance,) our community center was counted as having "no gym" in the allocation to the tiered system. The fact that the gym is off premises (and highly used) increases the advisory council's programming expenses due to the need for a building monitor, etc.

Please help us keep programs at Laurelhurst! We need to let the city council know that we want and need our community center to be the heart of our community. If we want to sustain programs at our community center, we, as a community, need to tell the members of city council before they pass the mayor's proposed budget.

We need more professional staff hours in order to manage programs and provide professional service to members of the community. We need more open hours that fit with the community's use of the center. And we also need community members to help us create, build and maintain programming that will thrive in the Laurelhurst Community Center.

In future years, it appears that community centers' budget allocations will continue to be based on usage, so if we don't use the community center, and if we don't work together as a community to help rebuild sustainable programming at our community center, I think the city will assume we don't want the few hours and professional staff we've been given, and allocate them somewhere else. 

There is a Public Hearing today at 5pm and also on October 26th starting at 5:30pm at City Hall (600 4th Avenue.)

Kathleen also told us that a community meeting is also in the works to be held at the Laurelhurst Community Center, during the time of the standing Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council Meetings (third Thursdays) on October 20th, probably at 7pm, though that time is not yet confirmed from the City 

For more information:

Press Release 
2012 Budget Overview
Community Center Operations 2012 Budget and Analysis

Update From President of Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council

Kathleen Turner, President of the Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council, sent us email encouraging everyone to submit comments asap to City Council.

She writes:

"Thank you for all of your support, and help in getting the word out about the mayor's proposed budget's effect on our community center. I wanted to pass along this nudge to members of the community:

I encourage Laurelhurst families who would like to comment to the City Council on the mayor's proposed budget to do so by the final public hearing on October 26. In particular, please share your opinion of how the reduction of programming hours at Laurelhurst Community Center will directly affect the city, the neighborhood, you and your family.
 
The LCCAC will work with the Associated Recreation Council and the Parks Department to continue as many programs as possible at Laurelhurst Gym and the Community Center within the constraints of the mayor's proposed budget, as well as the final budget approved by the City Council."
 
Here are ways to submit comments:
 
Ideascale Page: share, comment and vote for ideas on how to balance the budget, City Council is continuously reviewing the
feedback and will respond to the most popular ideas.
 
City Council Feedback Form: emails are shared with each Councilmember to keep them updated on issues important to the public.
 
The final Public Hearing is next Tuesday, October 26th, at Seattle City Hall Council Chambers, 2nd floor at 600 Fourth Avenue.

The Hearing starts at 5:30pm with sign-in to speak at 5 pm.

Community Gardens on Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council's Agenda Tomorrow Night

(This post has been updated since the original post a few hours ago)

Tomorrow night, Thursday, the Laurelhurst Community Center Advisory Council, will be holding their regular monthly meeting at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center at 7pm.


Dena, from the Laurelhurst Community Center, invites neighbors to bring their programming ideas to this one and to all the Advisory Council meetings.

She says they Community Center typically plans classes and activities 3-6 months in advance. The community's input is welcome in shaping what is offered at our neighborhood community center.

The agenda tomorrow night will include an overview of Community Gardens and following that a discussion on whether there is interest in having one at Laurelhurst Community Center.

During the meeting, the group will be taking a tour of the community garden at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center and will meet with Trevor from the Ravnna-Eckstein Community Center as well as someone from the community who is involved in the Garden.

Rebecca, one of the volunteers who helped to develop and implement the garden project told us that "the garden is super cute and doing quite well."

She says she has also enjoyed teaching a class called Seeds to Sprout for kids 5 and under.

And the next class is also tomorrow night at 6pm at the Ravenna Eckstein Community Center.

"Plant, Grow, Harvest! An educational series exploring how food comes from farm to table. We’ll plant seedlings, monitor and maintain their growth, and finally harvest. We’ll learn how healthy food can nourish our bodies and make us grow big and strong!" the website says about this unique class for little ones.

Rebecca also said that the idea of the community garden "is rather the opposite of the p-patch -- the community grows food for the community's use. Also, if you're on one of those monster waiting lists for your own p-patch plot, it's a way you can get gardening sooner."

Also on the agenda is Advisory Council Scholarships and which programs will be funded and the 2011 Laurelhurst Advisory Council Budget.

Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center is located at 6535 Ravenna Ave NE.