Spring Neighborhood Clean

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published information about the City's yearly Spring Clean in its newsletter.

The Spring Clean is sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities along with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Department of Neighborhoods, and Department of Transportation.

Residents can use this form to sign up and receive City support to clean up an area in the City.

Past projects in the neighborhood have included weeding work parties, including Waterway #1, a parcel of waterfront property located where Northeast 35th Street meets 43rd Avenue Northeast. 

Long ago it was used as a boat launch for one of Seattle’s mosquito fleet ferries, the Laurelhurst Launch, which shuttled folks from Laurelhurst to Madison Park and back. Now it is a public access to observe nature, walk dogs, and launch non-motorized boats.

Neighbors have also spruced up traffic circles, medians and other public spaces, specifically in the Town of Yesler area, median on the Boulevard and the pedestrian island at the corner of NE 41st Street and Surber Drive.

The LCC newsletter article said:

Spring into Action for Neighborhood Clean Up 

Let’s keep Laurelhurst looking good! Why not grab some friends and beautify a spot that needs some tlc?  Seattle’s Spring Clean cleanup program is in full swing. In past years neighbors rolled up their sleeves and worked on clean-up projects for traffic circles, street ends, pedestrian islands, and other work parties. The city supports Spring Clean of public spaces with free resources from Seattle Public Utilities, including bags, gloves, safety vests, transfer station passes, and waste pick ups. Even if you don’t need the city’s services, it’s good to register to promote visibility for your project. 

For more information go here or call  206-684-7647.

City's Spring Clean Up Underway

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published information about the City's yearly Spring Clean in its newsletter.

The Spring Clean is sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities along with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Department of Neighborhoods, and Department of Transportation.

Residents can use this form to sign up and receive City support to clean up an area in the City.

Past projects in the neighborhood have included weeding work parties around the neighborhood including Waterway #1, a parcel of waterfront property located where Northeast 35 Street meets 43rd Avenue Northeast. Long ago it was used as a boat launch for one of Seattle’s mosquito fleet ferries, the Laurelhurst Launch, which shuttled folks from Laurelhurst to Madison Park and back. Now it is a public access to bserve nature, walk dogs, and launch non-motorized boats.

Other past neighborhood work parties included sprucing up traffic circles, medians or other public space in the Town of Yesler area, median on the Boulevard, pedestrian island at the corner of NE 41st and Surber Drive.

The LCC newsletter article said:

During April and May, Seattle’s Spring Clean cleanup program will be in full swing. Projects include litter pickups, removal of invasive plants such as English ivy, weeding and general upkeep of traffic circles and planting strips, storm drain stenciling, and graffiti removal. In past years neighbors rolled up their sleeves and worked on clean-up projects for traffic circles, street ends, pedestrian islands, and other work parties. Spring Clean participants can receive free resources from Seattle Public Utilities, including bags, gloves, safety vests, transfer station passes, and waste pick ups.

For more information go here or call 206-233-7187.

Get Involved With Neighborhood Spring Clean

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published information about the City's yearly Spring Clean in its newsletter.

The Spring Clean is sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities along with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Department of Neighborhoods, and Department of Transportation.

Residents can use this form to sign up and receive City support to clean up an area in the City.

Past projects in the neighborhood have included weeding work parties around the neighborhood including Waterway #1, a parcel of waterfront property located where Northeast 35 Street meets 43rd Avenue Northeast. Long ago it was used as a boat launch for one of Seattle’s mosquito fleet ferries, the Laurelhurst Launch, which shuttled folks from Laurelhurst to Madison Park and back. Now it is a public access to bserve nature, walk dogs, and launch non-motorized boats.

Other past neighborhood work parties included sprucing up traffic circles, medians or other public space in the Town of Yesler area, median on the Boulevard, pedestrian island at the corner of NE 41st and Surber Drive.

The LCC newsletter article said:

During April and May, Seattle’s Spring Clean cleanup program will be in full swing. Projects include litter pickups, removal of invasive plants such as English ivy, weeding and general upkeep of traffic circles and planting strips, storm drain stenciling, and graffiti removal. In past years neighbors rolled up their sleeves and worked on clean-up projects for traffic circles, street ends, pedestrian islands, and other work parties. Spring Clean participants can receive free resources from Seattle Public Utilities, including bags, gloves, safety vests, transfer station passes, and waste pick ups.

For more information go here or call 206-233-7187.

City's Annual Spring Clean Going On Through End Of May

 

The City's annual Spring Clean Program is underway through the end of the month.

The information says:

Help pick up litter, stencil storm drains, paint out graffiti, clean up traffic circles, remove invasive plants in your community or host a work party. 

Volunteers receive free litter cleanup bags, gloves, safety vests and waste disposal permits.   

Register online or by phone at 206-233-7187.

 

 

There is nothing formally scheduled in the neighborhood as in past years, but residents can work on projects on their own.

Waterways No.1 Spring Clean Work Party Last Month Very Productive

Jeannie Hale and Robert Lewis with bags and logs

One of the Laurelhurst Community Club Board Member's sent us an update on last month's successful Spring Clean work party at Waterway No. 1, located at 43rd Avenue NE and NE 35th Street.

Over 20 volunteers showed up to remove ivy, weed, till soil in flowerbeds, pick up litter, remove floating vegetation and decomposed plant material, eradicate noxious yellow flag irises and pull out heavy floating logs from the lake.

Volunteers filled 36 large bags and created a huge stack of logs and wood for removal for pick-up by the City.

One of the volunteers, Dave Skow,  received the unofficial “MVP” award for his efforts at the work party.

"Dave was in the water for three solid hours pushing the heavy floating logs to the area where logs could be removed from the water and assisting with log removal. Dave also won in the drawing to receive an autographed copy of Arthur Lee Jacobson’s well-regarded Trees of Seattle," the email says.
LCC would liketo thank the neighbors and especially Betsy Mullen and volunteers from University Presbyterian Church who helped with the clean-up.

"Without these hardworking volunteers, the progress made at the work party would have taken months," the Board Member wrote.


David Skow dubbed "MVP" during the clean-up project

Hard-working neighborhood volunteers
(photo courtesy of Judith Thornton)

Spring Clean At Yesler Swamp Last Sunday Very Productive

Carol, with Friends of Yesler Swamp, sent us email saying the Spring Clean at Yesler Swamp last Sunday mornng was a great success.

Here is her summary (also on the Friends of Yesler Swamp blog) on the clean-up:

Friends and neighbors – ranging in age from 3 to 73 – dug out a mountain of blackberries, improved the trail with loads and loads of chips, and cleared out two good-sized bags of garbage! Everyone especially appreciated the contribution of several youngsters who worked all morning collecting trash and shoveling chips.


The goal of Friends of Yesler Swamp is to restore native plants to Yesler Swamp, minimize human impact to this special environment, and conserve the abundant birds, waterfowl, and wildlife that live in the swamp.

Thanks to everyone’s hard work, Yesler Swamp is on its way to recovery!

(photos courtesy of Jean Colley)

Work Party Kids 

Waterways No. 1 Work Party Tomorrow Morning

Tomorrow from from 10-noon will be the Waterways No. 1 Work Party, located at 43rd Avenue NE and NE 35th
Street.

It will be an exciting work party with a chance to meet Arthur Lee Jacobson, noted plant, tree and weed expert, who will direct the work party.

There will also be a drawing to receive an autographed copy of Arthur Lee Jacobon's book, Trees of Seattle.

Tasks include pulling ivy and digging out weeds and "having fun in the process," the invite says.

Voluteers are asked to bring gloves, garden tools, shovels, and rubber boots.

Children are welcome and refreshments and water will be provided.

This work party is sponsored by the Laurelhurst Community Club as part of the City’s annual Spring Clean Program to spruce up neighborhoods. 

For questions or to RSVP, contact Jeannie Hale at jeannieh@serv.net or 206-525-5135 or Emily Dexter at edexter4@comcast.net or 206-526-2927.

LCC writes about Waterways #1:

Waterway No. 1 is a parcel of waterfront property located where Northeast 35th Street meets 43rd Avenue Northeast. Long ago it was used as a boat launch for one of Seattle’s mosquito fleet ferries, the Laurelhurst Launch, which shuttled folks from Laurelhurst to Madison Park and back. Now it is a rare and treasured public access point to the waterfront where people can go to observe nature, walk dogs, and launch non-motorized boats. Neighbors adopted a concept plan to improve the waterway in September 2005. Some progress has been made, but it’s time to move forward to continue to implement the plan. Your help is needed to transform the waterway into a community amenity for all to enjoy.

Laurelhurst Elementary School Grounds Clean-Up Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the semi-annual Laurelhurst Elementary School Grounds Clean-Up  from 8am - noon.

The invite says:

Join PTA Building and Grounds chairs Lans  and Wendy  and other PTA members as we clean up the grounds for spring.

Kids welcome.

Tools will be provided but feel free to bring along any of your favorite tools and gloves (put your name on them)!


Donuts, Coffee and Juice provided! Come get some sun and help us keep Laurelhurst looking great!

Yesler Swamp Spring Clean On Sunday

Friends of Yesler Swamp and the UW Botanic Gardens invites the neighborhood to join in on a Spring Clean on Sunday from 10-noon, as part of the Seattle Public Utilities Spring Clean event happening this month throughout the city.

Tasks include picking up litter, improving the wood chip trail, and removing invasive plants.

"Bring work gloves and energy!" the invite says.

Trash bags and tools are provided. Everyone is welcome. And refreshments will be served.

Participants are to enter Yesler Swamp from the east parking lot of the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street).

For more information, go here.

Help with UDistrict Spring Clean-Up And Shop at Farmers Market Tomorrow

If you're already headed to the U District this weekend to shop at the Farmer's Market for fruits and veggies, how about also stopping by the Ave and joining the University District Street Clean Up crew and "help make the District sparkle," Joe from the University District Food Bank wrote to us.

Tomorrow from 10am-1pm, the annual University District Street Spring Clean-up will take place.  It's always held the week before the popular Street Fair.

"Community members meet for breakfast, conversation and assemble in groups to go out into the neighborhood, in designated areas, to 'Spring Clean" up their neighborhood,' the website says.


Meet at the University Heights Center west lot on the corner of NE 50TH & University Way.

Here are some details:

SPRING CLEAN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

Activities include:

· Rake
· Sweep
· Paint-Out Graffiti

All volunteers receive breakfast and lunch PLUS the first 100 VOLUNTEERS get a commemorative T-SHIRT.

10:00am - Breakfast & Check In

10:30am - 12:30pm: Spring Clean

12:30pm - 1:30pm; Lunch & Trash Contest

Contacts:

Karen Ko - City of Seattle; Univ. Neighborhood Service Center; (206) 233-3732; karen.ko@seattle.gov ;

Ruth Rosa - University Heights Center (206) 527-4278,

Update and Pictures from Spring Clean-Up Work Parties

Emily Dexter, Laurelhurst Community Club Trustee, sent us an update on the Spring clean-up work parties that went on last week-end.

Emily said there were 4 weeding work parties in the past 2 weeks and about 2 dozen people participated.

Here were the work parties:

5/8 Waterway #1

# of bags of weeds -  6
Jeannie Hale -  organizer

5/12 Street end at NE 54th and 45th Ave NE
# bags of weeds - 3
Emily Dexter - organizer

5/15 Traffic circles in the Town of Yesler
# bags of weeds- 4
Heather Newman - organizer

5/15 pedestrian island at the corner of NE 41st and Surber Drive
 # bags of weeds - 6
Jean Colley-organizer


A big thank you to everyone that participated and spruced up our neighborhood!


And here are some pictures that Emily and Judith sent us:

Arthur Jacobsen and volunteers at Waterway #1:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dead-head and debris at shoreline:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reef of weeds below Laurel:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Emily Dexter at Waterway 1: 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Waterway #1 clean-up volunteers:
 

Traffic circle clean-up crew:

Get Involved in Upcoming Neighborhood Spring Clean Up Projects

Emily Dexter, Laurelhurst Community Club Trustee, passed along to us some upcoming neighborhood spring cleanup projects.

It's a great chance to meet other neighbors and help spruce up our neighborhood.

These work parties are part of the City’s annual Spring Clean Program "held each year in April and May— and is Seattle's premier clean up event. Spring Clean provides opportunities for citizens to clean up Seattle's public open spaces of their choice with city support," says the city website.

Here's a list of work parties currently scheduled. If you have more ideas, please contact Emily.


Saturday May 8th:

Waterway #1: 43 Avenue NE and NE 34th Street
10-12 
Noted plant expert Arthur Lee Jacobson will be leading a weeding party.  Meet Arthur Lee Jacobson noted plant, tree and weed expert, Jacobson, who will direct this work party. Help pull ivy and dig out weeds and have fun in the process. Bring your gloves and garden tools.

There will be a drawing for those participating in the work party to receive an autographed copy of Arthur Lee Jacobson’s well-regarded Trees of Seattle book. Learn about this book at http://www.arthurleej.com/.

Sun Park: NE 47th Street and 47th Avenue NE
11-1
Join the monthly weed and sweep work party this month tofocus on getting rid of mushrooms which have sprouted up recently. They have regular workparties every 2nd Sat of the month. All are welcome to help out as well as enjoy the garden at this 'pocket park'.

"We have these monthly group weeding sessions so our lovely park will not get overgrown and out-of hand! We never know who is going to show up! Sometimes a right jolly group,and sometimes just a couple of us!" Sun Park Volunteer Dixie Porter says.


Friends of Yesler Swamp Trail Party: Yesler Swamp
10-12
This is a 'chip party to spread wood chips for a new temporary nature trail in preparation for our Father’s Day Swamp Walk, June 20.  Bring work gloves. Also involved is pulling out ivy and blackberries. Meet at the parking lot on the east side of the Center for Urban Horticulture. Light refreshments will be serverd. Tools will be provided. Bring work gloves.

"The high on Saturday is supposed to be a positively balmy 64 degrees, so please come out and help. You’ll be astounded by all the progress that’s been made by our hardy band of volunteers, " the Friends groups says.


Saturday May 15th:


Laurelhurst Boulevard - NE 41st
10am-12pm
Help weed and clean up up the planted median strip along NE 41st and the pedestrian island at the corner of NE 41st and Surber Drive. We'll have gloves, safety vests and clean-up bags made available from Seattle Public Utilities as part of their Spring Clean...and light refreshments. Please bring gloves. Meet at the pedestrian island.


Saturday May 22nd:


The Laurelhurst PTA is sponsoring a school ground cleanup from 8am-noon. Neighbors are encouraged to come for just a 1/2 hr if that's as much time as you can spare.


Saturday June 5th:


LCC Trustee Maggie Wiseseman is sponsoring a Laurelhurst storm sewer stenciling workparty to remind residents to prevent water pollution by disposing of hazardous liquids reponsibly. This is a very fun activity and the city is providing all materials. Please call Emily at 526-2927 if you'l like to participate or learn more about storm stenciling projects.


Any other neighbors who would like to organize workparties to spruce up traffic circles, medians or other public space is encourage to call Emily Dexter 526-2927. She can help arrange gloves, vests, yard waste bags and waste disposal for projects.


And a little more on the history of Waterway No. 1 from the LCC Work Party flier:

Waterway No. 1 is a parcel of waterfront property located where Northeast 35 Street meets 43rd Avenue Northeast. Long ago it was used as a boat launch for one of Seattle’s mosquito fleet ferries, the Laurelhurst Launch, which shuttled folks
from Laurelhurst to Madison Park and back. Now it is a rare and treasured public access point to the waterfront where people can go to observe nature, walk dogs, and launch non-motorized boats.

Neighbors adopted a concept plan to improve the waterway in September 2005. Some progress has been made, but it’s time to move forward to continue to implement the plan.

Your help is needed to transform the waterway into a community amenity for all to enjoy.

Questions or to RSVP: Contact Jeannie Hale at jeannieh@serv.net or 206-525-5135 or Emily Dexter at edexter4@comcast.net or 206-526-2927.