Trans-Lake Washington Project encourages your
participation
Open houses
scheduled in January
The Trans-Lake Washington
Study Project has scheduled open houses on both sides of Lake Washington for
the month of January.
The Washington
State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit will share new information
regarding local traffic impacts, community enhancement recommendations,
connections to I-5 and I-405, alignment issues, and potential alternatives to
carry forward.
Open houses are
scheduled as follows:
§
Tuesday,
January 15, from 4 to 8pm at the North Bellevue Senior Center, 4063 148th
Avenue NE, Bellevue (Metro buses 222, 233, 242, 253, 266, 269, 225, & 229).
§
Thursday,
January 17 from 4 to 8pm at the Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th
East, Seattle (Metro buses 25, 43, 48, 243, 271, & 167).
You may attend
either open house, though Montlake residents are encouraged to attend the MOHAI
venue, which will concentrate on Montlake issues.
Please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/translake for the most up-to-date information.
Call Amy Grotefendt (206) 269-5041 for further information.
The Montlake Flyer Email Address Has Changed
The email
address for submitting articles, notices, letters to the editor and classified
advertising to The Montlake Flyer has changed. The new address is montlakeflyer@hotmail.com.
We hope that this address will remain stable through the continuing internet
industry consolidation and that it will be easier to remember. Deadlines and
publishing guidelines will remain the same. Deadlines are printed in the
editorial box on page 2 of each issue and publishing guidelines are printed
following the Classifieds section in each issue. We apologize for any
difficulty that this unexpected change might have caused and we look forward to
receiving your future contributions to The Montlake Flyer.
Lake Washington Blvd at Interlaken Blvd,
1913. Seattle Municipal archives,
Don Sherwood Parks History Collection
Chess
Takes Off at Montlake School
Seattle
Chess Foundation offers pilot project
The Seattle
Chess Foundation has chosen Montlake Elementary to participate in a pilot
project to help the Foundation determine whether a chess education translates
into enhanced problem-solving in academic areas. Top-notch
chess champs will spend classroom time with K-5th graders once a
week to teach the game. Conclusions of the study may take awhile, but
one result is immediate: Teachers and students are learning that chess is fun!
The project aims to involve both girls and boys from the widest diversity of
backgrounds to help build self esteem and provide a life-long appreciation of
the game.
Nine for a Neighbor
This month we
introduce a new feature dedicated to revealing the cold hard facts and
innermost workings of one of our Montlake residents. Each month we will ask one
of our neighbors a series of nine questions. Hopefully the responses will, if
not stun and amaze the reader, at least allow fellow neighbors to better know
the people who make Montlake their home. If you have a neighbor you’d like us
to interview for an upcoming column, please send e-mail to:
shanedoran@attbi.com
This month’s
neighbor is Hiroshi Matsubara. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Hiroshi has lived
in Montlake since 1997. He is married to Laura Gardner and has two kids: Jo,
age six, and Anna, age 16 months. Hiroshi makes a living as an architect with
his company GM Studio, specializing in the design of commercial and residential
structures.
1. SD: What book are you currently reading?
HM:
Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration by Marius Jansen—History of
Japan in the middle of the 19th century when the feudalism was abolished
2. SD:
Name a food that you hated as a kid, but can’t get enough of as an adult.
H.M.:
Sushi—Raw fish and wasabi seemed to be the worst combination I could think of
as a child.
3. SD: How do you typically celebrate
Columbus Day?
HM:
Every year I think about the fact that 60% of world silver was accumulated in
China in the 17th century by trading ceramics (china) with the Spanish, who got
most of the silver in South America.
4. SD:
If you could spend some time with a public figure, who would it be and what
would you do?
HM:
I’d like to enjoy the company of the
Dalai Lama over a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
5. SD:
Name a favorite website.
HM.:
http://www.retromodern.com - A
good web site if one is shopping for modern furniture.
6. SD:
Name a hero.
HM:
Beethoven.
7. SD:
What should you have been instead of an architect?
HM:
Full-time Dad
8. SD:
Do you have a favorite building or structure in Seattle?
HM:
Freeway Park. It’s an urban oasis.
9. MF:
What would you like to have less of?
HM:
Anxiety.
Library low-down
By Scott
Caughlin
The new Montlake
branch library at the northwest corner of 24th and McGraw appears to
be on track for the projected 2004 opening. Passage of I-747 shouldn’t affect
it, since funding is largely bond-driven. The architect selection process
begins early in the new year, so fire up the old CAD program, folks.
Project manager
for the new branch is Justine Kim, who is always happy to answer your questions
at 615-1329. Also right around the corner are expanded hours for the old
faithful branch. And while we’re on the subject: Q: Who is the greatest librarian
in town? A: Jim.
Slogan contest for the birds?
Perhaps it’s the season, but Montlakers seem to be paying particular attention to the habits of our avian neighbors, judging from the response to our call for suggestions for a neighborhood motto. Paul Gibson offered this preamble to his suggestion:
“The work of the
crows is to clean the city of all edible refuse, which for a crow includes a
lot. They have the metropolitan area divided into neighborhoods with
responsibility assigned for every inch. Unsurprisingly, what the crows consider
a good neighborhood does not necessarily correspond to what other species think
is good. But along with humans, proximity to home is an important factor.
Accordingly, Magnolia, a place with slim pickings on the streets and somewhat
removed from Montlake, rates well below University Way and Olympic Place is
like Siberia. Nonetheless, some bird has to work there.
“Each morning
during the season, just as the day is breaking, the crows set off for work. Due
to an elegant system of TDM (transportation demand management) based mostly on
flexible starting times, they never experience congestion and in fact take the
liberty to travel by rather circuitous routes as the spirit moves them. They
are nonetheless diligent and do their jobs without fail every day.
“An hour or two
before dark, depending on the distance they must go, they leave off their
chores and start the flight home. As they proceed they meet with friends and,
chattering happily about the day's events, they form an ever expanding band
hurrying to Montlake for what they know will be the best time of the day. Forty
five minutes to an hour before nightfall they arrive in the local precincts and
congregate on the trees, wires, roof ridges, utility poles and sometimes on the
ground.
“In
addition to the usual daily gossip, this time is used to tell again the ancient
stories of crow culture and so to insure its survival. The young listen while
the elders pronounce the important truths. The classes are short and there is a
lot of shuffling and reforming of study groups. It is at this time also that
romantic liaisons are initiated. Flirtations abound, pick up lines are tried
out and long term relationships eventually form.
“Gradually the
entire tribe is moving toward the roost and just as darkness falls, the crows
disappear for the night.”
Paul’s suggestion: Montlake: Where the crows get together
after work.
In a similar vein was Scott Caughlin’s suggestion, inspired by an item in The Atlantic titled, “Crows—We want to be your only bird.” Scott suggests, Montlake: The Crow Capital of the World.
In a refreshingly different mood is a suggestion from Josh and Lorre Goldberg, who offer: Montlake: A Cut Above.
But, if you still can’t get the crows off your mind (and roof and lawn and trees…), Scott Coughlin informs us that the Seattle Audubon Society is sponsoring a class called “Seattle’s Crows,” which will focus on Seattle’s crow population and current research, through both class time and in-the-field observations. The class will start with an optional early-morning trip to the Montlake roost to see thousands of crows leaving the roost. After a breakfast break, the class will observe a crow-banding demonstration on the UW campus, then discuss crow natural history and results from ongoing crow population research. The class will conclude with a trip onto campus to observe banded crows and learn how to report re-sightings on the Crow Website.
Instructor: John Withey, University of Washington graduate student in Wildlife Science & Urban Ecology. Class: Saturday, February 9, 2002, 8:30am to1:00pm. Location: Center for Urban Horticulture, Douglas Classroom, 3501 NE 41st St., Seattle. Optional roost observation: 6:30 to 8:00am (meet at MOHAI parking lot). Cost: $45 Members, $60 Non-Members. Limited to 15 participants.
NOTICES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Montlake Community Center Winter Schedule Begins
Montlake
Community Center announces a new schedule of classes during winter quarter.
Hip Hop Dance
Instructor:
Anna Dela Cruz
Age:
8-12
Cost:
$50
Time:
Fri 5:00-6:30pm
Session: Jan 10—Mar 14
Theatre Improv
Instructor: Anna Dela Cruz
Age: 8-12
Cost: $50
Time: Thu 5:00-6:30pm
Session: Jan 10—Mar 14
Beginning Yoga
Instructor:
Mary Jo Hedges
Age:
18 +
Cost:
$50 (plus supply fee
of $12 for blocks and straps—if needed)
Time:
Fri 10:45-11:45am
Session:
Jan. 11—Mar 15
Min/Max: 7/25
Modern Dance
Instructor:
Annalisa Peterson
Age:
18 +
Cost:
$50
Time:
Mon 7:00-8:30pm
Session: Jan 7—Mar 25
BRIDGE & CHESS
Come and play bridge, chess, pool,
foosball in the game room at Montlake Community Center.
Time:
Mon & Wed 11am-3pm
Cost: FREE!
Teen
Activities (available for 12-18 year olds):
Hip Hop and Salsa, Mondays and Wed
5:00-6:30pm
African Dance on the Ground, Tue
5:30-7:00pm
Writing in Spirit, Mon 7:00-9:00pm
Teen Council, Fri 5:00-6:00pm
Funtastic Fri 6:00-9:00pm
Cooking Classes, Thu 4:00-6:00pm $5
Cost is free
with Teen Time Membership ($10)
And much
more! Contact Lakema
Bell, Teen Development Leader for more info:684-4736.
Transportation Committee Report
Transportation Calendar
January 9 – Montlake Community Club general
meeting
January 15 – Bellevue Trans-Lake Open House
January 16 – MCC Transportation Committee meeting
January 17 – MOHAI Trans-Lake Open House
The MCC Transportation
Committee met November 28 with record turnout. We poured over some diagrams
obtained from the Trans-Lake Washington Project and discussed the implications.
Special thanks goes to Don Argus for handing out 110 flyers to those who lived
closest to some of the proposed changes. 30 people wrote names and addresses on
the signup sheet. I have contacted all attendees inviting them to join the
Montlake Forum on the web, a discussion group for timely Montlake issues, open
to all. See http://montlake.net/forum.asp
on the web for more on that.
Mid-January will
be a very busy time. The Trans-Lake Project will be holding two open houses.
The first is at the North Bellevue Senior Center, 4063 148th Ave. NE
from 4-8pm, on Tuesday, January 15. The second will be at MOHAI from 4-8pm,
Thursday, January 17. I strongly encourage all Montlakers to show up to one or
the other of these open houses, which will be the last before the Executive
Committee decides on the set of alternatives that will be carried forward to
the next phase of study (the EIS; there will be many opportunities for public
comment.) The Project’s Advisory Committee meets January 9 and the Executive
Committee—which really makes the decisions—meets January 30. See http://wsdot.wa.gov/translake
for more info.
I encourage you
to write to the project supporting the “Seattle Alternative” described in the
November flyer and approved by the club. Encourage the project to study a
6-lane alternative (Alternative 3) that does not include a possibly unbuildable
tunnel under (or bridge over) the Montlake cut. A tunnel could raise the level
of the highway by 24 feet. A fixed bridge might be as high as the West Seattle
Bridge. Discourage the project from spending public funds to study a hugely
expensive 8-lane alternative with additional general purpose lanes. Seattle
streets and I-5 can’t handle the extra traffic. Montlake is still forecast to
be congested. Shoulders and barriers make it as much as 190 feet wide across
the lake versus the current 58 feet. The 8-lane alternatives have a lot of
opposition and I believe support may be near the tipping point. Whatever your
thoughts, I urge you to put them into words, and send them to the project at translake@wsdot.wa.gov, or at
401 2nd Ave. South, #300, Seattle 98104 before the January 30
decision.
The next meeting
of the Transportation Committee will take place Wednesday, January 16 from
7:30-9pm at the Montlake Community Club, west modular building. I will attend
the January 9 meeting and January 15 meeting and give a report on what I
learned. By January 16, we should know all that we are going to know before the
Executive Committee votes. I hope to find time to follow up on some issues that
got short shrift in the last meeting, namely proposed changes in I-90
configuration, Sound Transit, arterial speeding and pedestrian safety. I look
forward to seeing you on Wednesday, January 16 as well as at one of the
Trans-Lake open houses. Stay tuned to www.montlake.net
for any late breaking announcements.
NEDC Meeting Report
December 2001: The December meeting of the Northeast District
Council began with a presentation from representatives of Seattle Public
Utilities and DCLU on the City’s response to the listing of Chinook salmon as
an endangered species. To complete their normal life cycle, all salmon spawned
in the Sammamish and Cedar river drainages must migrate twice through our urban
environment, which is foreign to their evolutionary history. Prior to the
opening of the ship canal in 1914 the Cedar ran into the Duwamish and then to
Elliot Bay. Consequently the trip through Lake Washington is itself foreign, in
an evolutionary sense, to the Cedar river salmon. Among the “unnatural”
conditions the fish face are introduced predator species, altered shore
vegetation, shading from docks, altered shore bottoms and changes in lake level
that are the reverse of the natural hydrologic cycle. A major part of the
City’s response has been increased study of what the fish need to succeed.
Steps are being taken to encourage marine and terrestrial vegetation, and to
promote construction of narrow-necked docks and docks with prisms to let light
pass through to the water. Much study and further habitat enhancement is
needed.
A
motion to encourage the City Council to try to influence the Federal Aviation
Authority to do more to limit airplane noise over the city was adopted. The
NEDC will also request the City to take action to require a master plan for the
University Village.
Readers
are reminded that announcements from the NEDC covering a great variety of
material of interest to neighborhoods around the University are posted on the
Montlake web site shortly following the first Thursday of each month.
Board Meeting Minutes
December 5, 2001
Attending: Jeannine
Jacobson, Jonathan Dubman, Moira Connor, and Neil Wechsler.
No December
general meeting was announced in the December issue of The Montlake Flyer,
so none was scheduled. The Board was updated on Trans-Lake Washington
Project by Jonathan Dubman, who stated that in their January meeting the Project
will decide which SR 520 alternatives will be included in the Environmental
Impact Statement. It is possible that the widest version with 8 lanes of
traffic will not be part of the next phase of study. The Board discussed
things that could be done to influence the Executive Committee to omit 8-lane
option. It was noted that the City of Seattle has taken an official
position against 520 expansion, but the City is not participating in the
decision process to nearly the degree that they could. Jonathan is looking for
as many people from Montlake as possible involved, especially in letter
writing. We discussed using the Montlake website, The Montlake Flyer and
the General Meeting in January as tools to help get people writing. Jonathan
also has contact with people from some of our nearby neighborhoods who are
active in fighting 520 expansion. Jeannine Jacobson mentioned the interesting
fact that 520 was originally routed through Montlake after strong neighborhood
lobbying to get it for ourselves, as opposed to routing the highway through
Sand Point.
Jeannine
Jacobson suggested that The Montlake Flyer be published one week later
each month so it will come out closer to the time of the general meeting, and
have more timely information in it. We discussed and supported this idea.
Moira gave a financial report. Our main
expense is The Montlake Flyer, at about $600 per month. We have not
solicited financial support (dues) from the community yet this year, but we
should be fine as long as we do so in the spring.
The meeting
was adjourned at 9pm.
Next MCC Board meeting: Wednesday, January 2, 7:30pm in the west,
modular building at Montlake Community Center.
General
Meeting Minutes
The Montlake
Community Club did not hold a General Business Meeting in December, 2001.
Next MCC General meeting: Wednesday, January 9, 7:30pm in the Tudor
building at Montlake Community Center.
Letters to the Editor
Editor,
Montlake suffers
very little from crime if the police department’s quarterly reports are accurate,
but we appear to have a frequent, possibly under- or unreported problem:
rifling of cars.
Two years ago,
my car, accidentally left unlocked overnight, was professionally rifled: every
single compartment was opened and gone through and the radio knobs removed
(before the thief realized it was cheap and thoroughly bolted in).
A few weeks ago,
new neighbors two houses down on our segment of E. McGraw (between 19th
and 20th) reported an early morning break-in to their car and the
loss of several hundred dollars worth of CDs and other items.
Last night (as I
write this), a newer car of ours was broken into, again professionally: the
door was unlocked through a rolled up window leaving virtually no trace except
the window being out of its track. The cheap tape deck and all the change was
stolen. The car was thoroughly rifled was again: even a tape adapter in the
glove compartment was taken. We were foolish: we had removable face plate on
our radio, and despite the recent neighborhood experience, hadn’t taken it
inside.
Three of these
in a couple years is not a trend, but it leads me to believe that we must have
regular prowlers who routinely check door handles and peer in cars, not
isolated incidents. I hope that everyone will continue to be vigilant about
reporting prowlers.
Also, the police
have made it very easy to report these kinds of crimes, which helps them decide
were to patrol and to keep accurate statistics. Call the non-emergency hotline
at 625-5011. They will take your information and have a police report taker
return your call to get details and issue a case number.
Our loss was
very small and no real damage was done. However, I believe that more reporting
and awareness could lead to increased night-time patrols and enforcement that
might put some of these folks behind bars and discourage this practice of
prowling.
—Glenn Fleishman