Call for nominations
MCC seeks officers, trustees

It’s time for new folks to step up and be nominated for seats on the board of the Montlake Community Club. Four officer’s positions are opening up in April; President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Terms are for one year. Officers may be nominated and elected from the current board, or from the community itself. There are also three Trustee positions coming open. Trustees, who enjoy three-year terms, are asked to pitch in on projects that interest them and attend monthly meetings at least 75 percent of the time. The board takes a summer recess, by the way, so the total number of board meetings is just 10 per year.

Note that nominations for all positions must be presented at the Community Club meeting on March 13, and elections will be held in April. If you’re interested, or would just like additional information about what these positions entail, please email Scott Coughlin at scott@fieldworkcommunications.com, or call him at 324-0324 (days), 329-6212 (evenings).

Montlake Community Center announces Spring programs

Spring is fast approaching at Montlake Community Center and that means—
Spring Sports! Montlake offers Nerf Soccer, Track, and Girls Softball. Sign-ups will start at the end of March and practices will begin in April. If you are interested in volunteer coaching or signing up your

child to participate in these sports, please call us at 206-684-4736 or stop by at 1618 E. Calhoun Street. The spring brochure will be made available after March 11 with more details on all our classes and sports.

Teen Time. Did you know that Montlake Community Center has a Teen Time program? We have a full time Teen Development Leader who is coordinating daily teen activities. Friday nights have been a hit with trips to the Sonics, Bullwinkle’s, Seattle Center, Golden Gardens bonfires, movie nights, and much more! Activities during the week have included: African Dance, Hip Hop Dance, a cooking class, and a writing class. Monthly calendars are available with activity information. If there is a teen in your family who is looking for some fun—Montlake is the place! For more information contact Lakema Bell, Teen Development Leader at 206-684-4736.

Go to the Principal’s Office!

No need to squirm. This is friendly visit. Claudia Allan, Principal of Montlake Elementary School, has graciously agreed to keep us up to date on the wonderful things happening in the brick schoolhouse on the hill. We hope Claudia will invite us into her office often. So, spit out your gum and pay attention.

Claudia’s Corner

By Claudia Allan, principal Montlake Elementary School

I have great news regarding our PTA-sponsored greenhouse and garden project. This year our PTA contracted a community member, Cheri Bloom, to work with our second- and third-grade students as part of a pilot project. Here is an update on their work.

Students have started a lunchtime Greenhouse Club based on the students’ request for more time in the greenhouse. Students “adopted” a plant, did a soil experiment and compared the growth rate of corn growing Lake Washington soil with plants grown in potting soil. In addition, they are all maintaining “worm farms” as part of an ongoing study in composting.

Students studied the Aztec culture as part of their social studies unit in their classrooms and cultivated corn plants as part of a simulation of an ancient Aztec community. Students and their teachers then set up a display at the Seattle Flower Show which they visited.

Next, students will be focusing on growing salad greens as part of a long-term project to learn more about growing food organically and increasing their awareness about where food comes from. Through the leadership of Cheri Bloom we plan to incorporate a community service component on the theme of “growing a row for the hungry.”

We want to thank Swanson’s Nursery for our first donation of $50 that we applied towards potting soil for the greenhouse.

The Montlake Informant

By Ed Whistler

What the..!?!...How many of you called your plumber on the evening of Jan 29^th or the morning of the 30^th, when the water turned brown. Did you figure it out? It was the SFD drawing water supply down to the dregs as they fought the Great Yacht Club Conflagration of Ought Two! Our condolences to those who lost beloved boats, by the way, and thank goodness it wasn’t any worse. As much as $8 million in losses, go the estimates, but those memories are priceless. And they aren’t the only things, either…One early MSFT employee who lost her beautiful old double-ender declared that she would rebuild it, even if she only had a chunk of wood to work from. You go girl!

Always Prepared…That’s the Foss Environmental team who quickly corralled contaminants from the site, with something like 3,000 feet of containment boom. Not only that, but they rescued the Commodore’s teddy bear and long-time navigator (the bear, that is), who came up from the bottom singed and soggy, but otherwise okay. The FE crew is busy most every day, battling spills on land and sea, few of which make the news. Scouts, every one of them.

Kinder and Gentler…If you haven’t attended a Community Club gathering lately, you might want to drop in. General meetings are every second Wednesday around 7:00. There seems to be a subtle shift in tone these days. And yes, if you’re reading this, you are a member. And no, you won’t get hit up for dues. And yes, you will make it home in time for West Wing.

Speaking of kindness…Shall we all observe a moment of sympathetic silence for Tim Eyman in his current difficulties? No? Okay, never mind.

One: Plant a Tree; Two: Have Head Examined…What genius dreamt up this new cedar-trees-as-hedge landscaping trend? Read my lips: 175 feet tall and 17 feet in circumference! Questions? See a shrink or your local master gardener ASAP…. Alternatively, you could just Three: Get Out of Dodge…One Montlaker didn’t settle for cedars. He planted ten or fifteen REDWOOD trees right on his property line to screen the neighbor’s yard. When he sold the place and moved, they were about six feet tall. They’ve quadrupled since, and boy, are they healthy!

New parking places in the neighborhood…That other crane you noticed operating on Portage Bay during the cleanup operation was adding six new 50’ slips at Queen City Yacht Club, so if you’ve been wondering where to park the dinghy…. Seriously, though, it took the QCYC over three years to get the necessary permits, and they will be the “Last of the Mohicans” (according to one clubber), where new pilings in Portage Bay are concerned. We have the Endangered Species Act to thank for that—at least partially—and the ESA is why a “second crossing” over the Cut will not be built in your lifetime, too. You can take it to the bank, as they say. Such things may impact salmon navigating through. A second crossing under the Cut is another matter, of course.

Saved by the bell...Just before press time, this neighborhood slogan contest entry came winging in over the transom from one L.C., who must be a kindred soul: “Welcome to Montlake, The Crow Nation!”.

And that’s sayin’ somethin!…If you don’t e-mail your unswervingly slipshod host with random factoids to put in this column, output will become even more pathetic. To: informant@montlake.net. -EW

Nine for a Neighbor

By Shane Doran

Our guest this month is poet Craig Van Riper. A New Jersey native, he has lived in the western states the past 20 years following graduation from Cornell University, the last 13 years as a Lynn Street resident. Craig has presented his poetry throughout the United States as well as on both television and radio, including a guest feature on the NBC Today show and syndications on London, Hong Kong and Japan radio networks. His poetry collections include Convenient Danger and Making the Path While You Walk, both available at Elliott Bay Books, Open Books or Amazon.com, and his work appears in Seattle Poets and Photographers: A Millennium Reflection (University of Washington Press). A third collection is forthcoming, The Tanabata Poems, containing poems commissioned by the Seattle Japanese Garden Advisory Council. He currently serves as Poet-in-Residence at Seattle public schools.

1. SD: Pen or pencil?

CVR: Pen, for all the obvious reasons, though, with poetry, it’s language itself that is the artist’s medium. What I use to write the words down in a draft manuscript is irrelevant.

2. SD: Name something Seattle should import from New Jersey.

CVR: Bill Bradley for mayor.

3. SD: We know a mime can be sublime, act as if she’s just bitten a lime, beg for dimes and make believe she’s covered in slime but can a mime, rhyme?

CVR: All silences rhyme in a way.

4. SD: Which would be more evocative, from a writing standpoint: the passing of someone close to you or the birth of a loved one’s child?

CVR: What exceeds the power of loss? It is more evocative, though, to see birth and death as the same thing.

5. SD: Is there a lyricist/singer in popular music whose poetry you admire?

CVR: Not really. With pop it’s the melody that matters, words are secondary.

6. SD: Red or White?

CVR: Given that you’re interviewing a poet and not a researcher at the blood cell center, I’ll assume you’re asking about wine.

With exceptions too numerous to name, if it’s not fine white Burgundy, I’d take red over white most days, especially mature Bordeaux. While I don’t eat much beef, I find both the ’89 Chateau Lynch Bages and the ’90 Leoville Las Cases to be pretty good gardening wines.

7. SD: Would you rather be guaranteed happiness for all of your days but have no ability to write regardless of any desire to do so, or assured physical and/or emotional strife with an ability to communicate equal to that of a Poet Laureate?

CVR: Enough with the dualities already! Few things are so clearly this or that. The red gets blended with the white—a rosé, say. How could you be happy if you desired to write but couldn’t? Normative discourse is best for communication. The best art, however, connects individually on a subconscious level. It has no one message or moral.

8. SD: Okay, then. Did it bug you when they came out with blue M & M’s?

CVR: I neither eat candy nor watch TV. I’m not sure which of these avoidances are responsible for my not knowing that there are now blue M & M’s.

9. SD: What is your least favorite word?

CVR: “Favorite” might be a contender, it being so reductive and all. Art is all about fresh perception, new ways of seeing, thinking, feeling. So any staid or clichéd words or phrases serve no impact. “Have a nice day!”

SD (Thesaurus in hand): Thanks, Craig and have a GREAT day!

You can find out more about Craig Van Riper and his poetry at www.speakeasy.org/ravenchronicles/nwwriter/index/vanriper.html.

Have someone you’d like us to interview? Send your suggestion and contact information to shanedoran@attbi.com.

NOTICES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Arbor-Read-‘Em Book Sale Offers Thousands of Used Books

Thousands of economically priced used books will be available at the Arboretum Foundation’s 16^th annual used book sale, Saturday, March 2, 10am to 4pm, at Washington Park Arboretum's Graham Visitors Center.

Select from popular fiction, science fiction and fantasy, history, science, biographies, classics, cookbooks, hobbies and crafts, gardening and children’s books. Book lovers and collectors will find noteworthy and collectible books, including first editions, rarities and autographed books.

Prices start at $.25 for children’s books, $.50 for paperbacks, and $1.25 for hardcovers. Collectibles and special titles are priced higher. Proceeds benefit Washington Park Arboretum. For information, call (206) 726-1954.

Garden Competition Accepting Entries

The Pacific Northwest Gardens competition for home gardeners is accepting entries from gardeners in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, plus Bainbridge Island. The competition, now in its tenth year, is sponsored by The Seattle Times and the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, in cooperation with the Arboretum Foundation. Contact: Janet Endsley at (425) 338-1846 or email j.endsley@verizon.net. Prizes include trips to London and San Francisco, a $500 cash award, plus $100 gift certificates from Swanson's Nursery. For an entry form, call the Arboretum Foundation at (206) 726-1954. The deadline for entries is June 17.

CUCAC Report

by Don Argus

City University Community Advisory Committee (CUCAC) participation and attendance: Ken Fales has an exemplary record. Where he has been unable to attend, Lee Kolb or Clarissa Easton have filled in. A few other neighborhood organizations have gaps in participation, but most do all right.

Representatives from the University’s Facilities Department reported on the U’s efforts to conserve energy. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been saved. Evidence of their diligence: Rebellion is afoot against the regime, as students and faculty shiver in classrooms and offices (which I can independently confirm). Contraband space heaters are known to be smuggled in at night, although the stores on campus are forbidden to trade in them.

Jonathan Layzer of the City’s Office of Strategic Planning reported on the City’s planning efforts in the U District. He and his staff have identified possible improvements in traffic facilities great and small, long-term as well as immediate. He will be moving on from this project to liase with the Sound Transit folks, identifiying ways to coordinate with University-area stations.

MCC TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

By Jonathan Dubman

The next Transportation Committee meeting will be held March 20, 7pm in the modular building near the tennis courts at the Montlake Community Center. In contrast with previous meetings, we will be focusing exclusively on near-term, neighborhood oriented transportation problems: arterial speeding, pedestrian safety and parking in our business district. So if you’re burned out on the Trans-Lake Project, don’t be afraid to come!

In the February Montlake Flyer, there was an invitation to join the February MCC board meeting to hear a briefing on Sound Transit’s plans. The agency is studying how to get link light rail from downtown to the University and on to Northgate. One of the options now under study includes a bored tunnel under Montlake connecting Capitol Hill with the University District. The only part of this that would come up to ground level in or near Montlake would be a vent shaft, with emergency stairway access, location to be determined. In this scenario, there would be a station located on Rainier Vista, just north of the Triangle Parking Garage. This station would serve the University, Medical Center and Husky Stadium. There is some potential for synergy with bus service to the Eastside. Preliminary indications are that the cost savings are substantial versus the route under Portage Bay as originally conceived, and the ridership forecasts for this route are actually higher. The “Montlake tunnel” is not the only route under consideration. On February 14, the Sound Transit board narrowed down the other new options to a single tunnel alignment near the University Bridge. A high-level bridge is now off the table. Ron Endlich is the overall project manager, and Tracy Reed is the project manager for the segment crossing the Ship Canal. They will be returning to Montlake as the study continues to keep us informed.

The Trans-Lake Washington Project will be hosting a number of community workshops in the next few months in which a team of dedicated Montlake residents will pore over diagrams, critique various interchange configurations, pedestrian and bicycle connections, etc. This is very important and should be a stimulating discussion. Feedback will be incorporated, presumably, in the Environmental Impact Statement. Meeting times are still to be determined. If you are interested in participating, and I hope you are, please contact Jonathan Dubman at 322-8899.

As always, stay tuned to the Montlake Forum, on the Web at http://montlake.net/forum.asp, for late-breaking news.

NEDC Meeting Report

By Paul Gibson

February 2002: As its first order of business at the February meeting the NEDC heard and then voted to support a request that the Trans-Lake Project officials provide explicit information on nine impacts that the project could have on Seattle neighborhoods. The cited impacts were noise, air quality, particulate matter, water quality, right-of-way expansion, loss of park land, neighborhood street congestion, visual effects and neighborhood connectivity.

An improved noise ordinance for the City is sought by the University Park neighborhood, which, with it large population of University students, suffers from late night noise. There were abortive efforts during the Schell administration to craft an improved ordinance. The NEDC resolved to encourage the current administration to address this issue.

Representatives from the Wedgewood Neighborhood are concerned that the expansion of the Northeast Branch of the Seattle Public Library does not provided for sufficient off street parking. They fear that residential streets will be crowded with the cars of library users. The NEDC agreed to write to the Library officials to encourage a re-examination of the situation,

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

February 6, 2002 Neil Weschler recording.

Scott Coughlin was assigned to be in charge of the effort to find candidates for nomination to officer and trustee positions for MCC for the coming year

There was discussion about whether to put on an outdoor party the evening before Opening Day. No one spoke in favor of doing that this year.

Marty Lindemann brought up the idea of having MCC sponsor a scholarship. This idea will be pursued further.

We heard a presentation from Sound Transit on the “North Link Project” In the event that a rail line at some time is run from Downtown to Northgate, it is very likely that it will run through a tunnel that will pass about 60 feet under Montlake. The only structure that might be built at ground level in Montlake would be if they build a ventilation shaft here. The closest to Montlake that any train station would be built would be under the triangle parking garage by Husky Stadium. If they do this they may at the same time build more car spaces into the parking garage. It is not at all certain that this train line will be built at all.

General Meeting Minutes

February 13, 2002 The meeting was called to order by Vice President Jonathan Dubman at 7:05pm in the Tudor Building at Montlake Community Center, Secretary Mike Storie recording. A quorum of Montlake residents was present.

The first topic was a status report on the new Montlake Branch Library to be constructed on three lots on the northwest corner of E McGraw Street and 24th Avenue NE. Justine Kim, the project manager (206-615-1329), said that a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) had already been posted for Architectural firms. Based on the qualifications submitted, a selection panel will come up with a short list of candidates to make submissions. The Library Board will make the final choice.

After the Architect is selected there will be a community "Hopes and Dreams" meeting to solicit input on the design. This entire process should be completed by late April or early May. The new library is scheduled for completion in 2004.

Miriam Driss (206-684-4350), the Montlake Library Branch Manager, described the new expanded hours with additional staff, including a children's librarian.

The next topic was a presentation of a study of the SR 520 Eastbound Morning Ramp Metering system. These are the stoplight meters on the onramps from Montlake Boulevard and Lake Washington Boulevard. Montlake residents had complained that the queue on Lake Washington Boulevard was stretching back to Boyer Avenue.

The report points out that the metering system is mainly intended to ease congestion on I-5. The study pretty clearly indicates that this is effective. They are continuing to monitor the effects of the queuing problems and will adjust their computer programs accordingly.

The rest of the evening was taken by a briefing and discussion of the Trans-Lake Washington Project Status by Les Rubstello of the Washington State Department of Transportation and Jeff Peacock, a consultant from Parametrix.

The Environmental Impact Statement process will proceed with three basic alternatives—a four-lane, a six-lane, and an eight-lane alternative. The six- and eight-lane alternatives will require extensive widening of the right of way through Montlake. In addition alternative means of crossing the Montlake Cut are under consideration, including a high-level bridge or a tunnel connecting SR 520 to Pacific Avenue on the University side of the cut.

If light rail crosses Lake Washington in the future, it will do so on the I-90 bridge. In all of the remaining scenarios, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) building would be removed.

Maps, aerial views and artists conceptions were presented of the various options. There was also a briefing on a relatively new plan to run two HOV lanes over I-5 and connect them to the I-5 express lanes going southbound. This would help eliminate the “Mercer Weave” and help with concerns that the mainline of I-5 cannot handle additional traffic from an expanded SR-520.

Mr. Peacock said several times that they really wanted input from Montlake residents and that their goal was to move goods and passengers across the lake, not merely more vehicles. Mr. Rubstello stated that “WSDOT does not like tunnels, especially tunnels under water.”

The artists rendition of the cross cut bridge made it look very large and not particularly attractive, as viewed from Montlake Boulevard. The tunnel option would have a portal about where MOHAI is now and would emerge in what is now the UW stadium parking lot.

A lively discussion ensued where several residents expressed doubt that even if the region could afford to do this project that it would only be a “Band-Aid” and wouldn’t solve any long-term trans-lake problems. The proposed rail/bus transfer station seemed impractical as part of the Montlake Flyer stop. The proposed rail line would be 90 feet deep at that point and there are no plans to extend it across the lake on SR 520. Several suggested that in fact WSDOT was only thinking of moving more vehicles despite what the consultant said.

The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM.