The Town Hall residency is a little known and incredible opportunity for creative people in Seattle. The Residency, like Town Hall’s more well known programming, encourages many ideas; it supports projects that connect to the community as well as stimulating interactions among different types of artists. There have been 35 residencies since it began in 2012, in theater, performance, poetry, music, visual art and multimedia. James Kuehn, who runs the program, explained to me t

On summer Saturdays at North Leschi Marina, something remarkable happens. People arrive in wheelchairs or with other disabilities, volunteers begin readying boats and equipment, and before long, a group of sailors is heading out onto Lake Washington. “Sailors” is the word Footloose Sailing Association uses for the people it serves. And that distinction says a lot about an organization celebrating its 35th year in Leschi. Footloose provides sailing experiences for people of al

Approximately 50 community members gathered on October 7 for the Leschi Community Council's nonpartisan election forum, featuring candidates for two races that will help shape our region's future: Washington's 37th Legislative District State House seat and King County Council District 2. Neighbors had a chance to talk informally with candidates before and after the forum, while the two-hour program itself covered everything from affordability and education to public safety, h

Construction on Seattle Parks and Recreation's South Leschi Marina Wave Attenuator and Facility Improvements project was scheduled to get underway in mid-September, with initial work focused on preparing the site and beginning utility work. As of this writing, the contractor was scheduled to begin mobilizing the week of September 14. Early activity was expected to include bringing equipment to the site, installing fencing around the Seattle Parks parking lot, establishing tre

Early in the summer I put out a new bird feeder and perhaps coincidentally a few minutes later about 15-20 large birds flew into a big tree across the street overlooking my garden. They perched for about half an hour and then flew together south and disappeared from my view. With my new binoculars (and new interest in birding, thank you Nick Djunic for the beginner course at Seward Park Audubon) I could see they were Cooper’s Hawks. I learned there are many active nests in th

Sept 27th Update: We are sharing one more reminder to submit feedback to SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation) on the Lakeside Ave Improvement Plan! The Leschi community can submit feedback using the form or email SDOT directly at VZ_SaferSpeeds@seattle.gov. Please do so by September 30th EOD. If community members are interested in viewing more of the traffic data, you can find the studies here, as well as a demo video on this page on how to use the platform. After the

Some of the decisions that most directly affect life in Leschi aren't made at City Hall. They're made by King County and the State Legislature. This November, Leschi will vote on two offices that get much less attention than a mayor's race but reach further into daily life here: King County Council, District 2, and the 37th District State House, Position 1. Rebecca Saldaña and Toshiko Grace Hasegawa are on the ballot for County Council; Sharon Tomiko Santos and Kelabe Tewolde

After years of planning, construction on the South Leschi Moorage Improvement Project is expected to begin after Labor Day. The project, led by Seattle Parks and Recreation, will replace the aging dock and improve accessibility, helping preserve this important community asset for years to come. Construction was originally scheduled to begin in early May but was postponed in response to concerns raised by nearby businesses about the impact on their busy summer season. Since th

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Vision Zero team has developed a first version of an improvement plan for Lakeside Avenue. This project aims to enhance safety and accessibility along this important corridor. Funded by the Transportation Levy and the District 3 Project Fund, the plan focuses on reducing traffic violations and pedestrian risks and improving the experience for all. The Leschi Community Council is gathering community feedback to shape the final de

Thank you to the many residents who have shared concerns and attended the recent meeting on this issue on Wednesday, May 27th. Many Leschi residents have expressed concern about recurring late-night gatherings in the South Leschi Moorage parking lot during warm-weather weekends. These events involve dozens of vehicles, amplified music, and large crowds. In addition to significant noise impacts on nearby residents, community members have raised concerns about reckless driving,

My husband and I have lived in and around the Leschi neighborhood for 18 years. When our son started kindergarten at Leschi Elementary in 2024, we felt connected to our community in new and exciting ways. And we knew how lucky we were to be a part of Leschi Elementary! Part of the magic that happens at Leschi is thanks to the funds the PTA is able to raise every year. As a mom of a now 2nd grader at Leschi and someone new to the PTA this year, I have seen the variety of ways

For more than 25 years, the Seattle SAKE Paddling Club has been a familiar sight on Lake Washington, with brightly colored dragon boats launching from Leschi’s south marina and paddlers training year-round on the water. Founded as Seattle’s oldest dragon boat club, Seattle SAKE has grown into a thriving nonprofit organization with nearly 200 members and programs that include dragon boating and outrigger canoeing. But ask members what keeps them coming back, and most will tell