Mark your calendars for June 27th at 6pm. We are partnering with our parent organization, Central Area Neighborhood District Council (CANDC), Squire Park Community Council and local business, Dan Sanchez Realtor to present the candidates for the vacant Seattle City Council District 3 seat. All candidates are invited. Complimentary food provided by Ezell’s, Costco, and dessert selections from volunteers. The event will be live streamed on the Squire Park Community Council Facebook page. Agenda: 6pm - Enjoy food and mingle 6:30-8:30pm - Candidate Forum Grace United Methodist Church Hall (lower level) 722 30th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144

I was much relieved when I heard that the Crisis Care Levy has passed despite its odd placement as a single item on a ballot in a special election at a time when we are not usually voting. Sometimes these types of elections are ignored but the need for these resources is great, and voters seem to be aware of the need. I feel that much of our homelessness is due to the lack of mental health care and my own experience leads me to believe that closing mental hospitals without increasing the community mental health resources contributed over the years to this overwhelming crisis of persons sleeping “rough” as they describe it in the UK. I worked in an “outpost” office for the Baltimore County Department of Social Services in Catonsville; there were 4 of us installed in what had been the local jail. The windows were at the ceiling and the walls were very thick. Two of us served the community as social workers and the other two handled medical assistance applications and food stamp applications respectively. There was some history with this building; it housed the Draft Board during the Vietnam years, and this was where the Berrigan brothers had poured blood on the files. Things were much calmer in the building when our office opened… that is until there was an unexpected release of patients from Spring Grove, the mental institution that had originally opened in 1797. It was one of those forbidding buildings that looked like a chamber of horrors and village rumor had it that there had been a sign that read: “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter!” I was never able to verify that, but the ominous look of the building led one to think there might be some truth in the rumor. Although I was not in favor of institutionalizing “mental” patients, it soon became clear there had been little thought given to the sudden release of the patients. The plan was that patients would be moved to community mental health centers and receive outpatient care. The problem was that they were released with their meager belongings in a trash bag with no housing options. We were soon overwhelmed with homeless people that had no chance of getting help from community resources as the clinics had not been given additional funds or staff to handle the influx. I was well aware that some people had been institutionalized because no one knew what to do with them. One village resident came to my attention when he wrote a letter to the President (then Nixon) and it was passed down to the local agency to handle. When I met him, I learned that he had been an orphan and was deemed “slow” and therefore was put in an institution in Pennsylvania. As it turned out, he had a significant hearing loss but was able to learn. I don’t remember what he had asked the president but apparently, he was satisfied with resolution as he soon adopted us and would visit often. While this was a potentially tragic case, he was able to learn to lip read, was socially appropriate and he seemed to have survived the unfortunate institutionalization well. But that was not true of many of the people we would meet in the first few weeks after the “release.” I vividly remember one person who told me he was living under a big bush in the park and needed everything. Catonsville was pretty much a village with one main street of small businesses and no large apartment buildings. There were some boarding houses but no vacancies. This patient had his medical record with him (!) and proudly gave it to me to read. His doctor has recommended that he never be released into the community as he had killed several persons for no apparent reason and no demonstration of regret. In our interview, he was socially appropriate and even had a sense of humor. I gave him an application for emergency assistance and asked if he wanted help completing it and he replied No, his secretary would handle it. I was saved from trying to find a living place for him and his fellow patients as they disappeared within two days; I have often wondered if that was the beginning of mental health services as delivered by the police department. We have seen this method doesn’t work any better than institutionalization does. This crisis care levy should help but will be slow in coming. 2025 is the target date for the first care center and hopefully something will be done to ensure adequate staff. There is a shortage of therapists now. Incentives like tuition assistance might help to reduce this problem and perhaps better pay. “Helping” jobs are not well paid and burnout is often a problem, but the centers are a start. And many thanks to King County Councilman Girmay Zahilay for all his hard work on this project. ~Diane Snell

At our May community meeting we were joined by Greg Spotts, Director of Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT), and Matt Beaulieu, lead traffic engineer and responsible for road operations and capital projects. Greg, who previously worked for the City of Los Angeles, opened the meeting describing his passion for being out in the neighborhoods, building relationships and understanding the issues residents may experience. He displayed confidence that despite Seattle’s budget shortfalls it will be possible to “co-create” meaningful projects with the community. He wants to deliver on the current transportation imperatives “fast and flavorful” and bring in emerging global best practices. Ashley Martin, who facilitated the meeting, then moved the discussion to topics our Leschi neighbors had expressed an interest in. First up, pedestrian safety. While the department is going through a top-to-bottom review of current projects, it is currently focused on several measures related to Seattle’s Vision 0 initiative. The initiative aims to eliminate any traffic fatalities. Measures include limiting right turns on red, leading pedestrian walkway signal intervals, and light rail safety. Additionally, the City of Seattle now focuses on safety over congestion management, appointing a Chief Safety Officer. SDOT is also working with the City Council to introduce a bill that would allow for broader automated traffic enforcement, which state law now permits cities to undertake. Specifically with regards to pedestrian safety in the Leschi business district, Matt Beaulieu quoted probe data that suggests average speeds at around 25 miles per hour. Probe data is data collected from connected vehicles, cell phones, fleet GPS units, and other mobile sources. This drew expressions of doubt from the audience. Many neighbors regularly observe vehicles that appear to go much faster than 25 miles an hour. Or is 25 miles an hour still too fast on a road that cuts through an area that bustles with kids and visitors to the lake on weekends? Matt and Greg committed to re-reviewing the data and potentially collecting more data to assess the flow of traffic on Lakeside Ave. They also suggested measures that may be options to slow down traffic besides speed cushions, such as narrowing the roadway. One thing Greg wants the department to get better at is iterating on solutions. This includes going back and checking if solutions work as intended and then making further improvements. Next, Greg provided an update on the project of closing Lake Washington Boulevard between the Mount Baker and Seward parks for cars. In short, the task force commissioned to re-envision Lake Washington Boulevard could not come to an agreement and as such the street will continue to be closed to cars on certain summer weekends only. The 2023 schedule can be found at parkways.seattle.gov . The meeting then moved on to road conditions. Find It, Fix It, the mobile app that anyone can download to their phone is still the best way to get potholes and other road hazards addressed. For drainage issues though, contact Seattle Public Utilities directly. City Lights is responsible for street lighting, except for within parks, where lighting is managed by the Parks Department. And for trees in the public right of way SDOT has now a “tree guy” on staff to assess potentially hazardous trees more quickly. The city’s program to resurface roads is financed by the “Move Seattle” levee. With winters getting wetter the challenges to keep roads in good condition have grown. The city uses specialty software to identify the best times to make repairs and needs to determine how to best allocate the budget. Greg said, he wants the city to follow the principle “if you are going to touch it, make it right.” Finally, how are traffic circles maintained? Funding for public right-of-way maintenance is limited in Seattle, compared to other cities. Seattle only has funding for the occasional “mow it down” effort. Greg therefore recommends that neighbors adopt a traffic circle. When neighbors band together, they can petition for a “Small Sparks” grant, which the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods provides, and which can be used to pay for restoring and replanting a traffic circle. You can find information on the program at seattle.gov/neighborhoods/community-grants/neighborhood-matching-fund . We took away several action items from the meeting. Ashley Martin, our Public Safety Committee Chair, will address those with the city and provide updates as progress is made. Specifically, we expect SDOT to outline the next steps for how to calm traffic throughout Leschi. Secondly, we need to know where Leschi stands relative to other neighborhoods for road repairs. Third, we will obtain a link to the top-to-bottom safety review that SDOT conducted and ensure our neighbors can comment. Lastly, we will manage communications with the city on two specific issues—critical light outages and trees at risk of falling on Washington Boulevard. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting. By showing up, showing your interest, or submitting questions, the city knows that we are serious about making improvements to Leschi’s roadways. There is strength in numbers. ~Matthias Linnenkamp

I love a tasty burger. Here in the Leschi area, we’re fortunate enough to be the beneficiaries of a number of high quality ones. From the BluWater to Daniel’s and Meet the Moon to Heyday. We’re doing it right, and this is something we ought to appreciate. We tend to think of the hamburger as originating in classic mid-century Americana, and so it is interesting to me that our local history with burgers in Leschi may go back quite a bit farther than we might have thought. A few years ago, I was cleaning out a closet in my house. Now, it’s an old house, perhaps one of the first in the area, built prior to 1900. It’s been cobbled together over the years in a number of shall we say “novel” ways. There was a shelf at the top of the closet, which viewed from the bottom appeared to be just a run-of-the-mill wood plank. However, once I got up onto my stepladder and finished removing all the clutter that was up there, I was shocked to discover what appeared to be a sign. It had clearly been there for a long time. There’s some lore in the family that at one point, shortly after getting married in 1919, my great grandmother, former Leschi resident Trudy Ward and her newlywed husband Charles, attempted to make a go of it selling hamburgers. Up to this point, we had no particular evidence of this enterprise; only a story from a relative who has since passed. But here in front of me was a physical remnant of that time. And I have to tell you that it was exciting to see. What I’d really like to know is what this establishment was like. Was it just a hamburger stand? Where was it located? And most importantly, what did these burgers taste like? Because I want one! The sign currently remains part of this closet; however, it has been suggested that the artifact might be better located in a museum. If one is so interested, and we can suitably patch up the closet shelf so that it remains functional, that would probably serve everybody’s best interests. If you happen to have any information about Ward’s Hamburger Specialists, our lost Leschi hamburger establishment, please contact the Leschi News so we can consume the rest of this tasty mystery. My Top Seattle Burgers: Heyday —located just next door in the Mount Baker neighborhood, right on the edge of Leschi. The BYOB is great. While it’s a bit pricey to put everything together, you will not be disappointed in the result. Everything this restaurant does is done correctly. (10/10) Yard House —Another favorite. This is a gourmet burger, and it is delicious and particularly juicy. Order it medium rare. You will want to eat here every day. (9/10) Nordstrom Grill —Go to the one Downtown. There’s something special about eating here. The burger is delicious and for some reason you’ll feel like it’s 1940. (8/10) Dick’s Drive-In —While not a gourmet burger per se as the others presented here, I would be remiss if I wrote about burgers in Seattle and didn’t mention Dick’s. This place is great. The Dick’s Deluxe is the way to go. It’s cheap, delicious, and my gosh order some fries to go with! (10/10, in its own league) ~Brian Ward, Leschi resident Editor’s note: Brian always orders a cheeseburger in his search for perfection as he is then comparing apples with apples!

It was a packed house for the District 3 Candidate Forum on Wednesday, June 27th! Please see below for a recording of the session, and below that is an update from the Squire Park Facebook page, who facilitated the recording. We hope this is a helpful resource and encourage everyone to vote in the primary. Here is a link to the recording on YouTube. As they note in their recap below, they learned too late that the moderator was not close enough to the microphone, so please refer to the question list below to support following along. From the Squire Park Council Facebook page: There were no empty seats, and it was fun. Live stream or the Seattle City Council D3 Candidate Forum. Lesson learned the moderator should always be near the microphone, which in this case was on the camera. Akilah kept things moving and knew when to lighten it up a bit. In the interest of time and being able to combine some prepared questions with audience submittals, she skipped a few. I am sorry that she is not clear on the video. I am posting the first prepared questions in case you have not been able to understand her. Question 1: Introduce yourself and tell us why we should vote for you. Question 2: How would you describe the city’s current community involvement process? How would your vision differ? How would it be similar? Question 3: The mayor and a coalition of health leaders recently announced initiatives to deal with youth mental health issues. What is your vision and strategy for accomplishing the goals of the initiatives? Question 4 What are your thoughts on the proposed First Avenue streetcar? Question 5: What steps would you take to preserve our existing tree canopy on private and public land and address inequitable heat islands in Seattle. Question 6: There is an us vs them relationship between pedestrians, cyclists and cars. What do you think can be done to change this dynamic? Question 7: How do we reduce our dependence on regressive sales and property taxes? Question 9: What policies would you support to retain and attract families, including black and brown families, to the Central District? Question 11: The Council voted not to give the City Attorney authority to prosecute possession and public drug use. How would you have voted and why?

Save the Date for the CASC Healthy Habits, Fun Times Block Party! Save the date: Saturday, July 8, 12 noon – 5 pm for The Central Area Senior Center's Healthy Habits, Fun Times Block Party. We have acquired a City of Seattle Permit that allows us to close off 30th Avenue South Street north to King Street and South to Dearborn. Between these spaces we will offer food, games for children, youth and adults, music featuring DJ Cliff and DJ Smooth T. There will be entertainment of Double Dutch Rope demonstrations by the Double Dutch Divas, face painting for children and youth at Grace United Methodist Church Youth Garden, and adult activities of ten-minute massages, Bingo games, and Bid Whist on the lawn of CASC. Seven food vendors will offer delicious food, Catfish Corner, Jackie Sue Catering, Angel Deli, Stowers Shortcake, Culinary Expressions, and Soulful Dishes. Informational Booths and small business vendors will be selling, jewelry, African clothing and accessories, cards, and a variety of products. Informational vendors will provide healthcare demonstrations and knowledge, assessor information, services and products pertaining to Health and Wellness. You can also delight in a vintage car show on the lawn of the center hosted by the Classic Swagger Car Club of Seattle. Activities are free along with information and food samples from the seven food vendors thanks to a grant from the City of Seattle, Seattle Neighborhoods. Please Share with your Family, Friends, and Neighbors. Thank you! Contact: Dian Ferguson, Executive Director or Oveta Hunter, Let’s Talk Food Team Lead

Want to check out the upcoming ArtWalk? Please visit this page for details. We had our last ArtWalk in 2019 and then came COVID. Now after a 2-year hiatus, our 10th ArtWalk will take place on Saturday, September 10, 11am-4pm in the Leschi Business District, next to Leschi Park. We are looking for artists and crafts persons to sell their works at the event. Online registration form can be found here. Contact leschinews@comcast.net for a printable application and for any questions. There will be music and children’s activities: a magician, face painting, and balloon art as well as crafts and games. We have a marimba band at 1:30pm and a Brazilian Jazz Band at 3pm. The exciting kickoff features the Diamond Drill Team. With their precision moves and glittery costumes, they were a traffic stopper the last time they performed. Stop by the Leschi Community Council table and meet board members as well as contributors to the Leschi News. Neighborhood historian Roger Lippman will be there at noon; Benson Wilder, our liaison to Leschi School will meet and greet at 1pm and Georgia McDade, our commentator on life in these United States, will visit at 3pm. In addition to arts and crafts, two authors will be discussing their recent books and are always ready to autograph any book you purchase. We also have an interested theater group which we hope to feature. Indulge in cotton candy spun by a teen entrepreneur and satisfy that chocolate urge with Lanier’s Fine Candies. Grab a take-out lunch from one of our restaurants or the Leschi Market and enjoy the music on the stage while you eat! Special thanks to our sponsors: Neighborhood Matching Fund, Seattle Parks Special Events. BluWater Bistro, Leschi Market, Dr. Bilikas Dentistry, Starbucks and Park Postal.

The LCC hosted a community meeting about public safety on Feb 1. About 35 community members came together. We were joined by the SPD’s Crime Prevention Coordinator, Joseph Elenbaas, two lieutenants from the SPD and King County Council member, Girmay Zahilay. In my opinion, it was encouraging to see a strong community turnout and solid support from the SPD and one of our elected officials. And one of the clear takeaways is that this is not a “one and done” issue and it needs more attention and engagement. The SPD shared statistics about the crime rates in Leschi compared to our surrounding neighborhoods. Ranked in ascending order for general crime rates Madison Park had the lowest, followed by Leschi/Madrona, Mt. Baker then the Central District. We will follow up with the details, but SPD's point about the crime trends were that they were trending down and that trend behavior was in line with the City of Seattle. There were a number of questions related to police response, including time to respond and priority levels of incidents. The SPD staff roster is down significantly right now, by about 200 positions. This is mostly due to normal attrition, such as retirements and transfers to other departments. We learned that on any given night there are about a dozen patrol cars active in the East precinct. The 911 dispatch is no longer run by SPD but by the City of Seattle, and the dispatch team prioritizes the calls. SPD emphasized the importance of reporting issues or incidents. They and the city need data on the frequency and types of issues. Without reporting they don't exist for the purposes of planning and assigning resources. Community members can also report issues online, package theft being one good example. The website is seattle.gov/police/need-help/online-reporting. There were additional questions related to the break-ins local businesses have been experiencing and about progress on Seattle’s Vision Zero initiative which focuses on pedestrian safety. Council member Zahilay shared examples of positive results other neighborhoods like Rainier Beach and the Little Saigon neighborhood have realized when the communities brought together multiple organizations to address a public safety issue. Sometimes it takes collaboration between SPD, Parks, City Light, and SDOT, to name a few. What’s next? The LCC will form a public safety committee to align as a community on priority issues and work to address them. The LCC will reach out to the East Precinct to discuss the potential of restarting the monthly EastPAC meetings, which SPD and community members have both said was a good regular engagement in the past. This November we will be electing a new representative of our district to the City Council. The LCC will host a candidate forum in the fall where you will have the opportunity to ask candidates about their plans for addressing public safety issues. We plan to publish more public safety information in the Leschi News on a regular basis. Ultimately, we want the community to get involved. If public safety is of concern to you, work with our public safety committee to address it. Please email Ashley Martin at leschicouncil@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved or if you have any questions. ~Ashley Martin

Several neighbors raised concerns to board members of the Leschi Community Council (LCC) about its stated support for a picnic shelter to be built in Leschi Park in honor of Steve Shulman. We, the board, want to clarify the LCC’s role in supporting a memorial and the position the board has taken. The board is in unanimous support of creating a memorial to honor Steve Shulman. Until recently, there was one concrete proposal that was put forward for the memorial, which was a picnic shelter. John Barber, as the Leschi Community Council’s Chair of the Parks Committee, has been working as a liaison between the community, the Parks Department, and the Friends of Steve Shulman to facilitate the exploration of this project. As such, we have in several board meetings referred to the memorial as the “picnic shelter” and discussed how to establish one. The board and council meeting minutes reflect this. This has understandably led to the impression that the board endorses a picnic shelter. The board has NOT voted and has not formally endorsed a proposal. The board’s and the committee chair’s role are to help facilitate community engagement. At a later date, the community engagement process may lead to a vote by the Leschi Community Council (not the board) on which memorial proposal to support. All dues-paying members are eligible to vote when that time comes. The Seattle Parks Department, when evaluating the proposal, may consider the council’s vote. The board and the LCC’s Parks Committee plan to continue the community engagement efforts. If you feel have an idea on how to memorialize Steve Shulman, please share your idea in writing to the council at leschicouncil@gmail.com. We are here to help and to share your proposal with the community. Please keep in mind that any idea will ultimately need the support of Yousef Shulman, the Friends of Steve Shulman, and Leschi community members. In a most recent effort, information and ideas gathered from the park walk-through on April 16 will be used as a starting point to develop a forward action plan to refine the memorial concepts and work toward a vote by the LCC Council that is discussed in point #3 above. We will continue to provide updates on our efforts to engage the community in creating a memorial for Steve Shulman in the Leschi News, in community council meetings, and through our email communications. We encourage you to sign up for our email communications by sending an email to leschicouncil@gmail.com. ~Your Leschi Community Council Board

The date for this event is September 9, 11-4pm. The first planning meeting will be held April 13 at 3pm at BluWater Bistro. No special skills are needed to help plan this community event. If you like to see people gather and have fun, join us! The more hands we have, the less work for each person. Our tasks will be to encourage artists to show their work, find music groups to entertain, provide activities for kids to enjoy and get the word out! Where should we advertise this? Bring your ideas as we brainstorm! Interested in a booth? Submit an application form online here.

Meeting notes and questionnaire results from the walk-through of Leschi Park to discuss the Schulman Memorial (April 16th, 2023) Overview: On April 16th, 2023, the community had a walk-through of Leschi Park to discuss potential locations and design concepts for the proposed Schulman Memorial. Despite rain, 23 folks attended (LCC members (17), Friends of Steve Schulman (4), and Olmstead Parks (2)). To capture community ideas, attendees were asked after the walk-through to fill out a questionnaire/straw ballot of their preferred options for 1) site location, 2) memorial concept, and 3) comments/concerns. Due to rain, questionnaires were filled out at home (rather than on-site) and emailed to the Leschi Council. 20 of 23 park walk attendees turned in questionnaires; another 5 responses were received from interested community members. Notes from the Park Walk-Through: The group toured potential park locations suitable for the Schulman Memorial: 1) Market location (area just south of Leschi Market). This location has a lower flat area adjacent to Lakeside Ave, and an upper hill-side that slopes east toward the lake. 2) Central Park area, Upslope (near the old fountain and circular walk way) 3) Central Park area, Downslope (closer to Lakeside Ave) 4) Waterfront (area east of Lakeside Ave, at north end of South Leschi boat moorage). 5) Tennis court and Swings areas During the walk, the themes of concern that were raised included: That a covered structure would encourage homeless people to reside there (one person proposed exploring temporary covering options for music events etc) Maintenance: whether the Parks department would be resourced to maintain any new features or structures (Yousef responded about maintenance being in the total cost) Parking availability (it was noted that the area was parked up even on a rainy Sunday morning) Accessibility of bathroom access (someone responded that the existing park restrooms are considered ADA accessible by the Parks Dept) Important to keep the aesthetics of the park in mind. In particular, if the memorial was a covered structure, it should not obstruct the main sight lines into the park. Positive themes included: As people reflected on how Steve contributed to the community and brought folks together, they liked the idea of a memorial that would foster community, helping new folks connect. The discussion about working with the old fountain area to make it a meeting and gathering place prompted a lot of head nodding throughout the group. Positive interest in a multi-use structure (gazebo, pavilion). Jim Snell mentioned checking out the pavilion at the Bradner pea patch, at 31st & Massachusetts. A great point was raised about thinking about a more modern take on these structures to complement the park and keep an open feel. Questionnaire Results: The goal of the questionnaire/straw ballot was to get community ideas and feedback that could be used to guide later work on site and concept design. A total of 25 responses were received: 20 of them from folks who attended the park walk through, and 5 from other community members. While all responses indicated a #1 choice, not all folks selected a #2 or #3 choice. A few new concepts for the Memorial were : Scholarships : “establish a scholarship fund for low income Leschi area students to attend summer camps” Ampitheatre on Hill-side just south of Leschi Market: this design concept was submitted by Randy Spaan and Betty Lock after the park walk. “a mini-theatre set into the slope in the portion of park that is closest to Leschi Market. This structure would blend unobtrusively into the contours of the land and yet would be highly visible from the public sidewalk. Unlike a pergola or picnic shelter, it could be used and enjoyed by more than just a handful of people at a time. It could be the venue for entertainment, planned or unplanned, or other forms of public interest for a substantial number of people. When not used for events, it would provide seating for park visitors who might want to read a book, have a picnic, or just hang out. Its’ arrangement is conducive to people meeting other people. Being uncovered, it would be unlikely to attract overnight visitors.” General comments from the questionnaires: “The best solution and location will be discovered through a collaborative process”. (from the architect who will be doing the design work for the Memorial) “Keep things simple so maintenance is simple and doable by volunteers with the OK from park stewards” “Be inclusive. Create activities that make all visitors welcome” “A gathering place for family/friends will honor Steve and his commitment to community” Request to “democratize this process with greater outreach to other Leschi residents. While residents throughout Seattle might benefit from a picnic shelter in Leschi Park, it is Leschi residents, especially park neighbors who will bear the adverse effects of a shelter” “I fully support resurrecting the former fountain as a memorial with seating and plaque. However, if more popular opinion favors a picnic structure, then my vote for the site of said structure would be close to the market” “If picnic structure is preferred option by the group, I would prefer it be located in the area near Leschi Market (at north end of the flat spot) where the structure could be softened by existing (and new) plantings. This is close to bus stop and walkways and would not obstruct view into park. The covered structure could also be used for events/concerts with seating on the adjacent hillside.” “Goal of the location and concept should be to integrate into the park and its character. Encourage flexible use that can meet a variety of needs but does not detract from the landscape and quality of the park.” “Thanks so much for considering the community’s perspective! In my work as a GSP forest steward, I’ve become keenly aware that every Park’s Department parcel has a unique vibe that affects how visitors use the space. I walk through Leschi park frequently, and I’m impressed that, for the most part, this is a quiet, contemplative place for reading, sitting, enjoying nature and the surrounding view of the lake. Therefore, my attraction to a sitting area +/- fountain restoration to support a similar use and feel.” “I favor rejuvenation of the fountain area, with a circle or semi-circle of benches, and a water feature with no pool. This concept best honors the spirit of “bringing the community together” and allays the fears of a shelter being misused.” “I think the idea of restoring the historical fountain is a much more appropriate and attractive addition to Leschi Park than a picnic structure. People can picnic anywhere they want in the park already and covered structures are unsightly and a risk for nuisance loitering.” “What better way to memorialize Steve S than by re-building one of Leschi’s most iconic and historic structures. Not only would a water fountain be a beautiful addition to the park but also provide a lovely place for the entire community to linger, visit and connect, for generations to come. Besides, so much of the site is already there and ready to be brought back to life again. What a lovely way to re-create a meaningful structure of historic value while at the same time also serving as a memorial for Steve Shulman.”

We will be joined by Greg Spotts, the Director of the Dept of Transportation. We’ll discuss topics relevant to Leschi, including speeding on Lakeside Ave and Lake Washington Blvd, the plan for lane closures on Lake WA Blvd, and how the Leschi community can effectively partner with SDOT moving forward. Meeting agenda: Review agenda (2 min) SDOT Intro (10 min) Leschi concerns (40 min): Speeding, Stop sign adherence, Lake WA closure plan, business district lighting, traffic circle maintenance. Will then open to floor for questions. SDOT/Leschi partnership & next steps (10 min) Leschi community updates & any new topics (10 min) Thank you to the folks who submitted questions and concerns to inform this meeting agenda. Please email leschicouncil@gmail.com if you have any meeting questions. Wednesday, May 3rd, 7pm Grace United Methodist Church 722 30th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 We will meet in the large meeting room downstairs.