Thursday, April 18, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024
"Beat the Bunny" Event Was a Hopping Success
Pat Vache' (orange vest) working the water station / credit Pam Yoder |
The City of Redmond's 8th Annual "Beat the Bunny" 5k Run/Walk was a hip-hip hopping success.
There's Pat Vache' -- on the right -- working the water station at mile 3. Pat's the Founder of the Redmond Kiwanis Club (and renowned, past City Council President). The Kiwanians exhibited and volunteered at various stations along the Marymoor Trail.
Over a hundred must have turned out at the Marymoor Community Center for the start, with many families, young children and athletes "competing." Several sights along the way ... the Marymoor Park climbing peak, a cricket game, a goose nest high above, a light rail segment and of course, construction.
Monday, March 11, 2024
UPDATED: SafeEastside Activists Demand "A Say" On Downtown Homeless Housing
Redmond is in turmoil over Council's decision to allow Plymouth Homeless Housing in our downtown. Blue signs objecting to downtown "low-barrier" homeless housing (where drugs are allowed in the hotel with conditions) suddenly appeared all over Redmond's downtown today (3/12) including this one at Anderson Park.
At no fault of their own, Council wasn't transparent in their decision to house100 homeless and low income people in Redmond's downtown. According to Planning & Community Development Director Helland, a public Hearing wasn't required; and "comment periods" were tabled in the rush to qualify for funding. Thus, SafeEastside activists are demanding "a Say."
Various ways to have a Say:
- Phone or email Council President Vanessa Kritzer (and other councilmembers.) Request an appointment with her. Councilmember Kritzer holds office hours. 425-305-9892.
- Phone or email Councilmember Melissa Stewart. 425-305-9892. She holds walk-in office hours at the library, 3 - 5 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.
- Every other week on Tuesday's at 7:00 p.m. the public has a 3-minute opportunity (under review) to address the Council and Mayor at City Hall.
- Email: the Mayor, Council or Carol Helland, Director of Planning & Community Development at MayorCouncil@Redmond.gov.
- Contact Councilmember Steve Fields, the senior member of Council. He owns a coffee shop in Redmond and can meet you there. 425-403-9476.
- Reach out to Mayor Birney. Mayor@Redmond.gov
Sunday, November 5, 2023
Mayor Birney Proclaims October 28th "Green Redmond Day" at Heron Rookery
Mayor Birney with parks staff She's giving her Green Redmond speech and proclamation in front of the Heron Rookery |
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
UPDATED: Esterra Park Opens in Overlake Neighborhood
REDMOND, WA - Recently, Esterra Park (2808 Calder Avenue NE), celebrated opening in Overlake Urban Center. This 2.67-acre park is the first major privately-owned public space (POPs) in Redmond and helps meet the needs of the growing neighborhood.
The park was created by leveraging developer incentives written in Redmond’s Zoning Code, with the goal to benefit the entire community. Together, the City, Capstone Partners, and JLL worked with care and intentionality to determine how the community would engage with the space.
From its layout to its accessibility features, as well as the selection of plants and reclaimed wood seating areas, the design elements were meticulously selected to be welcoming and accessible to the community. Notably, the inclusion of a wildflower native pollinator mix aligns with the City and partners’ shared commitment to supporting local ecosystems and providing a haven for the birds and bees.
The completed park, which was designed and approved by the Parks and Trails Commission in 2014, includes public art, a plaza, an accessible elevator, tree groves, a meadow, an amphitheater, and integrates a hill climb to the north of the park to easily access the nearby light rail station.
To learn more about the project, visit redmond.gov/1979.
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Halloween Run Through The Park
Zoey reluctantly wears her Halloween costume after a long run in the Redmond Dog Park. Here, she's lapping water from a bowl the city thoughtfully installed.
- Bob & Pam
Redmond Ospreys And Their Nests
Marymoor Park juvenile osprey / credit Reinke |
According to the Marymoor Park website, this tall osprey nest platform located near Parking Lot B was constructed in 2008, to replace a decommissioned cell tower. The new platform has been used by ospreys ever since.
A juvenile osprey is currently occupying the nest. (A juvenile can be identified by the white fringe around all of its brown wing feathers, which adults do not have.)
I discovered that there are two empty osprey nests only a half mile away and still inside the park. One nest structure is located in a tall lighting tower on the perimeter of baseball field #6 and the other is similarly located on the perimeter of baseball field #8. .
Empty osprey nests on Marymoor lighting tower |
During all of my visits to the platform, only the juvenile has been present and I have never seen it flying around or accompanied by adult ospreys. However, my visits have all been of fairly short duration, so I presume that the adults are still attending to the juvenile. Nonetheless, the fall migration season has already begun, so presumably the juvenile and its parents may have already departed.
-- John Reinke
Redmond, photojournalist
10/8/2023
Monday, October 2, 2023
Redmond Poet Laureate Laura Da' Events, October 6th / 14th
Redmond Poet Laureate Laura Da' |
Join Poet Laureate Laura Da’ at Idylwood Park on the shores of Lake Sammamish to celebrate the debut of her "Poetry Walk" inspired by the ecosystem within Redmond that supports the kokanee salmon.
- Friday, October 6th, 6:00 - 7:30PM
- Idylwood Park
This unique and important environment has carried life in the region since time immemorial and is at the heart of this year’s projects by Da’. The Redmond STEM Center and the Seattle Design Nerds will also be creating a one-night-only projection in the park inspired by the Poetry Walk prompts, poems by Da’, and the workshops hosted by the Poet Laureate at Old Firehouse Teen Center.
The projection is made possible by a grant from the Academy of American Poets for Laura’s recognition as one of the 2023 Poet Laureate Fellows.
-- Redmond Parks and Recreation
###
Redmond Historical Society - Saturday Speaker Series
On October 14th, the Redmond Historical Society invites the community to an exciting conversation with Redmond Poet Laureate, Laura Da’, on the topic of “Currents of Time and Place: Poetry that Engages with History and Image in Cascadia.”
Date/Time: Saturday, 10:30 AM, October 14, 2023. Doors open 10:00 AM.
Topic: "Currents of Time and Place: Poetry that Engages with History and Image in Cascadia”
Speaker: Laura Da', Redmond Poet Laureate
Location: Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St., Redmond, WA 98052.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Redmond Recreation and Pool Programs
- Swim School
- Public Swim (Lap, Senior, Youth Swim & Adult Swim Lessons, Water Aerobics)
- Adult Lessons
- Masters
- Lifeguard Training
- Swim Team
- Pool Rental
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Senior Center "Camp WeGO" Smashing Success
Here we are with our Sports Participation Awards -- We were ALL winners!
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Redmond Rainbow Crosswalk
Beautiful art! But don't stare down at it when you're in the crosswalk. Drivers may get distracted and not recognize it's a crosswalk. |
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Dr. David Morton Accepts the Climate Action Challenge
1. Reducing air travel by 9,000 miles per year saves us 7,200 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. We mostly stay local, but in 2021, Gail made a round trip to Portland in her 2018 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, and I made two round trips to Renton in my 1990 Geo Metro XFi. Zoom and Microsoft Teams make it unnecessary to do a lot of flying and driving.
2. Nature has replaced 3,000 square feet of our lawn with drought-tolerant plants like buttercups, dandelions, clover, and blackberry. Although they are non-native and invasive, they require zero watering, minimal mowing with a manual reel mower, and provide nectar and pollen for bees. This saves 42,600 gallons of water a year and earns 4,260 “Sustainability points.” The 40,000 sq. feet of forest that we have been allowing to grow on our property since 1994 has removed more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than our cars have released into it.
3. By adopting smart driving habits, we save 110 gallons of gas and 2,960 pounds of CO₂ equivalents a year. Avoiding heavy acceleration, coasting when possible, light braking, and driving the speed limit help a lot. I turn off my car when stopped at traffic lights; Gail’s hybrid does that automatically. My car has no gas-guzzling air conditioner. And I regularly service our cars and keep their tires properly inflated.
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
UPDATED: Council Member David Carson Urges Access & Enhancement to "String of Pearls" Park Properties
CM David Carson |
Council Member David Carson says....
"When I joined the Redmond City Council in 2008, I fully expected that park properties along Redmond’s eastern edge (collectively known as the “String of Pearls”) would be, at the very least, made available to Redmond’s citizenry to enjoy since they’ve been in our inventory for now more than 50 years. That unfortunately has not happened, and budgets don’t seem to be getting any easier to afford city-developed projects. Leveraging of our civic pride is a way to do this and involve our residents. It would be a real achievement to make these beautiful properties available to our hiking and recreating public.
Below, are David's thoughts:
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Repairs on Sammamish River Trail October 17-27
|
Thursday, July 7, 2022
Commissioner Gary Smith Given High Honors By Mayor Birney
Gary Smith teaching child about trees |
July is "Parks and Recreation" month. During "Special Orders of the Day" Mayor Birney honored four citizens for their contributions to the City Parks & Rec. One of them is a friend of mine, Gary Smith.
Allow me to paraphrase the Mayor's recognition of Gary.
- Parks and Trails Commission (2018 - present) Chair
- Advanced Sustainably pushing forward the East Redmond Corridor.
- ADA stakeholder working to improve access to all users of Parks and Trails
- Green Redmond Forest Volunteer for many years leading and working numerous forest restoration projects. Gary is the Forest Steward at Westside and Idlewood Parks.
- Gives valuable input on the "Tree Canopy Strategic Plan."
- Significant contribution to the pond restoration at Smith Woods Park (and project manager of the program honoring the owner who gifted the land.)
- Advocate for fish and fish habitat in and around the City.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
The Challenges Of Crafting Redmond Tree Regulations
AustinChronicle.com |
It's been a long 24 years since a Redmond updated our Tree Regulations. Trees are a big part of our culture. They populate our parks, open spaces, trails, neighborhoods, and even downtown with greenery. They contribute to the riparian habitat of Bear Creek's salmon. We cherish them for their ecological benefits. A few of our treed parks and trails are regional destinations.
- For every one Landmark tree (30 inches or more) removed, six "replacement trees" (saplings) must be planted either on-site, off-site, or fee in-lieu. ($2,000.) in that order.
- For every one "Significant" tree (6 inches in diameter at breast height) removed three saplings must be planted either on-site, off-site, or fee in-lieu ($500) in that order.
- The idea is to build canopy. Redmond's goal is 40% canopy. Canopy provides cooling, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, aesthetics, raises property values, improves mental health, lowers blood pressure and more. Most Washington cities have a 40% canopy goal.
- For each tree removed illegally by topping the contractor's penalty will be tripled.
- Single Family Homes don't qualify for off-site or fee-in lieu options. Saplings must be shoe-horned into the parcel. If an evergreen is removed, it must be replaced by a six-foot evergreen tree. The requirements can never be enforced; no penalties.
- Find the proposed updates here: www.LetsConnectRedmond.com/
Trees
- "Redmond is at odds with another critically important goal for the community (and requirement under the Growth Management Act.); insuring adequate supply of housing."
- "Concerned enhanced retention and replacement requirements will significantly increase review times and construction costs; hampering new home construction and driving up costs."
- "This will make it increasingly difficult for the City to meet it's own housing targets and provide a range of affordable housing options."
- "The trees are getting the same protection as critical areas."
- "Reconsider a 40% canopy requirement since "American Forest" in 2017 no longer recognizes this as standard."
- "The Growth Management Act requires Redmond to responsibly provide dense housing totaling 8897 units by 2040."
Mayor Birney: "The Master Builders claim Kirkland's tree protection ordinance violates the Growth Management Act (GMA) because it failed to consider private property rights, created vague implementation standards, treated trees like critical areas without consideration of Best Available Science and will decrease housing production.
Mayor Birney: "Although we do not believe these arguments have merit, staff want to take the "Growth Management Hearings Board" conclusions into account before finalizing the ordinance for Council approval. The final Board decision on the matter is expected in November. In the meantime, staff are proposing to update the Redmond fee schedule for tree replacement and the enforcement codes to ensure that unpermitted removal is appropriately deterred until the substantive regulations can be finalized for Council adoption early in 2023."
Owing to the strength of the Planning Director's advice to Council, it was decided not to take action on the Proposal until November at which time the Kirkland law suit will be resolved. Council will wait until early January before implementing the new ordinance. In the process of this timeline, developers will be vested under the more lenient ordinance for over 2.3 years. Hmm, how much canopy will be removed before the new more restrictive ordinance takes place?
The Planning Director will not hire a "Code Compliance Officer."
-- Bob Yoder, 6/29/2022
For details on penalties for illegal tree removal, and to comment "Read More"
Friday, June 3, 2022
UPDATED, 6/26/22: Redmond's Heritage Oak Tree
The Oak Heritage Tree Chris Weber, Arts Administrator next to trunk (click to enlarge) |
Opinion: Mayor Angela Birney's "Senior & Community Center" groundbreaking ceremony yesterday was fabulous. After the ceremony, we walked to City Hall for a poster session and to meet *city staff, our elected and city leaders.
We were asked to "vote with stones" for a building name we liked best. I recommended "Red Oak Senior Center" on one side and "Redmond Community Center" on the other side. I really hope it's the peoples' choice. So, what's so special about "Northern Red Oaks" Quercus Rubra?
- They grow 300+ years and have been in existence 400 years.
- Excellent shade trees, beautiful fall colors.
- Tolerant to urban conditions, powerful winds, drought.
- They originated in England. Not native to the NW. "Easy and comfortable to transplant."
- Fast growing, 2 feet/year, the first 10 years
- Top off at 70 feet - 88 feet, round shape
- Diameter: 47 inches.
* SEEN: Hank Myers, Hank Margeson, Vanessa Kritzer, Angela Birney, Pat Vache', Arnie Tomac, Laura Lee Bennett, John Oftebro, Cherl Strong Magnuson, Rosemarie Ives, John Couch, Jessica Forsythe, Eric Dawson (project manager,) Zach Houvener, Loreen Hamilton (parks director.) Jim Kalelage (architect,) John Marchione, Sue Stewart, Chris Weber, Marty Boggs, David and Chip.
Source: https://localtreeestimates.com/northern-red-oak/
-- Bob Yoder, opinion, photo, 6/3/2022
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Council Approves Mayor Birney's Director Appointments
Loreen Hamilton, Parks and Recreation Director |
Redmond, WA – At last night’s meeting, the Redmond City Council approved Mayor Angela Birney’s appointment of Loreen Hamilton as the City of Redmond’s new parks and recreation director and Aaron Bert as the new public works director.
“Loreen and Aaron are knowledgeable, energetic, and compassionate team players,” said Mayor Angela Birney. “Both have a passion for public service and leadership skills that will create positive outcomes for our Redmond community.”
Hamilton will immediately begin her new role as the Parks and Recreation Department director. She joined the City of Redmond in 2019 as the Events and Marketing Administrator and, in 2020, was promoted to deputy parks director. She has 12 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector as an executive director for The Salvation Army. Hamilton’s experience encompasses executive leadership, strategic planning, budget management, event and program planning, staff training, capital project management, and facility management. Director Hamilton holds a master’s degree in social work and a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Sunday, March 6, 2022
City Is Warming To Off-leash "Pop-Up" Dog Parks
Kirkland's off-leash dog area photo credit/ Bob Yoder |
"The project is currently unfunded but there's a desire by the Parks and Trails Commission to see it expedited. I've said this before to my Parks & Rec. Commission friends, there's equipment that will save thousands of dollars in labor during installation and removal.
When I discovered the pop-up parks in Kirkland, a parks manager recommended a $4,500 mechanical tool that cuts labor costs (est. 438 staff hours) dramatically during installation and removal.
I'll shoot this note to City Parks Operations Manager David Tuchek. I hope he'll give it a try. The City of Kirkland is cooperative could be a good resource.
-- Bob Yoder, 3/6/2022 Source: Council Parks Committee of the Whole. 3/2/2022
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Mayor Emeritus Rosemarie Ives Recounts Her Accomplishments
I asked Rosemarie if she would describe her three greatest accomplishments as Mayor of Redmond. She kindly offered the following: BY