The City names their construction work at Meadows Park a "replacement." It seems more of a renovation with the extensive new beddings and shrubs they are planting around the courts. Note the rich, dark soil in the foreground. Total cost is $593, 910.
When finished the project will have three tennis courts (one lined for pickleball) and a basketball hoop. A worker said he's been bombarded by people asking why the sports court would cost $1.8 million. According to the supervisor, a potable water reservoir of 3,100 gallons rests under the courts. The lid was 50 years old, deteriorated and had to be replaced, not restored. That costs money.
Estimated time of completion is 2026.
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| Old Fire House Teen Center |
More than four months later a bureaucracy of Council / staff / a subcommittee / an advisory committee/ a stakeholder group / focus groups/ and 2 listening sessions still hadn't decided what to do with the Center. Total costs just for this citizen engagement and outreach was $124,600 not counting staff labor. It appears Council and staff were trying to wear out the teens from protesting in City Hall while shoe-horning them into Marymoor and the Senior & Community Center. These delays were pure nonsense ... at the expense to our youth's mental and academic health.
Last night teen participation testimony winnowed down to only three teens. All spoke against the closure. One persistently requested accountability.
In September and October 2025, a Stakeholder Group will meet six times to hear more information, including input from public focus groups. According to staff's FAQ, "City Council is expected to make a decision on whether to renovate the current structure or investigate rebuilding options by the end of 2025." And THEN the city must renovate or rebuild! This could take years.
Council and staff must stop playing games with our most vulnerable teens. The Mayor needs to move the process "fast forward."
Renovation is not an option since Parks Director Loreen Hamilton invested deeply into taxpayer's pockets for safety and engineering inspections. The building is 50-years old and renovation for safety would be expensive.
The school district rebuilds all the time, when they tear down their existing buildings and build a new, larger schools on the same parcel. The teen center's basketball courts are mostly unused, as is the deck in the winter. A rebuild could add 5-6 levels of affordable space, while allowing independent, sound-proofed teen activities in the first floor. The City owns the land; a partnership with a developer would make it feasible. Please get on with it.
Dima is a Redmond resident!
His ultramarathon is a one-day run on Sunday, June 8 to support Ukranians who have lost their limbs. The Last Leg: Totem Lake to Redmond Downtown Park - SR 520 Trail and Cross Kirkland Corridor.
7:35 PM finish time at the Downtown Park. I hope some residents will come out to cheer and celebrate Dima as he crosses the finish line. Bring some sliced oranges, hydration packets and a bucket of ice! And, don't forget your wallet!
Many thanks to Council member Steve Fields for the heads up! Steve said he'd be there.
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| "HAND OFF" DEMONSTRATION IN REDMOND DOWNTOWN PARK, photo Matt Loschen |
Start date: Tuesday, April 1 2025.
Schedule:
Every day, 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Open: April 1, 2025 until October 31, 2025
Anderson Park Community Gardens
Resource person: Cindy Johnson (This program is run by the city.)
Location: Anderson Park Community Gardens | 7802 168th Avenue Northeast, Redmond, WA, 98052
Description:
(Ages 18+) Do you love to garden, but need a space to call your own? You’re in luck – purchase a plot at a community garden! Having a garden plot is a great way to meet your neighbors, beautify our community, and harvest fresh food. All community gardens are open to the public to enjoy.
Note - Plots 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A are all Accessible (ADA) Raised Beds and you should only register for one of these beds if you need a raised bed or if no other plots are available. These plots are not eligible to renew for multiple years.
Garden Requirements:
Attend the Mandatory Kickoff Meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the "Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village."
Contribute a minimum of 8 service hours towards the common areas of the garden
Practice only organic gardening
Actively garden plot beginning April 15 and put plot to bed by October 31
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| Downtown Park COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS, The Safety Table / photo Yoder |
I sat in at three tables conversing with councilmembers and residents at the busy Safety table, Environmental Sustainablity table and Miscellaneous table. Council V.P. Jessica Forsythe presided over the Safety Table. Feedback from a resident/family living in a downtown apartment was especially interesting. He wanted stop signs placed on Cleveland Street intersections and other downtown intersections -- said he saw pedestrians getting mildly brushed. He said Uber drivers were the worst; always looking at their cell phones. Another guy complained about gangs that prey on residents for their belongings. He thought only 4 - 6 police officers patrolled the whole city and asked for 16 more officers. I think Jessica said the department had over 140 officers (traffic, patrol, detective, drone, criminal, crime etc.) with plans for 4 more. CM (councilmember) Fields asked why the need for 16 more officers? I questioned the need for council taxing their city utilities and raising the business tax to fund a $6 million dollar public safety gap. IMO, the .25% city excise tax on construction was funding enough.
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| Miguel Llanos |
Miguel Llanos is seen orchestrating a "Redmond Historical Society (RHS) Speaker series" event / photo Yoder
Applicants who meet eligibility requirements can be awarded up to $1,000 per person, per year to help pay for day passes', monthly passes, punch passes, etc. So far, this program rewarded over $43,000 to ~ 345 recipients 2024.
Eligibility:
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| Credit: CSLA's Awards Atlas. |
Designed by PFS Studio, a leading planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm based in Vancouver, BC, Redmond Downtown Park is a testament to visionary design's power in reinvigorating urban spaces. The park, located in the heart of Redmond, is a vibrant gathering place for community engagement and cultural activities.
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| Great Blue Heron "Species of Local Importance" Sammamish River, Redmond, WA. |
"I only caught part of your meeting last night, but it sounds like the State is requiring updates to the Critical Area Ordinance?
As a college educated biologist -- similar to Mayor Angela Birney -- Critical Areas are important to me. In the Ives Administration, I made "Species of Local Importance" and "Habitat of Local Importance" comments to the Planning Commission chaired by Mr. Snodgrass. After much discussion, the commission decided on the Great Blue Heron (GBH) and Riparian habitat, in which it lives.
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| Zoey getting ready to enter the small dog side The new Redmond Pop-Up dog park is located behind the Hartman pool and high school baseball field. Follow the signs on 104th for limited parking; it's easily walkable. We talked to Parks staff when it was under construction. Brett Barker 😀 said it will be closed late August to make room for the high school cross country races. Zoey romped happily today with two large dogs! We had nice chats with their owners too! See you there! -- B. Yoder, 4/19/2024 |
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| 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.
REDMOND, WA - The new Redmond Senior & Community Center recently earned the first-ever recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council for sourcing wood from climate-resilient forestry. The Council, which manages the LEED certification process, awarded the building an innovation point during the process and lauded Opsis Architecture and Sustainable NW for verifying that wood came from forests managed sustainably.
“We are honored to receive this historic recognition,” said Mayor Angela Birney. “The senior and community center was designed with environmental sustainability in mind, and it is exciting to know all who walk through these doors will be coming into a place that not only cares about them but cares about the building’s impact on our planet.”
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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:
