OPINION: Council Should Stop Playing Games With Our Teens

Old Fire House Teen Center

OPINION:  On March 11, 2025 the City stated: "Teen programs currently housed at the Old Fire House Teen Center are proactively transitioning to the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village for safety reasons. The transition will begin later this month, and all programs are expected to be operational in their new locations by late April."  After two listening sessions the teens found Marymoor and the Senior & Community Center sterile and unwelcoming.      

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. 

-- Bob Yoder, 9/4/2025, Updated 9/9/2025

Updated: Idylwood Park Beach Opened

 

Idylwood Beach Now Open

King County Department of Health closed Idylwood Beach in Redmond on August 6 (3650 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond, WA 98052 ) for a minimum of one week after tests found high bacteria levels in the water. 

The beach re-opened over Labor Day weekend.  

9/4/2025

Ukranian Resident Runs 100 Miles In One Day

Dima Voyt, a Redmond Ukranian resident ran 100 miles in one day!  Why??  He was raising awareness (and funds) for the challenges facing Ukranian amputees -- physical mobility, mental health, and financial needs.  It's estimated 80,000 amputees are war related. 

Dima beat the hot weather running mostly at night.  He left from his home in Marymoor at 12:01 a.m. and finished the next day in the Downtown park about 7:45 p.m.  Dima is an ultramarathoner;  he ran almost four marathons that day!

A few ran alongside him from time to time.  Some stops:   Lake Sammamish,  the Sammamish River Trail, Kenmore, Seward Park, Washington University, 3-legs in Bellevue, the SR520 bridge, Totem Lake, and HOME to fanatic Ukranians. and local cheerleaders.  I learned about the event from Steve Fields.  The iced drinks were cool 😅 

-- Bob Yoder, 6/10/2025   

Redmond Resident Runs To Downtown Park For Ukranians

 

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.  

Cinco de Mayo Celebration In Redmond Downtown Park

 

Centro Cultural Mexicano welcomes community to Redmond for Cinco de Mayo event

Redmond Downtown Park will be filled with live music, dancing, art, and more on Sunday, May 4, for the annual Cinco de Mayo event.

7 hours on continual music and lots of food!  (darn, I can't make it.) 😞

King 5 Centro Cultural Mexicano interview

"Hands Off" Demonstrators Rally At Downtown Park

 

"HAND OFF" DEMONSTRATION IN REDMOND DOWNTOWN PARK, photo Matt Loschen

In Redmond, attendees heard from City Councilmember and State Representative Osman Salahuddin and United States Representative Suzan DelBene. “This is the energy that’s going to send a clear message to House Republicans, Musk and Trump for tanking our economy, attacking Social Security and Medicaid,” DelBene said.

By Andrew Villenveuve, 4/5/2025

Cascadia Advocate (NPI) 

New Anderson Park Community Gardens Sold Out

 

20 PLOTS ARE ALREADY PURCHASED AND ARE ELIGIBLE TO RENEW

All 26 plots are taken - $70 - $84/plot

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.

Anderson Garden Map

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

Mayor Birney's 2024 Redmond LIGHTS

  " YOUR PLACE IN THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE" 

Artist:  Karl Whiteside

(click picture to enlarge) 

Updated: Bomb Cyclone Hits Anderson Park

Four Anderson Park landmark trees were blown down in the same western direction by the eastern winds of the "bomb cyclone.".  

This landmark fir crashed into the well pump station and snapped in half.  Amazingly, it was the only park structure hit by a tree.  Power lines down.  No CERT volunteers present.

This park cottonwood fell in a western direction like all the rest.  The large root

balls will be saved and used in rivers, streams, mitigation banks, for erosion control, soil preservation and salmon habitat.  The city does a great job of installing them in Bear Creek, the Sammamish River. and their flood plains.  These 70-year+ old trees are irreplaceable.  

Photos by Yoder, day after the November 21 "bomb cyclone" 

Posted 11/22/24, updated 11/23

Updated: "Council Conversations" In The Downtown Park

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. 

I briefly sat in at CM Stuart's Environmental Sustainablity Table. Trees were a topic of great interest.  One resident said low income housing developments "lit up the heat map" owing to significant tree loss. Ms. Stuart said our canopy goal was 40%.  We're at about 38% canopy now.  Ms. Stuart alluded to the Master Builders lawsuit against Kirkland. The city has kept our existing 2018 Tree Regulations as is for 16 years (!) and now the new, approved Update has been delayed for two years longer because of the lawsuit, with no end is sight.  So, 40% goal seems out of reach. I suggested focusing on park and street trees like we have in the Downtown Park. Ms. Stuart lives in Overlake; she knows about the green roof installations on many of the buildings there.  My feedback was the city needs code for encouragement of "green roofs" in all downtown construction projects. At least three developments (villages) are planned for Redmond by 2050 and we need green roofs and wall gardens in those buildings,  

CM Stuart took this opportunity to update us on Sound Transit's light rail progress to our downtown. It was very interesting. I believe she said it will reach our downtown by mid-2025 and cross the bridge by late 2026.  I'm not light rail has something to do with our environment, but maybe in part.  I met Council President Vanessa Kritzer after the event; she spoke of a green vegetative - tree ring around the City one day.

Conversations didn't stop after the event was formally over.  I chatted with two on-duty police officers about "speed cameras."  It re-enforced my belief `they would consistently slow my "speed" around schools, but the ramifications to traffic congestion are unknown. I had a 25-minute talk with Andrew Villeneuve about our "news desert."   He wants to start an online newspaper and I plan to help him.  

Councilmember Fields has been pushing for neighborhood Conversations for years.  This one was a total winner and weather permitting, I hope we have many more!  Thank you Steve.  

-- Bob Yoder, 10/1/2024

[All  the councilmembers participated except for Angie.  Retired councilmembers Pat Vache' and Hank Myers were present. Sue Stewart, Kiwanis Secretary and Siri Bliesner retired LWSD Director, and active member of Civic Genius were present.  

[Siri is starting a Civic Genius roundtable on affordable housing.  "Deliberative Democracy" is at their core. If you would like to join Siri please email her at: siri@ourcivicgenious.org]  

UPDATED 10/20/24: Miguel Llanos, Redmond Historical Society / 25th Anniversary Celebration

Miguel Llanos

Miguel Llanos is seen orchestrating a "Redmond Historical Society (RHS) Speaker series" event / photo Yoder

I first met Miguel Llanos during the 2008 Perrigo Woodland (Ashford) Trail neighborhood demonstration march through the Perrigo Heights preliminary plat to save its woodlands from development. Council was inspecting the safety of the 40% steep slope sewer line at the time. Miguel set up an exhibit to educate citizens on the history of the woodlands.  

Llanos is an extraordinary Redmond community member.  Among his many roles, he was a co-founder of the Redmond Historical Society, editor of the Redmond Recorder newsletter, a commissioner of Redmond's Landmarks and Heritage Commission, on the Design Review Board, and the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.  He played a big part in the founding of the Redmond Library. 

Miguel was sworn into the Landmarks and Heritage Commission after Rep. Ross Hunter's Town Hall meeting.  The commission meets when an owner of one of the 16 properties listed as historic by the city wants to make a change. or when a property owner wants to have their property added to list.

Miguel was a strong advocate for preserving Old Town and its 2-block row of historic "Perrigo Plat" Craftsman bungalow houses on 164th Street.  The old Brown Bag Cafe bungalow on 164th was once owned by long-time Mayor Bill Brown (1913-1948) and did not meet the commission's historic criteria.  [Same for the E.A. Walcher House, a 112+ year Craftsman-style bungalow on 8117-166th Ave. NE, also once owned by Bill Brown.]

Miguel currently lives in Los Angeles with his family.  He's in town for the Redmond Historical Society's 25th Anniversary Celebration and Social where he will give a 30-minute slide show. The Redmond Historical Society President John Oftebro did a fabulous job emceeing and directing the event.  

Approximately 100 attended the event, including the first full-time Mayor Chris Himes and John Couch, Parks and Rec. Director of 30 years.  Couch dressed up as Mayor Brown. Hilarious!   

Bob Yoder

Updated 9/27/2024, Updated 10/20/2024

See a Video of city attorney Jim Haney swearing in Miguel to the Landmarks & Heritage Commission. 🙂 

UPDATED: Parks and Recreation Rewards Households With Fee Assistance

Have you heard about the Redmond Parks and Recreation Fee Assistance Program Application?  Application forms are available at the Senior Center Customer Service desk. 

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:  

•   Household income of $70,000 or less qualifies for a 50% reduction in activity fees.   
•   Household income of $47,000 or less qualifies for a 70% reduction in activity fees. 
•   Household income of $28,800 or less qualifies for a 90% reduction in activity fees.  

Proof of Eligibility:  Examples of accepted documents include, but not limited to:  1) Utility billing, 2)  Social Security Benefits statement, 3) most recent tax return, 4) DSHS statement or award.  

 -- Posted by Yoder, 9/14/2024

Elise Farrel-McWhirter - Redmond Historical Society Speakers Series

Saturday Speaker Series Walking with History: 

Elise Farrel-McWhirter 

Saturday, September 14th at 10:30 AM 

 In the Old Redmond Schoolhouse at 

16600 NE 80TH ST, Redmond, WA 98052  

Born an heiress in the Age of Industry, Elise Farrel-McWhirter led the life of one of the most intriguing socialites in New England in the early 20th century. Follow the incredible life journey of a woman who was independent and bold before it was in vogue. Before the Women’s Suffrage Movement, before Women’s right to vote, 

Elise Farrel-McWhirter lived a remarkable life on her own terms and traded the glamour of society for a small farming community in rural Washington—a community named Redmond that she chose to live in over all the other places she had traveled in North America, Asia, and Europe. 

We can walk with history today, because she donated her beloved home upon her death that became Farrel- McWhirter Park. Learn about one of Redmond’s early leading ladies, who loved children, horses, nature, and left us all a legacy that helped foster Redmond’s modern-day Parks Department.

Registration is not required. Please note this is an in-person program. A recording will be available following the event. 

Posted by John Oftebro

President, Redmond Historical Society

9/12/2024

Downtown Park Receives Canadian Award of Excellence

Credit:  CSLA's Awards Atlas.

 REDMOND, WA - The City’s Downtown Park earned the prestigious Award of Excellence for Small-Scale Public Landscapes from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA). The award recognizes the innovative design and thoughtful planning behind this tech-savvy urban space.

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.

Critical Area Ordinance, Public Hearing

 Great Blue Heron 
"Species of Local Importance"  
Sammamish River, Redmond, WA.   

Hello Planning Commissioners:

"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.   

City Dog Park Opens On Education Hill

 

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

"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. 

-- B. Yoder, 3/30/24

Redmond Senior & Community Center Earns LEED Recognition

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.”  

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 

-- Opinion by Bob Yoder, 3/12/2024, Updated 4/16/2024  Photo: Yoder

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

For a must see video of the Rookery go HERE!

About forty of us  on October 28th planted ~ 400 trees to replace the secondary growth, Douglas Fir dying from root rot.  An earlier planting failed from drought.  The city will water this summer.  We planted shade tolerant, hemlock, cedar and pine. Pam and I are standing next to orange-tagged saplings yet to be planted. 

-- Bob Yoder, 11/5/2023