Franklin Park Improvements Projects Committee Report

February 20, 2009

For the York Neighborhood Association Board

Submitted by: Helen Jackson, Coordinator for Franklin Park Projects for YNA.

Small and Simple Grant-2008

• Helen Jackson submitted the grant application on February 1, 2009. Travis Cary of the Development Department shared that there are many more applications this year than in the past. If we are fortunate enough to receive the grant it will go toward contracted work, plants/trees, cement for benches and signs, soil and sign materials for the 3 year neighborhood volunteer project on Franklin Street Island. This is one of the few open space areas left in the York Neighborhood, and will provide a walking, wooded trail from Lakeway Drive to Whatcom Street, a lovely entry to Franklin Park and a focal point from Lakeway Drive. We should hear back on this by mid-March.

The Work Parties:

• On Martin Luther King weekend, over 25 volunteers from our neighborhood, students from Sehome High School, city volunteers and York residents worked to lay cardboard and mulch the Franklin Street Island. Snacks were donated by Starbucks in Sehome Village, and kept us from hypothermia. It was a definite bad weather day, but, in spite of this, we got much done and everyone enjoyed being wet and cold together.
• On Saturday, February 9, four neighborhood volunteers and a Western student met at the Franklin Street Island. We had mulch, cardboard, stakes and were busily preparing the isle for this year’s planting.
• The trail is taking shape and can now be walked from Lakeway Drive to Whatcom Street, thanks to Ron Barnett extra work this past week.

Franklin Park Improvements Grant:

The Franklin Park Improvements Committee has not meet since November 28, 2007. We are waiting for Jonathan Schilk to update the design plan and coordinate with department heads. We should be meeting later in February or early March.