May 1, 2010 dawns overcast. We have our fingers crossed. The weather has been relentlessly wet; more rain is forecast. We hope it holds off until late afternoon. We have been planning this day for months, and rain is definitely not part of our plan. The truckloads of plants are at Kathy’s ready to be picked up and arranged at McGraw and at Galer. Volunteers are bringing their tools and meeting the PPQA Board members at 9:30am. Everything is ready for our last big push to complete the Green Gateways Project.
Everyone arrives, eager to get started. Virginia Hand directs the planting at McGraw. She helps us lay out the plants according to the design she and Kathy King have created. Richard Sewell is busy moving aside wood chips and setting in plants at the southeast corner of McGraw & Queen Anne Ave N
Becky & Brad Parker pose as nouveau American Gothic, Queen Anne style, after a morning of heavy work. Digging in the compacted soil is more challenging than we expected. We are grateful for their energy.
Planting is finished and the shovels and trowels are put away. The rain continues to hold off. Neighbors gather at the foot of the Galer Stairs to join PPQA in celebrating the completion of the Green Gateways Project and be the first to see the recently installed paving stones. Margaret Okamoto, PPQA Chair, recounts the history of the Project and its pivotal place in the QA Avenue Streetscape Design Master Plan, and extends PPQA’s deep appreciation for the community’s and the City’s support.
The big moment has arrived. The covering is removed from the engraved pavers and the walkway is revealed!!
Oohs and aahs abound as people find their inscribed paver along the grand sweep of the Galer curb bulb.
With the successful completion of the Green Gateways Project, Kathy King’s dream has been fulfilled.
The Beginning of A Dream Fulfilled
Saturday, October 3, 2009 was planting day for PPQA on Queen Anne Avenue at Galer and McGraw. Board members and friends spent the morning raking, digging, planting, and watering, turning the curb bulb beds that SDOT built in May and June into gardens. Volunteers for the Saturday morning planting included board members Kathy King, Margaret Okamoto, Elaine Talbot, Lori Kent, Patti Hanlen, and Virginia Hand. We were grateful to have the help of Geoffrey Payne, Carol Issac, Shannon Brannon, and Candace Carlson.
Later that afternoon SDOT staged a little ribbon-cutting celebration. Director Grace Crunican presented a certificate of appreciation to PPQA for being instrumental in bringing about the Queen Anne Pedestrian Improvements. Referring to the area as the “Galer Plaza,” Ms. Crunican remarked that the redesigned intersection creates a gathering place for the community, as the celebratory gathering demonstrated!
Ellen Monrad (center), Chair of the Queen Anne Community Council, looks on as neighborhood children cut the ribbon.
On hand for the event was Therese Casper of SDOT (shown here with her daughter, Delphine) who facilitated the curb bulb construction both here and at McGraw. Also pictured, from left to right, are Patti Hanlen, Kathy King, Elaine Talbot (in back), Margaret Okamoto, Lori Kent, and Virginia Hand.
The curb bulb creation and initial planting mark the fulfillment of a dream long held by Kathy King when she first envisioned a revitalized Queen Anne Avenue streetscape back in 2004.
PPQA has worked steadily over the last 4 years to improve our neighborhood. Highlights include:
- The Seattle Times power washed and consolidated newspaper boxes and moved them to less crowded locations.
- PPQA installed a bench and a new planting box at the corner of QA Avenue and Boston with funds from the OED grant. Pennon Construction donated the asphalt removal.
- PPQA partnered with the Queen Anne Windermere office to remove trash, weed tree pits, replace plants and clear gutters along the entire length of Queen Anne Avenue.
Additionally:
- The QA/Magnolia District Council and the QA Community Council voted unanimously to approve the QA Avenue Streetscape Master Plan.
- With a grant from the Office of Economic Development (OED), PPQA purchased and SDOT installed 3 benches. Two are located on the Gilbert Apartment block between Galer and Garfield; one is in front of Ravenna Gardens.
- PPQA has joined with SDOT and the Friends of Queen Anne directing the City’s multi-year funding for sidewalk repairs along the entire length of QA Avenue. Repairs to cracked and buckled sidewalks along both sides of QA Avenue from Galer to McGraw have almost been completed.
- Pedestrian crossings along QA Avenue at Boston, Blaine and Galer have been restriped.
- With funds from the OED grant, PPQA volunteers and merchants collaborated to put in plantings and soil in 14 tree pits along Queen Anne Avenue.
- SDOT pruned trees along Queen Anne Avenue.
- In partnership with Seattle historical groups, PPQA is working to include QA historical elements along the QA Avenue.
- PPQA is working with Joe Geivett, developer of the Eden Hill (Bartell’s) project, on inclusion of elements called for in the Streetscape Master Plan.
- PPQA is working with the Land Use Review Committee of the Queen Anne Community Council and other community groups to formulate design guidelines for Queen Anne Avenue that are consistent with PPQA's streetscape plan. The design guidelines have been approved by the City Council for inclusion in the City of Seattle building code.
- PPQA partnered with Starbucks and Noah's Bagels to address chronic trash problems at the corner of Boston & Queen Anne Avenue.