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Fremont Peak Park fundraiser

A party will be held on Thursday, July 11, at the Fremont UNconventional Centre to raise funds and awareness of plans to create a new park in the Fremont District. The proposed park is called Fremont Peak Park, a 0.43-acre wooded property at 4351 Palatine N. For more information about the event, e-mail inquiries to fremontpeakpark.org.

Safety Fair at Sand Point

Sand Point/Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, will be the site of a Summer Safety Fair on Saturday, June 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free community event will feature more than 40 booths and displays offering information on summer safety and disaster preparedness tips, ranging from bicycling and boating safety to Internet and fire safety. Activities and demonstrations planned include a helicopter water rescue, firefighting, search and drug dog demonstrations, blood-mobile, kids safety obstacle course, door prizes, a coloring contest, face painters, food and entertainment. The event is sponsored by the Association of Operations Volunteers and Sand Point/Magnuson Park. For more information, call 903-9646 or visit the Web site www.safety-fair.com.

Crosswalk removal protested

On June 22, Greenwood residents and merchants staged a "crossing action" at N. 85th Street and Palatine Ave. N. Approximately 30 citizens gathered to wave signs and cross the street to protest Seattle Transportation's removal of a crosswalk at the intersection in April.

City officials said the crosswalk was removed because of concerns over public safety, saying it gave pedestrians a false sense of security. The protesters, however, said the crosswalk is needed. They suggested, rather than take away the crosswalk, the City should have added a traffic light.

It appears the protest, which was covered by several local television stations, has been heard. One of the protest's organizers, Gary Masters, owner of Greenwood Optical, said he recently received a letter from Grace Crunican, head of Seattle Transportation, saying a light at the intersection is indeed possible.

Organizers say they have gathered several hundred signatures on a petition demanding the crosswalk's return.

Fremont makes the little screen

In June, the Fremont neighborhood (a.k.a. The Center of the Universe) was visited by film crews for three different television shows: "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "Antiques Roadshow" and "Wheel of Fortune."

The Tonight Show crew filmed a number of neighborhood landmarks including the Lenin statue, the rocket and the Fremont Troll. Locals were interviewed for the piece including several of the original "Rocket Scientists" who helped build the rocket.

"Wheel of Fortune" brought in its own crew in to film the Troll. The "Antiques Roadshow" stopped by for a shot of Rich Beyer's Waiting for the Interurban statue. The Seattle show is expected to air in the fall on PBS.

Roosevelt declared landmark

On June 5, Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board voted to designate several parts of Roosevelt High School as historical landmarks. These include the exteriors constructed in 1922 and 1928 as well as the interior entry lobby, the auditorium and two former gyms now used as exercise rooms. This means that any changes affecting these parts of the building must be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Board.

Roosevelt is slated to be renovated in 2004. The school is located at 1410 NE 66th St. For more information, contact Kathy Johnson of the Seattle School District at 252-0653.

NE Library design to be displayed

The public is invited to see the design for the expansion of the North East Library, from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the library, 6801 35th Ave. NE. The $4.69 million project will expand the 48-year-old library to 15,000 square feet, up from 7,042 square feet, and will feature an upgraded collection of books, more seating, new computer work stations, a meeting room, better lighting, improved seismic safety and additional parking. Project manager Frank Coulter and architects from The Miller/Hull Partnership will be present to explain the design and answer questions. For details, call 615-1621.

Comments due on Park 6 plan

The deadline for public comments regarding plans for Thornton Creek Park 6 is July 15. The park is a 6.5 acre site located a few blocks east of Northgate Mall and north of NE 103rd Street.

The plan proposes ways to fight erosion, improve wildlife habitat and public access, and encourage community involvement.

Among the solutions, the draft calls for a trail. Cheryl Klinker, acting president of Thornton Creek Alliance, said that trails need to both increase public access while not disturbing the area's natural habitat.

For details, call 684-7599.

Ave project gets underway

On June 24, the City launched a renovation of University Way NE, otherwise known as "The Ave."

The $9 million rebuilding project is expected to take approximately 15 months and will affect six blocks from NE Campus Parkway to NE 50th.

Improvements will include: new street surface, wider sidewalks, new lighting and signal systems, bus curb bulbs, streetscaping, together with urban design and art features, as well as water and drainage utility upgrades in the right-of-way.

The City anticipates that construction will proceed in five segments. Each will involve the closure of one or two blocks of University Way and one cross-street intersection.

Each segment will be closed to traffic for approximately three months (the south segment will close first). Business and sidewalk access will be maintained throughout construction. To accommodate the construction project along The Ave, buses serving Routes 71, 72, 73, 74, 78 and 83 have been rerouted to stop on 15th Avenue NE instead of University Way, between NE Campus Parkway and Cowen Place NE. The rerouting of the buses will stay in effect until the Ave project is completed, which is expected to take place in the summer of 2003. Bus riders should check Metro Online at http://transit.metrokc.gov for the most up-to-date information for their route.