By CLAYTON PARK

Several dozen people gathered last month to celebrate the vision of Rudi Kartess, a longtime homeowner who lived on a wooded two-acre lot at 11735 36th Ave. NE.

For many years, Kartess dreamed of eventually building a nursing center on his property, which is located along a tributary of Thornton Creek called Little Brook. That dream never came true. However, the property will now be preserved as a park.

Kartess's niece, Sandra Fetzer, was among those who attended the gathering on June 15 to mark the City's recent purchase of the Kartess property with funds from the November 2000 voter-approved Pro Parks Levy as well as an additional grant from the county.

Bill Parks, a planner with the Parks Department, said acquiring the land is just the start of the work that will need to be done to convert the site into a park. The former Kartess house will be demolished to provide space for a picnic area. Work parties will also be formed to return the property to a more natural state by removing invasive non-native plants.

Members of a group called EarthCorps, which is based at Sand Point, will be participating in the Kartess property work parties. Steve Dubiel, executive director of EarthCorps, described his organization as a non-profit that trains young people, ages 18-24, about environmental restoration. EarthCorps provides over 50,000 hours of service to the local environment each year through a variety of projects.

For more information about the former Kartess property, contact Catherine Anstett of the Parks Department at 615-0386. For more information about EarthCorps, call 322-9296.