On Saturday June 5th, I participated in a panel discussion at Seattle Green festival on "de-paving Seattle:  creating new, green open space".  Along with politicians, architects and self policy "wonks", I tried to speak to myths and realities of high density living.  The premise that I work from is that by slowing down Belltown traffic and coming out to meet each other in the street, we create community.  No better place for this to be found is in our P-Patch which is woefully small for it's community purpose, and needs not shoulder the entire responsibility of centered, public meeting space in Belltown.

 My proposal has been simple, and the same for the past three years of work:  that we put the surface parking lots to the periphery of the neighborhood and bring in the gardens to the center.  That we embrace Green Streets, and reinvest in the ground breaking one that we have.  That we as neighbors find strips to adopt, and create beautiful public gardens along the way.  And that we begin as a neighborhood, to connect easily with other Seattle neighborhoods.

 One project that will help us to make connections to other neighborhoods is the Lake to Bay Loop:  Right now the leaders of this inspired path for pedestrians and bicyclists are working on the piece that would begin in Elliott Bay Park (at the AmGen bridge) and connect across the industrial area through Seattle Center and into Queen Anne.  Running all along to Lake Union.

 Please come out on June 17th to meet with one of the lead planners, see how and where this trail is going, and begin this self determined connection conversation in Belltown.  How well our ecosystem serves the residents of Belltown is directly effected by how willing we are to go out and talk with one another and representatives of proposed changes.  

 Bring your own wine glass and good cheer, share the more recent seasonal, local, organic or home made appetizer.  Talk with your neighbors about getting around Belltown and from here back and forth to and from the nearby neighborhoods.  7Pm on the 17th at the Millionair Club's newly renovated meeting room.  Bring friends and family:  send a representative from your building.  Get going on setting up a Belltown that can support us as well as future generations.