CITY NEWS & ACTIVITIES
Neighborhood Transportation Plans
City staff are putting the finishing touches on the
Neighborhood Transportation Plans program and will be reaching out to residents
over the next year to create plans for each Kenmore neighborhood. The program is focused on proactive
addressing of transportation issues. Kenmore neighborhoods have been defined by the way residents access their
local and collector streets, as well as physical barriers.
We will be looking for residents’ help in identify issues
with traffic, walking and bicycling, and safety concerns on Kenmore residential
streets. Through a series of three
meetings, city staff will guide neighbors through identification of issues, solutions
using appropriate tools, and prioritization of a plan of action. Starting next Spring, those plans will be
used to start to put projects on the ground!
Kenmore residents will be able to find out more information on
neighborhood boundaries, the available tools and other program information
online later this week at www.kenmorewa.gov/NTPP. Any questions can be directed to program
director Brett Schock, Traffic Engineer, at 425-398-8900 or
bschock@kenmorewa.gov.
Imagine Kenmore: Connect + Play More
 The City of Kenmore is seeking your input on ways to expand
and improve parks and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety along major roads.
Your feedback will help determine what to include on a future list of potential
projects and potential funding options.
Join us at a community workshop at City Hall on Tuesday,
September 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There, you will join a community
conversation about parks and walking and bicycling facilities in
Kenmore. Refreshments will be provided.
Food Truck Finale
This Wednesday, August 26 is our summer food truck finale at City
Hall! Maximus/Minimus will dish up its famous BBQ sandwiches
from a metal pig on wheels while Sweet Wheels sells its delicious homemade
ice cream sandwiches. The finale event will also include activities and
music!
The event is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., or until folks stop ordering food. Parking is available on the north end of City Hall and in
the parking garage (enter from the north driveway to City Hall, along NE 182nd
St.).
Walk to Save Animals
Help support Kenmore's animal shelter provider at the 24th annual PAWSwalk event this
Saturday, August 29th, at King County’s Marymoor Park. Participants
will enjoy a 5K walk in the park with friends, family, and canines—all while
raising money for animals in need! The event will include pet-friendly shopping, an interactive
kids’ zone, dog agility, and contests, as well as food trucks and a beer and
mimosa garden. More info at www.pawswalk.net.
Technological Love Note? Calling All Makers!
This message goes out to all you TECHIES and ARTISTS out
there who love Kenmore!
4Culture, King County’s main cultural and arts services
agency, is offering grants to artists who want to put together temporary, site-specific art projects using
technology. We would love to see such a project here in Kenmore; it would
be a perfect “love note” to the community.
4Culture intends to fund projects that use technology in new
or fun ways, even if their creator has little prior art experience. If you like
to play with technology—whether newer digital technologies or older analog and
mechanical ones—and have a cool idea, why not try applying? It’s worth a shot! The application deadline is October 15.
More info at www.4Culture.org/SiteSpecific. Direct questions to Charlie Rathbun at
4Culture: charlie.rathbun@4culture.org or (206) 263-1607.
“Play Ball!” at Moorlands Park
Moorlands Park offers visitors over three acres of manicured
open lawn and an athletic field. This park, tucked away in a neighborhood and
located next to Moorlands Elementary, is ideal for a quick dog walk or informal
softball game. Other features include picnic tables, children's play area and a
basketball court. The park is maintained by the Northshore School District and the field is available for reservation.
CITY STAFF PROFILE
By Jenny Pazar
 Name: Kent Vaughan
Title: Senior Civil Engineer
What He Does: Manages the SR 522 construction project as well as smaller capital projects
Time with City: Almost nine years
Kent Vaughan is the City’s senior civil engineer and manages
the SR 522 construction project in Kenmore.
This is a huge undertaking and is the sort of project that “takes a village” to
complete. Kent works on a daily basis with a project team that consists of other
City of Kenmore Public Works staff, design and construction management
consultants, utility companies, project stakeholders and contractors to ensure
the project is delivered on time and within budget.
The funding component of the project is particularly interesting
since the money comes from multiple funding agencies including the City of
Kenmore, Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), Washington
State Department of Ecology (DOE), Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), and
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Each funding source has
different requirements, regulations, timelines and deliverables. Kent continuously monitors the City’s
commitments to ensure they are being met.
The SR 522 project will improve many aspects of life for Kenmore
residents and its businesses, and once completed will provide a much needed
“gateway” to the City’s downtown.
Project improvements include new sidewalks on both sides of SR 522,
street lighting, street trees, center median, landscaping, a new traffic signal
at 61st Avenue NE, and utility undergrounding. The project will increase
traffic efficiency, improve safety, and improve the overall corridor
appearance. With so many different components, Kent stays busy managing and
resolving issues as they arise. He explained that one of the biggest challenges
of his job is dealing with the curve balls that inevitably happen with large
construction projects. When this occurs, Kent works diligently with his project
team to address the problem and keep the project moving forward.
In addition to Kent’s work as a civil engineer, he also
loves to draw. So much so that he designed the popular “Hank Heron” character
who is quickly becoming Kenmore’s unofficial mascot. Hank first appeared on the
SR 522 project’s funding sign. As Kent
puts it “Hank was added to help spice up the sign a bit, and infuse some fun
into the project.” As a local Kenmore
resident, Kent sees herons regularly and thought it was an appropriate choice
to represent Kenmore. Hank Heron has gone on to star in several comic strips
created by Kent and he can also be seen helping promote various City events and
initiatives.
While the SR 522 project consumes most of Kent’s attention,
he also manages other surface water and transportation projects to round out
his day.
Kent is eager and excited to see the city expanding and
growing so quickly, and is happy to be a part of it. In a city that has as much going on as
Kenmore, we don’t expect a shortage of work for Kent anytime soon!
COMMUNITY / CO-CREATOR PROFILE
By Brennan Jernigan
“If you have an idea for an event that is just too good
to miss—please, contact us!” That’s an invitation from the historic Kenmore
Community Club and its newest president, David Evans, Ph.D. As a relatively new
addition to the club, David is looking for ways to make a 90-year-old club feel
relevant to a new generation of Kenmore residents.
Part of making the club relevant is understanding its
rich history: In 1925, early Kenmore residents began meeting together to find
ways to address shared needs—such as obtaining water and street lights and
improving phone service and other utilities. Thus began the Kenmore Community
Club.
When the group became too large to meet in the local
store or school building, they built a clubhouse. Completed in 1932, this
historic building has hosted card parties, potlucks, dances, and other community
events ever since. As David describes it, “The clubhouse was this swinging
hotspot of the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. It is so fun to dance here!”
Annette Eaton, the club’s manager and a club member of
many years, has a special connection with the clubhouse. Her late husband, Bud,
who served as the club’s president from 2004 to 2014, spent part of his
childhood in Kenmore, and he remembered attending Cub Scouts in the old
clubhouse. When Annette and Bud later moved to Kenmore, it was a natural
decision to join the community club. “We wanted to be a part of it like Bud’s
parents were,” she says.
Thanks in large part to Annette and Bud, the club has made
great strides in preserving the clubhouse. The building, which currently
functions as a rental hall, was recognized by King County as a historic
landmark last October. Since then, the club has received nearly $60,000 in grant
funding from the county and 4Culture for needed restorations, including a new
roof, siding, and paint. In addition, the club has put up nearly $20,000 of its
own to fund projects, and local Plywood Supply has donated materials at-cost to
make them possible.
But, as David points out, the Kenmore Community Club is
about more than just the building. “We also want what goes on inside to be as
important and relevant as ever,” David says.
That’s why the club is hosting exciting new events—such
as its upcoming “casino night”—along with its traditional monthly potluck. The
potlucks are for dues-paying club members and
friends. “Friends,” David explains, “are all those who show up and
introduce themselves to me.” In other words—all are welcome!
Monthly potlucks have been held since the very early days
of the club—and with the continued support of the community, they can continue
for years to come. So take David up on his challenge—attend a potluck,
introduce yourself, and come up with an event that’s too good to pass up!
You can find out
more about the Kenmore Community Club at kenmorecc.blogspot.com
or by attending the monthly potluck, held
every second Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. You can also contact David Evans with your
awesome event ideas at david@chin-evans.com. To rent the clubhouse for an event, visit www.kenmorecommunityclub.org.
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