The City of Kirkland broke ground Monday morning on major upgrades to Juanita Beach Park that will include a new bathhouse, two picnic pavilions and an accessible-to-all abilities playground.
The new bathhouse will be oriented to provide westward views of Lake Washington from the park. Its restrooms will be heated, open year-round and will have space for dressing. The bathhouse will also offer expanded space for concessions and lifeguards and outdoor showers.
The playground will be centered between the bathhouse and the new picnic pavilions and will provide easy access, as well as open views of the beach and lake. The new playground's synthetic turf and play elements will make play accessible to people of all abilities. It will be wheelchair accessible and is designed to help develop physical, cognitive, sensory and social skills. Inclusive playgrounds provide a platform for social equity and allows family members of all abilities to enjoy time together. The existing playground equipment will be relocated to Windsor Vista Park.
“When completed, the improvements to the park will make Juanita Beach Park an even more incredible asset to our community,” said Mayor Penny Sweet. “This is one of our most heavily used parks and to be able to make these investments ensures that this space will continue to be enjoyed by future generations.”
Construction is anticipated to be completed later this summer. During construction visitors to the park will still have access to the trails, paths, and volleyball courts. There may be very short, intermittent closures which will be communicated as soon as feasible via the City’s social media channels, weekly newsletter, and the City website. The far western portion of the parking lot will be closed to the public for the duration of the construction. The remaining parking lot to the east will remain open. The Juanita Friday Market will be held across the street (Northeast Juanita Drive) at the northern portion of the park. More information on the project is available on the City website at http://bit.ly/JuanitaBeachRenovation
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Are you Color Brave? Practice having constructive and courageous conversations about race. Hosted by Leadership Eastside, Eastside for All and City of Kirkland.
Two identical conversations will occur in February (please choose one to attend):
Sat, February 1, 2020
9:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST
Kirkland Teen Union Building
348 Kirkland Ave
Register at: http://bit.ly/Feb1KTUB
Mon, February 3, 2020
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM PST
Peter Kirk Community Center/Kirkland Senior Center
352 Kirkland Avenue
Register at: http://bit.ly/Feb3ColorBrave
Through sharing and listening to others, we discover how our diverse experiences have shaped us, divided us, and linked us. The inclusive dialogue format emphasizes listening to understand rather than debating to persuade.
Participants are guided through a structured, facilitated conversation in a small group setting where everyone has an equal chance to share.Dialogues are places to build tools and practice connecting across differences. The skills and relationships developed support our ability to take meaningful action - both in our individual lives and together, as a community.
February's topic is "Being Color Brave," where we'll talk about how to have more constructive and courageous conversations about race. Come practice skills for moving past uncomfortable moments toward ways of engaging with others that allow for a shift in perspective and inspired actions.
If you missed the Preparing to Be Color Conscious and Color Brave presentation on Jan 21, please watch the video and review the handouts prior to attending in order to get the most out of this event.
The City is seeking feedback on the Summer Sundays pilot. Please provide your input via a short survey at https://www.research.net/r/parklane-sundays. The survey will remain open through January 31. The City Council will be discussing next steps for this pilot project at a future meeting. More information on this project is available on the City website.
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The City of Kirkland has adult and youth vacancies occurring on several of its advisory boards and commissions. Interested Kirkland residents, or those meeting the eligibility requirements, are invited to apply. Eligibility requirements differ for each board or commission. Some incumbents on these boards and commissions have served one term, are eligible, and intend to apply for reappointment as noted in the descriptions. Completed applications must be received by the City Clerk prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2020. To learn more about each board and to obtain the community service application, go to the Current Recruitment Positions page, or call the City Clerk’s Office at 425-587-3190.
“Serving on a board or commission is such a powerful way to become more engaged in our community,” said Mayor Penny Sweet. “Our boards and commissions fulfil a vital role in our government, advising the City Council on topics of major community impact, including parks, tourism, transportation, planning and design review. We value this input tremendously and look forward to all that will be accomplished in 2020.”
Interviews will be held the evening of March 19, 2020 at Kirkland City Hall.
Adult vacancies are available on the following boards and commissions:
Youth vacancy is available on the following commission:
The members of the advisory boards listed above are appointed by the City Council. The City Council will interview qualified applicants on Thursday, March 19, 2020, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Most boards/commissions hold monthly evening meetings.
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The community is invited to an open house to review and provide comment on the 30% design progress for the 132nd Square Park improvement project on Wednesday, February 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Feedback received will help inform the final design. Landscape architects, engineers and City staff will be in attendance to answer any questions. For more information on this project visit the 132nd Square Park page on the City website.
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Each week the City of Kirkland provides an ongoing list of traffic-affecting construction projects. We will list new projects first. Please consider checking apps such as WAZE or other traffic apps before you drive.
Prep work for Totem Lake Connector pedestrian and bicycle bridge
Totem Lake Boulevard’s southbound lanes remain closed this month between 120th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 124th Street, while Kirkland’s contractor re-routes a sewer pipe away from the future location of the Totem Lake Connector pedestrian and bicycle bridge. Forma Construction has established a detour route for southbound traffic. Totem Lake Boulevard’s northbound lanes are open, as is the sidewalk along the east side of the street. Drivers should expect construction delays. Businesses are also open during construction.
 At times we may share private development projects that are impacting major arterials. These are provided as a courtesy, please check apps such as WAZE or other traffic apps before you drive.
312 Central Way
The developers of a mixed-use building at the corner of Central Way and 3rd Street have closed the bike lane and sidewalk along the project frontage on Central Way to facilitate the construction of an underground parking garage. Additionally, there are traffic lane closures that restrict westbound lanes to one lane during normal construction hours. Other impacts include the sidewalk on 3rd Street, which is closed to pedestrian traffic for the duration of this work. These closures started in September and are ongoing. Pedestrian access around the site continues to be limited during construction hours but will be restored after hours once the concrete phase of the work is completed.
434 Kirkland Avenue
The developers of a six-story mixed-use building at 434 Kirkland Avenue have closed the bike lane and the sidewalk along the project frontage on Kirkland Way to facilitate the construction of an underground parking garage. These bike lane and sidewalk closures started in August and are ongoing. A temporary sidewalk is provided at the conclusion of each work day, while the bike lane will remain in a merging state.
Aegis Senior Living – 1002 Lake Street South
The developers of a new, four-story senior assisted living and memory care residential building at 1002 Lake Street South have closed the bike lane and sidewalk along Lake Street South while they build an underground parking garage. The bike lane and sidewalk are open at the conclusion of construction each day. These bike lane and sidewalk closures have been ongoing since August.
Lakeview Office Building – 5501 Lakeview Drive
The developers of a new, two-story office building located at 5501 Lakeview Drive have closed the bike lane and sidewalk along the project frontage of Lakeview Drive to facilitate the construction of an underground parking structure. Additionally, the sidewalk along Lake Washington Boulevard is closed to facilitate deliveries to the construction site and other needs. These bike lane and sidewalk closures have been ongoing since August.
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2020 Update from King County Assessor John Wilson
Tuesday, February 11 at 3:30 p.m.
Kingsgate Library
Are you one of the 26,000 qualified seniors and disabled King County homeowners who have yet to register for the current Senior Property Tax Exemption?*
Would you like to learn about the new income eligibility rules for 2020 property tax relief?
Would you like to learn when and how you can apply?
King County Tax Assessor John Wilson will explain the new eligibility requirements for Senior/Disabled Property Tax Relief that went into effect in January of 2020 (SB5160). Learn how the Senior Citizen/Disabled Exemption works, who might qualify, what to do if you think you might qualify and where to get help with the application.
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Zoning and Segregation in the City of Seattle
Wednesday, February 12, 7 p.m
Kingsgate Library
Presented by Nisma Gabobe, Sightline Institute
Access to public schools and parks is affected by city zoning. Discuss solutions such as modernizing the city zone code to permit a broader range of housing types within walking distance of these places. This event is sponsored by the King County Library System.
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