WEDGWOOD IS GETTING A NEW GATHERING PLACE AT HUNTER FARMS CHRISTMAS TREE LOT! SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!
The WCC has learned that an application co-submitted by us and the Hunter Family has been chosen for an outstanding grant to create a community gathering place on the Hunter Christmas Tree Farm in the heart of Wedgwood. This is fantastic news for Wedgwood and the broader NE Seattle community, which has recently begun to use the site for summer festivals and berry sales. The purpose of this grant is to improve the Hunter tree farm site for increased public use and activities while accommodating the Hunter Tree Farm business. You can read more about the site’s selected HERE.
The grant is the result of a new partnership established between Tully’s Coffee and the Pomegranate Center. As part of this partnership, Tully’s Coffee is providing funding to create 3 gathering places in communities across greater Seattle, which the Pomegranate Center is contributing their vision and design expertise, leadership training, and community-engaging process which has proven effective and has already resulted in numerous unique places.
On April 15th, the WCC and the Hunter Family submitted its application to the Pomegranate Center in response to the Gathering Places request for proposals. Shortly thereafter, the WCC was notified that it was 1 of 7 finalists and met with 3 members of the selection committee on Tuesday, April 26th.
This project has an extremely aggressive schedule, so lots will be happening in very short order. Here’s a rough schedule of the project’s main community events and ways to get involved.
- Our KICK-OFF PUBLIC MEETING will likely be on Saturday, June 11th from 10AM – 5PM. The format of this first meeting will generally be as follows: brainstorming session for design ideas from 10AM – 12PM, followed by a concept design session from 12PM – 4PM, and closing with an open house to review concept designs. So, please feel free to come when you can and make sure your voice and vision is included.
- Our FINAL PUBLIC MEETING will likely be Wednesday, July 13th from 7PM – 9PM. This meeting will be to present the final concept design and get any final public comments prior to construction.
- 4-DAY BUILD IN MID-AUGUST! There will be countless ways for kids and adults, artists and non-artists, skilled craftsmen/women of all kinds and the not-as-skilled, and many more to get involved in the design and construction of this project. So stay tuned!
We are seeking community members with all sorts of talents to be Public Space Rangers, which are designers, construction workers, artists, craftsmen/women, writers, etc. who are willing to assist with the design of the project from concept to construction. If you’re interested in this, please send us an email ».
If you want to get involved in other ways, stay in touch, or DONATE to this project, please send us an email ». All financial, materials, and in-kind donations will be very much appreciated and the Pomegranate Center can provide you with a tax-receipt.
NOTE: While this is a fantastic project that will bring a community gathering place to Wedgwood, this does not detract from the WCC’s efforts to bring a public neighborhood park to the Wedgwood at Morningside Substation. Currently, the Parks Department is working to acquire Morningside Substation and there’s lots of excitement about the Wedgwood Park acquisition process which you can read about HERE and HERE! To stay in touch with the Wedgwood Park acquisition process at the Morningside Substation, email » here.