Events – Page 7 – Alliance for Pioneer Square

Walking Audit Identifies Opportunities in PSQ

Two years ago more than 40 people – residents, businesses, property owners and city staff gathered in Occidental Park. Our goal: to understand what make Pioneer Square a great place and to identify the opportunities to make it better. You came up with a list then, and ISI, working with the Alliance, has brought in more than $1 million to make those changes.

So, we plan to repeat our success, with the help of Feet First, the Alliance and you at the annual Spring Clean, to see how our neighborhood has improved and where we still need improvement. We’ll set out on routes with map, clipboards and cameras to cover nearly all of Pioneer Square.

Your work is all the more important now. Pioneer Square faces major construction projects ranging from the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project to the First Hill Streetcar. Your work will help us get things put back in better shape than when all the digging started. We’re thinking active public spaces, an integrated transit system and a network of streets, parks and alleys that make people want to wander through the Square and its shops all day long.

Learn more about the Pioneer Square Active Streets Strategy. With the help of the Strategy we have a guide for thinking carefully about how to get full value of these investments to make a vibrant place for everyone.

Are you a keen observer of streets, sidewalks and alleys? Do you notice a freshly painted crosswalk, confusing pedestrian signage or missing curb ramps? Are you interested in making Pioneer Square more appealing? You could be part of the International Sustainability Institute’s audit of Pioneer Square’s streets, sidewalks and alleys to help us update our list of infrastructure improvements. Sign up for this or many other activities during the Pioneer Square Spring Clean on Saturday, April 19^th.

Liz Stenning

ISI/Alliance for Pioneer Square

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project Update – April 2014

Milepost 31 Events

First Thursday Speaker Series – Bertha and Progress on the SR 99 Tunnel Project

April 3, 2014
6 – 6:30 p.m.

You’ve been hearing a lot lately about our efforts to replace the State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct. This is a big, complex undertaking. And as we all know, we’ve encountered some challenges. Join us this Thursday at Milepost 31 as speakers from WSDOT and our tunnel contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP), explain what’s being done to address these challenges and get Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine, moving again.

Speakers:

Matt Preedy, WSDOT’s deputy administrator for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program
Chris Dixon, Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) project manager

History Scavenger Hunt

April 19, 2014
1 – 4 p.m.

Join us at Milepost 31 for our monthly activity for kids. This month we’re hosting a scavenger hunt eggstravaganza (pdf 371 kb) to discover Pioneer Square’s rich transportation history. Hop on down with your family and friends to explore historic icons and hidden gems in Seattle’s oldest neighborhood. Test your knowledge, check out cool new Pioneer Square locales, and enter to win a grand prize furnished by the Alliance for Pioneer Square. Pick up your scavenger hunt kit at Milepost 31 between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m.

And don’t forget you can find regular updates about Bertha on Twitter by following @BerthaDigsSR99.

Community Takes a Stand for Compassion

March 15 Beating of Homeless Man Sparks a Plea for Respect, Resources for City’s Most Vulnerable

SEATTLE – (March 26, 2014) – The March 15 beating of a homeless man who was sleeping on the Seattle Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Pioneer Square, has rallied a diverse cross-section of individuals and organizations who are holding a “Stand for Compassion” gathering from 5:30 – 7p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 27 near where the attack took place in Occidental Square.

The event is a call for community conversation and engagement – intended to raise broad-based awareness about the need for greater respect toward Seattle’s most vulnerable citizens, and to begin a public dialogue on how to build a culture of compassion and a safer city for everyone.

“This sort of violence against the poor and vulnerable is unacceptable,” said Real Change Executive Director Timothy Harris, who is organizing the event. “It serves as a wake-up call for all of us who value a safe and respectful community, and puts a spotlight on the need for additional resources towards our goal of providing shelter for 1,000 of the currently homeless by 2015.”

“This latest incident is yet another unfortunate example of the everyday need for additional public safety resources that our businesses, residents and visitors have been asking for,” said Alliance for Pioneer Square Executive Director Leslie Smith. “A more visible police presence serves as a deterrent to bad behavior and allows for quicker response times when needed, particularly on event days when tens of thousands flock to our neighborhood.”

Attendees at Thursday’s event will be asked to take a stand for compassion and a better Seattle by signing a pledge for continued support and participation in addressing this issue. Speakers include representatives from Alliance for Pioneer Square, Church Council of Greater Seattle, Real Change, Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Sounders FC, as well Mayor Ed Murray and Seattle City Council. Additional supporters include CenturyLink Field, Compassion Network, Coalition on Homelessness, Downtown Emergency Service Center, Downtown Seattle Association and Seattle University among others.

A Facebook page has been established for the event with additional information and public comment at https://www.facebook.com/events/685670018157683/