Birchwood Neighborhood Association meetings are every other month on Tuesdays at Shuksan Middle School cafeteria from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
2011-12 Meeting schedule: September 20th, November 29th, February 28th, March 27th, and May 22nd.
The Birchwood Neighborhood is located in the north-western quadrant of Bellingham, Washington. Bellingham was founded in 1853 and presently has a population of 71,289 people. Outside magazine calls Bellingham one of its 10 “Dream Towns,” noting its close access to shorelines, rivers, the San Juan Islands and the Cascade Mountains. We like to think of the Birchwood Neighborhood as being one of the best in town to live in - The neighborhood is characterized by older, well-kept homes built on large lots (20,000 square feet or greater). The large lots, mature landscaping, and narrow streets lend a rural atmosphere to the neighborhood, creating a welcoming feel for visitors and residents.
Other significant features of the neighborhood include the Bellingham Golf and Country Club, the Squalicum Creek greenbelt, Bellingham Technical College, and Shuksan Middle School. Little Squalicum Park, located just outside the neighborhood boundary, provides salt water frontage on Bellingham Bay. The Bay to Baker Trail and greenway connects Little Squalicum, Birchwood and Squalicum Creek Parks.
If you would like to get in contact with the Birchwood Neighborhood Association, please email:
board@birchwoodneighborhood.org
Membership: If you would like to join the Birchwood Neighborhood Association and receive emails concerning Neighborhood issues, please send a $15 donation made out to "BNA" to Rebecca Schlotterback, Treasurer, 2611 Lafayette St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Please include your name, address, email address and phone number.
Polluted soil and sediment from Little Squalicum Creek will be dug up, moved nearby to The Oeser Co. property and covered under a $1.5 million cleanup that the Environmental Protection Agency expects to start in August.
The plan includes possibly setting aside the existing upper part of the creek - upstream from the Marine Drive Bridge - as backup storage for the contaminated material, according to the EPA.
The EPA hopes to start the actual cleanup on Aug. 18, although the federal agency is still finalizing details such as access agreements. But crews will be at the park within the next two weeks for preliminary brush clearing and soil sampling. The cleanup is expected to take six weeks. During it, the main trail through the park will be closed and beach access will be affected.
Details: Call Howard Orlean, EPA superfund project manager, at (206) 553-2851, or JeanneO'Dell, community involvement coordinator, at (206) 553-6919.More on the cleanup: Go online to go.usa.gov/ltk and scroll down to Little Squalicum Creek.
PARK USE LIMITED
Beginning the first week of August, the main trail through Little Squalicum Park will be closed to the public during the Environmental Protection Agency's cleanup of polluted Little Squalicum Creek. That trail starts at Bellingham Technical College and ends at Little Squalicum Beach.
Another side trail will be closed for parts of the cleanup. Beach access will be affected as well.A detour route will be marked and warning signs will be posted during the cleanup, which is expected to last about six weeks.
The park will not be closed during the cleanup, as EPA indicated in a postcard sent out about an Aug. 5 open house to discuss the cleanup. Details: 778-7000.
Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/07/23/1537797/epa-plans-to-start-cleanup-of.html#ixzz0uWkpNXGj